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    Home » Cookies

    Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies with Pecans

    Published: Sep 20, 2022 · Modified: Mar 22, 2023 by Tiffany · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

     

     

    These chocolate chip cookies with pecans really let the nuts shine.  They are made not only with chopped pecans, but also pecans ground to flour to really bring out the nutty flavor.  I used high quality pecans from York Pecan Co, which taste just like the ones my grandpa used to grow.    

    Closeup of chocolate chip cookies topped with pecans on a baking sheet.

    For a time when I was a kid, we moved to live on my grandfather’s farm in the deepest south of south Georgia.  Our house was situated in the midst of a soybean field and we had a row of pecan (pronounced pee-can if you’re from the south) trees in our front yard.  When it was pecan season, my mom and I would go out everyday after work & school to pick up pecans to take to the shelling place in town – because when you’re dealing in 5 gallons buckets of pecans, you don’t crack them by hand. 

    There was actually no chore I dreaded more than collecting pecans.  Sure, I like eating them, but picking them up one by one by one thousand is back breaking work.  I guess you could say loving pecans is in my blood.  After all, it’s been a family food for generations.  But I’m happy to let someone else do the work these days.

    This post was sponsored by York Pecan Company, all opinions expressed are my own.

    Jump to:
    • Why You'll Love This Recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • How to bake the perfect cookie
    • Can you make cookie dough ahead of time?
    • Shop this Recipe
    • Storage
    • Why choose York Pecan Co?
    • More pecan recipes to try:
    • Recipe

    Why You'll Love This Recipe

    • It’s chock full of pecan flavor with both pecan flour and chopped pecans.
    • It makes big, bakery sized chocolate chip cookies.
    • The cookies are crispy at the edges with soft, chewy centers.
    • It’s gluten free & dairy free.

    Ingredients

    Ingredients for pecan chocolate chip cookies on a white wooden table.
    • Gluten Free Flour Blend – I use Bob’s Red Mill for almost all of my recipes.  You can use your own flour blend, but know it may not turn out the same.  If you substitute with another blend, ensure it contains xanthan gum (or a similar binder).
    • Baking Soda & Baking Powder – Baking soda lets the cookies spread and turn golden brown while baking powder makes them stay soft and thick.
    • Cinnamon & Cayenne – These may be unusual additions to chocolate chip cookies, but they compliment the pecans beautifully.
    • Salt
    • Brown Sugar & White Sugar
    • Egg & Egg Yolk - I haven’t tried this recipe with an egg replacement, but I suspect a flax egg would work great here.  If you try it, let me know in the comments.
    • Butter – I use Country Crock Plant Butter or Miyoko's Vegan Butter for my baking.  If you’re not dairy free, you can use regular butter in the same measure.
    • Vanilla
    • Chocolate Chips - I tested these cookies with both Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Chips and Nestle Allergen Free Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips.  Both were great! You can substitute with your favorite brand.
    • Pecans - I used pecans from York Pecan company for both the chopped nuts and the pecan flour.

    Instructions

    Butter and sugar creamed together in a large metal mixing bowl.

    STEP 1: Beat the butter and sugars together on medium speed until light and fluffy.

    Butter and sugar beaten with eggs and vanilla in a large metal mixing bowl.

    STEP 2: Add the eggs and vanilla and beat another 3 minutes.

    Flour, pecan flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cayenne pepper and salt being whisked together in a small white bowl.

    STEP 3: Combine all of the dry ingredients together and whisk well.

    A partially mixed cookie dough with some streaks of flour still showing.

    STEP 4: With the mixer on low speed, add the flour to the butter mixture and mix until just combined. It's okay if there are some bits of flour showing.

    Pecans and chocolate chips being added to cookie dough in a large metal bowl.

    STEP 5: Add the pecans and chocolate chips to the cookie dough and stir until evenly mixed.

    A scoop portioning cookie dough into large balls.

    STEP 6: Scoop the cookie dough into large balls and place on a baking sheet. Then refrigerate the dough balls.

    Balls of pecan chocolate chip cookie dough lined up on a parchment lined baking sheet.

    How to bake the perfect cookie

    Following a few tips will help your cookies turn out perfectly every time.

    1. Use the best quality ingredients you can afford and make sure they are fresh.  Baking soda and baking powder both expire after a few months, flour and nuts can go rancid and chocolate can get chalky.  If it’s been in your cabinet for more than a couple of months, it’s probably time to replace it.
    2. Measure accurately.  Using a scale is the best way to get consistent measurements and results, but if you don’t want to use a scale then at least use measuring cups correctly.  Stir your flour to loosen it up, then spoon it into your measuring cup.  Level off the top with the back of a knife.  Make sure to measure liquid ingredients with a liquid measuring cup and don’t under fill or overfill measuring cups on any ingredients.
    3. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper.  It’s the best for baking - don’t spray with non-stick spray or put the cookies directly on the baking sheet and definitely don’t bake them on aluminum foil or wax paper.
    4. Use a cookie scoop (ice cream scoop) to get perfectly round dough balls.
    5. Chill the dough balls for the required time. 
    6. Leave space between your cookies when you place them on the sheet so they don’t all run together during baking.
    7. Don’t wait for your cookies to look brown all over to remove them from the oven, they will be crunchy or hard.  Check the edges of the cookies with your finger, once it feels stiff the cookie is ready to remove.  They will continue to cook a bit more while cooling on the baking sheet.
    8. Cool your baking sheet between batches.
    A pile of chocolate chip cookies with pecans on a metal baking sheet.

    Can you make cookie dough ahead of time?

    Yes, you can refrigerate the dough up to 2 days before baking or go ahead and scoop it into balls and freeze them.  Then you can bake a few whenever you want something sweet.  They will be good in the freezer for 2-3 months. 

    Shop this Recipe

    Image of Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour Blend

    Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour Blend

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    baking sheet

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    parchment paper

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    Storage

    Keep these cookies in an airtight container stored at room temperature for 3-4 days.  They should retain their soft centers if stored properly.

    A bag of York Pecan co pecans with chocolate chip cookies on a white table.

    Why choose York Pecan Co?

    York Pecan company is based on a farm in Arkansas that was founded almost 140 years ago.  Their story of a family owned farming business really resonates with me because of my own family history with farming.  I love supporting farmer owned companies.  Plus, their pecans are delicious.  They are some of the mildest, yummiest pecans I’ve ever tasted and believe me, I have eaten a lot of pecans. 

    Give them a try.  If you use this link to purchase you will receive 10% off of your first purchase of pecans and candies.  The discount doesn’t apply to bundles or bulk packages.  If the link doesn’t work for you, the discount code is TIFFANY.

    More pecan recipes to try:

    • Freshly baked pecan blueberry scones on a wooden cutting board.
      Gluten Free Pecan Blueberry Scones
    • A maple pecan muffins with a large bite taken out.
      Gluten Free Maple Pecan Muffins
    • gluten free pecan sandies
      Gluten Free Vegan Pecan Sandies (shortbread cookies)
    • A slice of german chocolate pecan pie on a white plate.
      German Chocolate Pecan Pie (Gluten Free)

    If you try this recipe, please leave a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the comments below.

    Recipe

    Closeup of pecan chocolate chip cookies on a baking tray.

    Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies with Pecans

    Any pecan lover is going to go crazy for these cookies. They are filled with pecan flavor thanks to the addition of pecan flour and chopped nuts.
    Author: Tiffany
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 13 minutes minutes
    Cooling Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Servings: 14
    Calories: 310kcal

    Ingredients

    • ½ Cup Pecan Flour
    • 1 ¼ Cup Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour Blend I use Bob's Red Mill
    • ¾ teaspoon Salt
    • 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
    • ¼ teaspoon Baking Soda
    • ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
    • ⅛ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
    • ½ Cup Vegan Butter room temperature
    • ½ Cup Sugar
    • ⅔ Cup Light Brown Sugar lightly packed
    • 1 Large Egg + 1 Egg Yolk
    • 1 ½ teaspoon Vanilla
    • 1 Cup Pecans roasted and roughly chopped
    • 1 ¼ Cup Allergen Free Chocolate Chips

    Instructions

    • In a large bowl, combine flours, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices. Stir together until well mixed. Set aside.
      ½ Cup Pecan Flour, 1 ¼ Cup Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour Blend, ¾ teaspoon Salt, 1 teaspoon Baking Powder, ¼ teaspoon Baking Soda, ½ teaspoon Cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
    • In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and sugars. Beat on medium speed 3 minutes until fluffy.
      ½ Cup Vegan Butter, ½ Cup Sugar, ⅔ Cup Light Brown Sugar
    • Add in eggs and vanilla and beat another 3 minutes.
      1 Large Egg + 1 Egg Yolk, 1 ½ teaspoon Vanilla
    • Turn mixer to lowest speed and slowly add in the flour mixture. Once it is just combined, dump in the chocolate and chopped nuts and fold together with a spatula.
      1 Cup Pecans, 1 ¼ Cup Allergen Free Chocolate Chips
    • Scoop into ¼ cupfuls and place onto a lined baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
    • Bake in preheated oven for 13 minutes until edges are just set. Remove from oven and cool on sheet for 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool.
    Calories: 310kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 234mg | Potassium: 66mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 339IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @wellfedbaker or tag #wellfedbaker!
    Tiffany

    Tiffany is the recipe developer, stylist and food photographer behind Well Fed Baker. As a lifelong baker who had to go gluten free and dairy free in 2016, Tiffany strives to share allergen friendly recipes that never feel like they are free from anything.

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    Hi, I'm Tiffany. I strive to make gluten free dishes that are not just good enough, but better than their gluten counterparts. Living without gluten doesn't need to mean living without yum. You'll find all sorts of recipes from easy complex and something to soothe every sweet tooth.

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