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This post is all about how to make thick and chewy chocolate chip brown butter pecan cookies, spiked with Rivulet Pecan Liqueur. These cookies are absolutely perfect for the fall and winter season, and deserve a place on your holiday table.
Why You’ll Love These Brown Butter Pecan Cookies:
It starts with an amazing browned butter chocolate chip cookie that is thick, chewy, and baked just long enough to get that slightly under-done cookie dough texture in the center.
We stuff these cookies with buttered and toasted pecans and add a few varieties of chocolates; semi-sweet, dark, and milk chocolate makes a perfectly balanced cookie that’s not too sweet.
Into the batter, we add 1/4 cup of the Rivulet Liqueur that just drips in Pecan flavor. For extra Pecan Liqueur flavor, after they finish baking, brush the tops with a mixture of melted butter + Rivulet. Then we sprinkle with finishing salt. These cookies are are next level, from the nutty browned butter to the boozy taste, these cookies with warm your soul!
This post is all about Brown Butter Pecan Cookies using my absolute favorite holiday adult beverage, Rivulet Pecan Liqueur.
What is Rivulet Pecan Liqueur
Not only are there a variety of cocktails that are incredible with Rivulet, but Rivulet is my favorite liqueur to cook and bake with. The culinary options are endless, from adding it to your homemade pancake syrup, adding it to chocolate mousse, barbecue sauce, etc. I always have a bottle in my cupboards, especially around the holidays 🙂
From their words:
Rivulet Artisan Pecan Liqueur is one of the world’s most unique luxury liqueur, carefully crafted for connoisseurs who appreciate the combination of contemporary American luxury with the time-honored traditions of fine artisan distilling and craftsmanship.
Rivulet starts with the finest slow-distilled brandy, aged to perfection in small oak casks, combined with a proprietary pecan recipe that extracts the delicate flavor profile.
This process yields a flavor that is nutty, caramel and orange citrus with vanilla cinnamon stick spice and butterscotch undertones. Extremely clean texture showing hints of maple syrup, toasted pecans, butter, orange zest and baking spice. Expressive backbone of spice notes up front with lingering pecan notes.
Ingredients Needed:
You’ll need to grab a bottle of Rivulet Liqueur to make these cookies. If you don’t have access to this drink, you can use a Bourbon instead. It won’t impart the sweet pecan flavor, but will add the warm and dark boozy flavor.
• pecan halves and pieces (1.5 cups + extra for topping)
• butter (for browned butter and for toasting pecans)
• all-purpose flour
• salt and finishing salt, like fleur de sel
• ground cinnamon
• baking soda and baking powder
• dark brown sugar and granulated sugar
• vanilla extract or paste
• 1/4 cup Rivulet Pecan Liqueur
• eggs
• 1 cup chocolate chunks or chips (I used 1/3 cup of semi sweet, 1/3 cup milk, 1/3 cup dark)
See the recipe card below for full measurements and details on how to make these.
How to Make Brown Butter Pecan Cookies?
These cookies are easy to make, but whenever making browned butter and toasting pecans, it’ll take a little extra time. Just be sure to read through the instructions so you are prepared.
- Toast the pecans in butter over medium-low for about 5-7 minutes, tossing frequently to prevent burning. You can do this step ahead of time.
- Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl: flour, baking soda & baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- Brown the butter: in a saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and stir frequently to keep it moving. It takes about 7-8 minutes to start to brown and smell of the nutty aroma. Once you can smell it and see the toasty amber brown color, remove it from the heat and pour directly into the mixing bowl – still hot.
- Add the sugars and mix for a few minutes to cool down. Then add the room temp eggs, one at a time and mix until the batter becomes creamy – about 3 minutes. Scraping the bottom occasionally as it mixes.
- Add the vanilla and Rivulet Liqueur, mix to combine.
- To the mixer on the lowest speed, add the dry ingredients a little at a time until just barely mixed and some flour streaks remains. Add the chocolate and pecans, then finish mixing by hand with a silicone/rubber spatula.
- Place the finished dough in the fridge for a few hours, or if you’re in a hurry 45 minutes in the freezer will suffice.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop out the cookies and press down the tops slightly with additional buttery pecan halves and chocolate chunks.
- Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave on the tray to cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with finishing salt as they are cooling down.
- Store in an airtight container and they will stay fresh for a few days.
My favorite tools to make these Brown Butter Pecan Cookies:
Check out some of my favorite baked goods here:
Soft-Batch Peppermint Chocolate Cookies
Ultimate Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Crumbl Copycat Honey Bun Cookies
Soft-Batch Double Chocolate Cookies
Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies
I hope you enjoy these brown butter pecan cookies as much as my family and I do! I look forward to your questions and feedback below. Please be sure to tag me @BadBatchBaking using hashtag #badbatchbaking if you made this recipe and I will feature you on my story! Plus, I LOVE to see your baking accomplishments
Brown Butter Pecan Cookies with Pecan Liqueur
Ingredients
Toasting Pecans
- 1.5 cups Pecan pieces or pecan halves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter
Making the Cookies
- 2 sticks butter (for making browned butter)
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon 1 ground cinnamon, good quality
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extra or paste
- 1/4 cup Rivulet pecan liqueur bourbon/whiskey can be subbed if you can't find Rivulet near you
- 2 large eggs, room temp
- 1 cup chocolate chips or chunks - I used a combination of semi-sweet, dark, milk plus extra for topping cookies
- Pecan halves for topping cookies
- finishing salt flakes, like fleur de sel
For Extra Boozy Flavor
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons Rivulet liqueur
Instructions
Toasting Pecans
- Toast the pecans in butter over medium-low for about 5-7 minutes, tossing frequently to prevent burning. You can do this step ahead of time.
Make The Cookies
- Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl: flour, baking soda & baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- Brown the butter: in a saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and stir frequently to keep it moving. It takes about 7-8 minutes to start to brown and smell of the nutty aroma. Once you can smell it and see the toasty amber brown color, remove it from the heat and pour directly into the mixing bowl - still hot.
- Add the sugars and mix for a few minutes to cool down. Then add the room temp eggs, one at a time and mix until the batter becomes creamy - about 3 minutes. Scraping the bottom occasionally as it mixes.
- Add the vanilla and Rivulet Liqueur, mix to combine.
- To the mixer on the lowest speed, add the dry ingredients a little at a time until just barely mixed and some flour streaks remains. Add the chocolate and pecans, then finish mixing by hand with a silicone/rubber spatula.
- Wrap the dough tightly and place in the fridge for a 4 hours. If you're in a hurry, 45 minutes in the freezer will suffice.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop out the cookies and press down the tops slightly with additional buttery pecan halves and chocolate chunks.
- Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave on the tray to cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with finishing salt as they are cooling down.
- Store in an airtight container and they will stay fresh for a few days.
For extra boozy flavor:
- In a microwave or in the same saucepan you used for the pecans, over low heat, add the butter and liqueur, allow butter to melt and mixture to warm. Then brush the tops of the cookies with mixture (before adding sea salt flakes) for enhanced boozy flavor.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I would love to make this, but they don’t sell the Rivulet in my state (PA). I even checked if I could have it shipped to me and I can’t. Would another pecan liquor work?