Salted Caramel Pecan Cookies

Our new fall baking obsession: salted caramel pecan cookies! Nothing says cozy baking season like a warm batch of cookies fresh from the oven. Each bite is loaded with gooey salted caramel chips, buttery toasted pecans, and just a hint of pumpkin spice to give them that perfect fall twist. They’re baked to perfection — chewy in the center, crispy on the edges.

These salted caramel pecan cookies are the kind of cookie that feels fancy enough to bring to Friendsgiving but easy enough to whip up on a random weeknight. Every bite is sweet, salty, nutty, and spiced—basically everything you want in a fall dessert!

Looking for more cookie recipes for your next baking day? Check these out!

Why You’ll Love These Cookies

• They are soft and chewy. There is nothing like a soft chewy cookie straight from the oven. The mixture of brown sugar and granulated sugar gives the dough a nice caramel-y flavor and chewy texture.
• They are a perfect balance of sweet and salty. When you’re craving something salty and sweet, these salted caramel cookies are the way to go.
• They’re sharable (if you want to share)! This recipe makes a large batch of cookies, making them the perfect dessert or for snacking at a party or get together with friends. 

Step-by-Step Instructions for Perfect Salted Caramel Pecan Cookies

These salted caramel pecan cookies are super quick and easy to whip up!

Cream butter and sugars.

First step is to always cream butter and sugar together. This step is important because it whips air into the cookies, making them fluffy, so you don’t end up with a flat cookie. You will whip the butter and sugar together until it is smooth and creamy. It’s important the butter is evenly mixed into the sugar. 

Mix in dry ingredients. Adding Pumpkin Spice for Extra Cozy Flavor!

Before you mix in your dry ingredients, make sure you whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a separate bowl. This will allow each ingredient to blend more evenly into the creamed butter.

Pour the flour mixture into the creamed butter and mix until incorporated. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl for any loose flour. 

Scoop and chill dough for 10 minutes.

Using a cookie scoop, scoop a dough balls onto a parchment lined rimmed baking sheet until you’ve scooped the dough. Chill for at least 10-15 minutes to get the dough nice and firm.

Bake, cool and enjoy!

After the dough balls have chilled, place 4-6 dough balls on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 350ºF, for 15-18 minutes. Make sure the are separated with a couple inches between each one. When the cookies are nice and golden on the edges, they are done!

Take the cookies out of the oven and let them cool on a cooling rack for 5-10 minutes before enjoying. Repeat this step for the rest of the cookies and enjoy!

Tips for Baking Chewy Cookies Every Time

• Cold butter! This is essential. If your butter is too warm, the cookies can spread too much when baking.
• Room temperature eggs. Make sure to set your eggs out ahead of time to get to room temperature. They will blend easier into your batter.
• Chill the cookie dough. A little extra chill of the cookie dough is an extra step we never skip! Even if it is just chilling for 10 minutes, it helps to solidify the dough. Chilled dough helps to reduce the spread of the cookies. If your dough is too warm, the butter will melt and your cookies will spread.
• Cookies should be slightly browned at the edges. When cookies are slightly browned at the edges, they should be ready to pop out of the oven. Let them cool on a cooling rack instead of the cookie sheet, because they will continue to cook on the hot pan.

Where can I find salted caramel chips? 

During the fall season, Trader Joes will sell salted caramel chocolate chips. They are our personal favorite, so we recommend snagging them and stocking up if you can. 

If you are not close to a Trader Joes store or they aren’t in season, you can use Nestle caramel chips or a bulk pack from Amazon.