Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pecan chocolate chip cookies are soft, chewy and so easy to make. These gluten free dark chocolate chip pecan cookies are rich and sweet and taste just like gourmet cookies. The dough for these cookies come together quickly with just a bowl and a spoon and the dough doesn’t require any chilling in advance.
If you love gluten free baking, you should try these oat flour chocolate chip cookies or air fryer oatmeal cookies.
Why you will love this healthy cookie recipe
Easy to make – all you need is a large bowl and a spoon to mix up the batter for these simple chocolate chip pecan cookies. You don’t even have to chill the dough before baking.
Healthy ingredients – these chewy chocolate chip pecan cookies are naturally sweetened with maple syrup and made with almond flour. These cookies are gluten free, dairy free, egg free and vegan friendly.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Maple syrup – maple syrup naturally sweetens the cookies and also provides the moisture needed for the cookies. The maple syrup gives the cookies a deep, rich flavor. You could also use honey but I recommend maple syrup for the flavor.
- Avocado oil – avocado oil gives the cookies the much-needed fat for the cookies. You can use any neutral oil or melted butter (vegan or regular) in place of avocado oil.
- Ground flax – ground flax helps to bind together the cookies since the cookies are egg free.
- Arrowroot powder/tapioca or cornstarch – the arrowroot/tapioca gives the cookies a chewy texture. A good alternative is corn starch.
- Almond flour – almond flour is naturally gluten free and grain free and easy to find. I recommend almond flour over almond meal but both can be used in this recipe. If you need to use a different flour, I recommend a different recipe as I have not tested anything other than almond flour.
- Vanilla extract – vanilla extract helps to give the cookies a slightly sweeter flavor.
- Baking powder and baking soda – baking powder and baking soda help the cookies to rise during baking.
- Chocolate chips – you can use chocolate chips, chocolate chunks or chop up chocolate bars to use in this recipe. Be sure to use a dairy free chocolate chips if you need the recipe to be vegan or dairy free.
- Pecans – pecans give the recipe a buttery flavor and give the cookies a nice crunch. The combination of chocolate chips and pecans give these cookies a gourmet flavor. You could also use walnuts in place of the pecans.
How to make pecan chocolate chip cookies
Preheat the oven to 350F.
In a large bowl combine the maple syrup, avocado oil, ground flax and vanilla extract. Stir well.
Add the arrowroot, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir well until well combined.
Chop the pecans. Add the chopped pecans and chocolate chips to the bowl with the cookie dough. Stir well to fully incorporate the chocolate chips and pecans throughout the cookie dough.
Add parchment paper to an extra large cookie sheet (or divide between 2 regular size cookie sheets). Use a cookie scoop (1 tablespoon) to divide the dough evenly. This makes 15 minutes (divide any extra dough between the cookies).
Bake the cookies in a 350F oven for 12 minutes. After removing from the oven, allow the cookies to rest for 15 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.
Top tips
- Use a cookie scoop to get similar sized cookies. I waited way to long to get a cookie scoop, they really do make it so much easier to portion out the dough.
- Hold back 4-5 chocolate chips and a few chopped pecans for the very last cookie. I usually end up making the last cookie from all the batter left in the bowl, so this ensures that every cookie will be packed with chocolate chips and pecans.
- Use parchment paper on your baking sheet. Since these are egg free cookies, the bottoms can be a little softer than cookies baked with eggs. Because of this, they may stick to your pan if you don’t use parchment paper.
- Budget tip: I buy both almond flour and avocado oil at Aldi. Often when the almond flour is on sale, I buy 3-4 bags and store them in the freezer until I’m ready to use them.
- Use an extra large cookie sheet (mine is 20″ x 14″) or divide the batter on two regular baking sheet, as the cookies will spread a bit. I recommend the 3/2 method where three cookies are scooped out in a line, then 2 cookies in the empty space below the cookies (see process shots above). This helps get the most cookies on the sheet without the cookies spreading into each other too much.
- If you find that your cookies do spread into each other, use a mason jar lid to very carefully reform the cookie into a circle by spinning the lid around the cookie while it’s still warm.
Other additions to dark chocolate chip pecan cookies
- Spice: Cinnamon, nutmeg
- Molasses – add 1 tablespoon to make molasses chocolate chip pecan cookies
- Dried fruit – dried cranberries, dried cherries, chopped pitted dates, raisins
- Flakey sea salt
Common questions
Do you have to chill the cookie dough before baking?
For this recipe, I did not chill the dough before baking. Since this recipe is made with almond flour, the dough doesn’t act the same way as cookies made with traditional flour. If you need to make the dough in advance and store it in the fridge, the cookies will come out perfectly with or without chilling the dough first.
Do you have to add arrowroot or tapioca starch?
Yes, adding a starch like arrowroot powder or tapioca flour helps to give the cookies some of the same qualities as cookies made with regular flour. It helps create a chewy texture, and the cookies hold together better after baking (especially important when you are baking without eggs as a binder).
Can you use almond meal instead of almond flour?
Almond meal is made by finely grinding up almonds (with the skin on the almond). Because of the skin, almond meal tends to be more dense and less flour like when compared to almond flour, where the the skin is removed from the almonds before grinding into a flour.
For the best texture, use almond flour. But if you really want to make these pecan dark chocolate chip cookies but only have almond meal, you can use it, just know the texture won’t be exactly the same.
What are the best dairy free chocolate chips?
- Enjoy Life – this is probably the easiest to find, as most grocery stores now carry this brand. You can get the chocolate chips or chocolate chunks for this recipe.
- Trader Joes’ 72% Dark Chocolate Chips – this is what I use in this recipe. They are super budget friendly and always in stock (they come in a gold bag)
- Pascha – I love Pascha chocolate. Very simple ingredients and a high quality chocolate.
Can you freeze chocolate pecan cookie dough?
Yes, you can certainly freeze the dough to make cookies later.
- Scoop the dough out onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet (they can be close together for this).
- Freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Be sure to label with the name, date and instructions on baking.
- When ready to bake, place the frozen cookie dough pucks on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and let them rest for about 30 minutes to start to defrost. After 30 minutes, put in a 350F oven for 13-15 minutes.
How to store extra cookies
Countertop – let the cookies cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. Store on the countertop for 2-3 days.
Fridge – you can also store the cookies in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freezer – freeze the cookies (this is my favorite way to store leftovers) in a freezer safe bag or container for up to 1 months.
If you love baking, you have to try these cookie recipes
Almond Flour Double Chocolate Cookies
Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies (Air Fryer)
Vegan Sugar Cookies (Oat Flour)
Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup avocado oil - or melted butter
- 2 tbsp ground flax
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup arrowroot powder (or tapioca or corn starch)
- 1.5 cups almond flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 cup chocolate chip
- 1/4 cup pecans, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- In a large bowl, add maple syrup, avocado oil, ground flax and vanilla extract. stir well to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients (arrowroot, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt) to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Stir well until well combined.
- Chop the pecans then add chopped pecans and chocolate chips to the cookie dough and stir to incorporate throughout the dough.
- Use a tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop out 15 cookies on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Divide any of the extra cookie dough between the cookies.
- Bake in 350F oven for 12 minutes. After 12 minutes, remove from the oven and let the cookies cool 15 minutes on the baking sheet before moving to cooling rack.
Notes
- Use a cookie scoop to get similar sized cookies. I waited way to long to get a cookie scoop, they really do make it so much easier to portion out the dough.
- Hold back 4-5 chocolate chips and a few chopped pecans for the very last cookie. I usually end up making the last cookie from all the batter left in the bowl, so this ensures that every cookie will be packed with chocolate chips and pecans.
- Use parchment paper on your baking sheet. Since these are egg free cookies, the bottoms can be a little softer than cookies baked with eggs. Because of this, they may stick to your pan if you don’t use parchment paper.
- Budget tip: I buy both almond flour and avocado oil at Aldi. Often when the almond flour is on sale, I buy 3-4 bags and store them in the freezer until I’m ready to use them.
- Use an extra large cookie sheet (mine is 20″x 14″x 1″) or divide the batter on two regular baking sheet, as the cookies will spread a bit. I recommend the 3/2 method where three cookies are scooped out in a line, then 2 cookies in the empty space below the cookies (see process shots above). This helps get the most cookies on the sheet without the cookies spreading into each other too much.
- If you find that your cookies do spread into each other, use a mason jar lid to very carefully reform the cookie into a circle by spinning the lid around the cookie while it’s still warm.
- Spice: Cinnamon, nutmeg
- Molasses – add 1 tablespoon to make molasses chocolate chip pecan cookies
- Dried fruit – dried cranberries, dried cherries, chopped pitted dates, raisins
- Flakey sea salt
- Countertop – let the cookies cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. Store on the countertop for 2-3 days.
- Fridge – you can also store the cookies in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezer – freeze the cookies (this is my favorite way to store leftovers) in a freezer safe bag or container for up to 1 months.
