Ready in just 20 minutes, these café-style soft and chewy chocolate chip pecan cookies are for anyone who doesn't want the temptation of a whole log of cookie dough hanging out in their fridge (begging to be eaten by the spoonful or baked up hot and warm on a whim at any hour of the day or night). Or for anyone who just realized they're low on any one (or all) of the main ingredients (flour, butter, eggs, sugar, brown sugar, or even dark chocolate).

These cookies taste like your favorite childhood chocolate chip cookies with the added nutty buttery crunch of pecans (and there's no need to chill the dough).

cookie torn in half to show the middle and how soft it is

a stack of 2 cookies on a plate showing the side view

chocolate chip pecan cookie dough on the end of a le creuset blue silicone spatula

Photo of an oversized soft and chewy chocolate chip pecan cookie on a platter.

Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookie Comparison (Chilled Cookie Dough Vs. Un-Chilled Dough)

You may not have the willpower or the desire to let this chocolate chip cookie dough chill before you pop them into the oven to bake (and that's ok...we've been there!). And it's why I've created this recipe so we can all have homemade chocolate chip cookies in just 20 minutes. That's less time than it takes to go the to store and buy the overly processed kind. Amazing, I know♡.

But just in case you're wondering what the cookies look like if you do chill the dough in the fridge for an hour or two, I've made the comparison for you in the side-by-side photos below. Whether you chill this cookie dough or not, the result will be super soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies (that also make the best ice cream cookie sandwiches.

Chocolate chip pecan cookie dough after just being mixed and about to be baked (very light in color and soft appearence) — Chocolate chip pecan cookie dough after just being mixed

Un-chilled dough baked chocolate chip pecan cookie very thin, soft, and chewy with large spread — Unchilled dough (bakes up thin, soft, and chewy edge to edge with large spreading)

Chocolate chip pecan cookie dough after being chilled (looking slightly darker and firmer) — Chocolate chip pecan cookie dough after being chilled

chilled dough baked chocolate chip pecan cookie very soft and chewy, slightly wrinkled, with less spreading — Chilled dough (bakes up thin, soft, and chewy with a little spreading, wrinkling, and crispy edges)

I LOVE a good cookie recipe and this nutty chocolate chip cookie is no exception! Plus, you can decide if you want to chill the dough first or get it into the oven right away (see the comparison photos below). This is an elevated chocolate chip cookie that has all of the usual suspects including buttery-soft middles and crispy edges with added crunch from toasty pecans.

comparison of both cookies on the same sheet tray, slightly smaller chocolate (chilled) cookie on top and below it the un-chilled dough — Chocolate chip cookie baking comparison (un-chilled dough vs. chilled dough)

Why You'll Love This Classic Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookie Recipe

Ready from start to finish in just about 20 minutes (if you don't chill the dough first)
Makes just enough cookies to satisfy your sweet tooth without over-indulging
Makes soft and chewy café-style chocolate chip cookies
They make the best chocolate chip ice cream cookie sandwiches
Only 10 ingredients are needed to make them (even if your pantry is low)
Lindt 70% dark chocolate adds the perfect amount of chocolatey goodness
Easy for kids to make by themselves
Cookie dough can be frozen in a log, sliced, and baked from frozen
Cookies can be baked, frozen, and added to lunchboxes for a treat
Substitute pecans with walnuts, pistachios, macadamias or favorite nut

two chocolate chip pecan ice cream cookie sandwiches stacked on top of one another

brown sugar, white sugar and butter in a bowl

eggs, vanilla, and vanilla bean powder in a bowl

flour, salt, baking soda and cream of tartar in a bowl

lindt dark chocolate squares on a cutting board

Cookie Ingredients

All you need to make this cookie recipe is a few pieces of good dark chocolate (or chocolate chips), a handful of pecans, and a few basic pantry staples.

all-purpose flour (or 00 flour)
baking soda
salt
butter (the real kind)
sugar
light or dark brown sugar
large egg
pure vanilla extract
toasted or untoasted pecans
70% Lindt dark chocolate (or favorite chocolate)

*I use 00 flour (with 11-11.5% protein) when I'm in Italy, and King Arthur all-purpose flour when I'm in the States. And the weight of these different flours varies based on the humidity content of the flour and also the environment you're in. If you're not using a scale to measure the ingredients, be sure to use the 'scoop and level' method for measuring the flour into measuring cups and spoons.

sideview baked chocolate chip pecan cookie very thin, soft, and chewy with large spread

How to Make Half-Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies

Homemade classic chocolate chip cookies get a delicious nutty upgrade with toasted pecans and they're ready in just about 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C & Prepare the baking sheet. Line baking sheets with a nonstick Silpat, parchment paper, or aluminum foil.
Cream the butter & sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a handheld mixer) cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
Combine wet ingredients with the creamed butter mixture. Add the egg and vanilla extract to the creamed butter mixture, and beat just until combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking soda, and salt, and whisk to combine. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and use a rubber spatula to gently incorporate the ingredients until no flour streaks remain. Fold in the pecans and the chocolate chunks.
Bake the cookies. Using a portioning scoop or ¼ cup measuring cup, portion the dough and place the scoops onto a prepared baking pan about 3 inches apart to allow for spreading. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, or until golden brown with chewy centers. You may chill the dough for 1 to 2 hours (or overnight) before baking which helps them spread less. Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies step-by-step photos

adding egg to the creamed butter and sugar mixture

creamed butter and sugar mixture with egg and vanilla mixed in

flour, salt, baking soda all added to the creamed butter sugar egg mixture

cookie dough after flour has been gently mixed in

Giant cafe-style chocolate chip cookies with toasted pecans.

Ways to Customize Cookies

There are all kinds of ways to enhance this chocolate chip cookie dough. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

swap out the pecans for walnuts, macadamia, or even hazelnuts
top with candy sprinkles
substitute 55-60% milk chocolate for the dark chocolate
add a dollop of Nutella to the top of each cookie just before baking
top the cookies with a tiny bit of sea salt
omit the pecans to make half-batch classic chocolate chip cookies

Top Tips & FAQ's

Why are my cookies crumbly? Crumbly or dry cookies mean you may have either over-mixed the cookie dough or added too much flour, not added enough butter, or a combination of these things. You may be able to remedy this if you find your cookie dough is too dry by adding a little extra softened butter to the mix. Whatever you do, don't throw away cookie dough or cookies that aren't perfect. You can add them to a bowl of ice cream, or even use them to make a cookie crust for your next no-bake dessert or key lime pie!
Why are my cookies cakey? Usually, a cakey cookie means the flour-to-fat and sugar ratio is out of balance. Which means you may have added too much flour. It can also be if you've added more egg or a larger egg than is called for (a typical large egg should weigh about 50-55g once it's cracked in a bowl). Do not use cake flour which can also give you cakey cookies.
Why are my chocolate chip cookies hard? If your chocolate chip cookies are hard, you may have overmixed the cookie dough, or you may have baked them too long. Baking cookies longer than required leads to vital moisture loss from butter and eggs evaporating leaving you with a harder cookie. Also, don't leave them out uncovered for too long especially if you're in a dry environment. This can also zap moisture from your cookies.
How do you store chocolate chip cookies? Chocolate chip cookies can be stored at room temperature for 2-3 days in an airtight container. They last up to two weeks in the fridge but keep them away from smelly foods. It's best to either freeze baked cookies layered between wax or parchment paper in freezer bags and pull out cookies as you want. This way they maintain their peak freshness. Alternatively, you may freeze portioned and frozen pan-banging cookie dough balls in freezer bags. When you want a freshly baked cookie add a dough ball to a lined cookie sheet and let temper at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before baking.
Why are my cookies spreading out so much? As mentioned above, too much flour in your cookie dough can make cookies crumbly and dry. Alternatively, too much butter and sugar can make cookies spread out and lose their shape when baked. Also, if you chill the dough beforehand, it will help keep them from spreading.
Can you overmix cookie dough? Yes, you can definitely over-mix cookie dough. In fact, doing so will leave you with flatter, crispier cookies because overmixing adds more air to your dough which causes them to rise higher and then fall flat. But this method is great if you want extra crispy cookies.