Brown Butter Pecan Cookies

Wash your hands and clean the work surface. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C), with a rack in the center. Spread the pecan halves in a single layer on one baking sheet.

Toast the pecans for 7–9 minutes, stirring once, until fragrant and slightly darker. Watch closely near the end to prevent scorching. Let cool, then chop into small pieces. Set aside. Turn off the oven while you prepare and chill the dough.

Melt the butter in the light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking for 6–9 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom frequently. The butter will foam, then the milk solids will turn golden and finally deep golden brown, with a pronounced toasted, nutty aroma. Remove it from the heat before the solids become black.

Immediately pour the browned butter into the heatproof mixing bowl, scraping in all the browned milk solids. Let cool for 20–30 minutes, until barely warm and still liquid. Stir in the 2 tablespoons water to replace moisture lost during browning.

Add the brown sugar and whisk for about 1 minute, until evenly combined. Whisk in the whole egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth. Do not whip until fluffy; minimal aeration helps keep the cookies chewy.

In the medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Fold these dry ingredients into the butter mixture just until a few flour streaks remain. Add all the chopped pecans and fold until evenly distributed and no dry flour remains.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 60 minutes, until the dough is firm enough to scoop and holds a mound. Do not taste the raw dough. About 15 minutes before the chilling time ends, heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Make sure both baking sheets are cool, then line them with parchment paper.

Divide the dough into 24 rounded portions, using approximately 2 generous tablespoons for each. Arrange 12 portions on each sheet, leaving at least 2 inches between them. Keep the second sheet refrigerated while the first bakes. Do not flatten the dough.

Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack for 11–13 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through. The edges should be lightly browned and set, and the centers should look matte and slightly puffed, without wet-looking dough. Avoid baking until the centers feel firm, which will make the cooled cookies less chewy.

Let each batch rest on its baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to the cooling rack. The centers will settle and firm as they cool. Serve warm after this resting period, or let cool completely before storing.