Pecan cookies that are thin, crispy and sweet. These cookies are also keto-friendly and low carb. They are just 2 ingredients and easy to make. They make a great snack or dessert.
I had to make a keto-friendly version of my favorite cookie to eat right now. These pecan cookies are firm, crispy and crunchy. They have a wonderful nutty buttery flavor from the toasted pecans. I love snacking on them.
Ingredients
- Pecans
- Maple flavored sugar-free syrup
Pecans: Pecans are finely chopped until they resemble coarse crumbs. This is key to helping the cookies bind. You can also make these with walnuts. I prefer this pecan version because pecans get more crunchy than walnuts and I think toasted pecans add more flavor to the cookies compared to walnuts.
Maple flavored sugar-free syrup: You will need a sugar-free syrup to make these cookies. It doesn’t have to be maple-flavored. I chose maple since I like the combination of maple and pecans. When choosing a syrup, you want a thick syrup. Avoid any that has added water in the ingredient list or has a thin watery consistency because the added water will prevent the cookies from binding and from crisping up. I used Choczero maple flavored syrup. You can also use pure maple syrup if you don’t need these to be keto-friendly, low carb or low sugar.
How to Make Keto Pecan Cookies
- Pecans are run through a food processor until they are finely chopped and resemble coarse crumbs.
- The finely chopped pecans and syrup are mixed together until the pecan pieces are all coated in syrup and start to clump together.
- Use a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the cookie dough and pack it into the scoop.
- Release the cookie dough onto your prepared baking sheet and then use the back of a metal spoon to flatten the cookies and shape them into round flat disks.
- Bake the cookies until golden around the edges.
More Keto Cookie Recipes
- 2 Ingredient Keto Coconut Cookies
- 3 Ingredient Keto Pumpkin Cookies
- 2 Ingredient Keto Peanut Butter Cookies
2 Ingredient Keto Pecan Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (157 g) pecan halves finely chopped to coarse crumbs
- 1/4 cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) ChocZero maple flavored syrup see note
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Add pecans to food processor and pulse until they are finely chopped and become coarse crumbs. You do want to make sure the pecan pieces aren't too big because that will prevent the cookies from binding and holding together. See photo in post for reference. Then transfer the finely chopped pecans to a large mixing bowl. Make sure you scrape the sides and bottom of the food processor with a spatula to get all of the pecan crumbs stuck on the sides and bottom of the food processor.
- Drizzle the syrup over the pecan pieces. Use a spatula to make sure all of the syrup comes off of the sides of your measuring spoon/cup into the bowl. Mix with a spatula until the pecan pieces are all evenly coated in syrup.
- Using a 1.5 tbsp cookie scoop, pack the cookie mixture into your cookie scoop. Do your best to pack the mixture into the scoop to help the mixture hold its form. Release onto your prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining mixture, spacing each cookie about 1 inch apart. Use the back of a metal spoon to press and shape each cookie until it becomes a thin round disk (1/4 inch thick). You want the cookies to be thin so that they can crisp up properly. If your mixture is too sticky or you are having difficulty shaping, you can lightly wet the back of the spoon with water before using it to press the cookie mixture. The cookies will not change shape during baking so shape them how you want the final outcome to be. It's important to pack the mixture into the cookie scoop and to use a spoon to flatten and shape the cookies because doing these things also helps to compact the mixture together which will then allow the ingredients to bind together during baking.
- Bake the cookies for about 13-15 minutes or until the the edges turn golden brown.
- Remove cookies from oven but don't attempt to move them from the baking sheet until they are set. This will take about 20 minutes. They will not yet be crispy when they first come out of the oven. Once they are no longer hot, the cookies should be fully set and crispy. The best way to remove them is to peel them off the parchment paper or silicone mat instead of using a spatula. Once the cookies are ready, enjoy them right away or store them in an airtight container or sealed bag. I recommend storing them within an hour after they are done baking. If you leave them out in the open too long, they will absorb the moisture in the air which will cause them to soften.
Notes
- Pecans can be substituted with walnuts and possibly other nut varieties but the crispiness and flavor and sweetness will vary if you change the nut.
- It's important to use a thick sugar-free syrup. There are many out there on the market and unfortunately we are unable to test every single one of them. However, we can tell you that you want to avoid syrups with a thin consistency or ones that contain a lot of water because that prevents the cookies from binding and from crisping up. We tested these cookies with Lakanto maple flavored syrup and My Normal allulose syrup (both with a thin and water consistency) and the cookies did not crisp up or bind.
- I used ChocZero brand maple flavored syrup.* which is a thick syrup made with monkfruit.
- *This product link is an affiliate link. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
- These cookies can also be made with pure maple syrup.
- If you do accidentally leave your cookies out too long and they turn soft, you can place them back in the oven for a few minutes to crisp them up again.
- Make sure your pecans are pulsed to coarse crumbs. If the pieces are too big they won't bind and your cookies will be crumbly.
- If you are on a keto diet, please remember to look at net carbs and not just total carbs in the estimated nutrition. The net carbs count excludes fiber and carbs from sugar alcohols.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
