These pecan cookies are crispy and chewy. They only need 2 ingredients and don’t require any flour, eggs, refined sugar, dairy, butter or oil. The cookies also store well and are easy to customize.
A stack of six pecan cookies

These pecan cookies are nutty, firm and chewy. They make a great snack or dessert. I love how easy they are to prepare and I like to make a large batch for snacking on throughout the week.

Ingredients

  • Pecans
  • Maple syrup

Pecans: This recipe uses raw pecan halves. The pecans are run through a food processor until they become crumbs. If you need a substitute for pecans, I have also made these cookies with walnuts.

Maple syrup: Maple syrup helps to bind the cookies and sweetens the cookies. I do recommend using maple syrup and not honey. Honey retains a lot of moisture and prevents the cookies from firming and crisping up properly.

How to Make Pecan Cookies

  • The pecans are pulsed in a food processor until they become small crumbs.
  • Transfer the pecan crumbs to a mixing bowl and drizzle syrup over them. Mix until the crumbs are evenly coated in syrup. When you pinch the mixture, it should stick together.Pecan crumbs in a food processor and shaped into cookies
  • Use a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the dough and release it onto your prepared baking sheet.
  • Flatten the dough balls into thick, round disks. Use the back of a metal spoon to round and smooth the edges of the cookies.
  • Bake the cookies until they are lightly golden and set. Let the cookies cool and set fully on the baking sheet before removing them. The cookies are then ready to eat.

Cookies with pecans on top

Expert Tips

  • You want to pulse the pecans until they become small crumbs. Be careful not to pulse too long in an attempt to get the crumbs finer because the mixture will start to turn into pecan butter.
  • Maple syrup works better than honey. Honey retains a lot of moisture, which will make the cookies soft and crumbly.
  • You can make the cookies smaller, about 1 tbsp scoop per cookie, for bite-sized cookies.
  • Make sure to keep the cookies stored in an airtight container. When the cookies are left out too long, they will absorb moisture from the air, causing the cookies to soften and lose their crispy texture.

A bite taken from a pecan cookie

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2 Ingredient Pecan Cookies

These pecan cookies are crispy and chewy. They only need 2 ingredients and don't require any flour, eggs, refined sugar, dairy, butter or oil. The cookies are easy to prepare and store well.
Servings: 13 cookies
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 13 minutes
Total Time: 23 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 2 cups (209g) raw pecan halves
  • 1/4 cup (2 fl oz/59ml) maple syrup, or more to taste

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Add pecans to a food processor and pulse until they become the consistency of small crumbs. See photo in post for reference. You should hear the change in sound in the food processor when the nuts are ready (there will no longer be clanging sounds of large nut pieces hitting the blades or the sides of the food processor). Be careful not to pulse too long or the nuts will start to become pecan butter. You will not be able to get the pecans to be fine crumbs/flour-like without them starting to get oily and paste-like, so once they are small crumbs, then they are ready.
  • Transfer pecans to a large mixing bowl. Add in the maple syrup. Stir until the pecan crumbs are evenly coated in the syrup. When you pinch some of the mixture together, it should stick. If the mixture is too dry, you can add a little more syrup. You can also add more syrup if you feel like the mixture isn't sweet enough.
  • Use a 1.5 tbsp cookie scoop to scoop the dough and release it onto your prepared baking sheet, spacing the dough about 2 inches apart. Lightly wet your hands and press down on each dough ball with the palm of your hand so that it forms a thick round disk (between 1/4 and 1/2 inch thick). Lightly wet the back of a metal spoon and use it to smooth and round the edges as needed to form perfectly round disks. The cookies do not change shape when they bake, so shape them how you want the final outcome to be.
  • Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden around the edges and on top. Let the cookies cool and set completely on the baking sheet before removing. If you try to move them before they are cooled and set, they will break apart.
  • Cookies can be enjoyed right after they are cooled and set. If not eating right away, make sure to store cookies in an airtight container. If they are left out too long, they may absorb too much moisture and become soft. Store any uneaten cookies in an airtight container for 1-2 days at room temperature, around 3-4 days in the fridge or about 1-2 weeks in the freezer.

Notes

  • The pecan cup measurement is for pecan halves before they are pulsed in food processor. You should be able to process the nuts to become small crumbs but they will not be fine crumbs. If you've made my walnut version, the crumbs will not be as fine as the walnut version. I did try using a Vitamix and Nutribullet to make the crumbs finer, but it just started to turn into butter as soon as the crumbs got finer. I used Kirkland Pecan Halves.
  • This recipe works best with maple syrup and not honey. Honey makes the cookies soft and crumbly. I used Kirkland maple syrup.
Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 128kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 4g, NET CARBS: 4
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
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