Cool the browned butter to a spreadable state before mixing; a liquid dough will spread more.
Toasty pecan coins made with cooled brown butter and a brown-sugar crumb.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Brown Butter Pecan Shortbread Coins Recipe
Follow the tray sizes, portions and baking intervals in the instructions below.
Total time includes hands-on preparation, required chilling or resting, whole-batch cooking, cooling and finishing.
Kitchen tools you’ll need
- light-colored saucepan
- scale
- mixer
- two half sheets
- knife
Ingredients
US measures are approximate. Gram weights help keep portions consistent; spice weights vary with density.
Instructions
Mix
- Brown butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, stirring until solids are amber and smell nutty. Scrape all browned solids into a bowl. Weigh 227 g of browned butter; top up with water if needed. Chill about 45 minutes until opaque and softly spreadable.
Shape
- Beat brown butter and sugar until smooth. Mix in flour, salt and pecans. Form two 8-inch logs, wrap and chill 60 minutes.
Bake
- Heat oven to 325°F (165°C), or 300°F (150°C) fan. Cut 32 coins, 1/2 inch thick. Place 16 per lined half sheet, 1 inch apart. Bake one tray at a time 20–24 minutes until edges are golden.
Finish
- Rest 10 minutes on trays, then cool another 20 minutes.
Chef’s Science & Pro Tips
Ingredient science
Cool the browned butter to a spreadable state before mixing; a liquid dough will spread more.
Technique & texture
Measure flour without packing the cup; excess flour makes dough harder to shape.
Finishing & serving
Use cool trays and let the cookies firm before moving them.
Storage and make-ahead
| Method | How long | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | up to 5 days | Keep airtight in a cool dry room for up to 5 days. |
| Refrigeration | As described | Baked refrigeration is unnecessary; use airtight containers if the room is hot. |
| Raw freezing | up to 1 month | Freeze unbaked dough airtight up to 1 month; thaw in the refrigerator before shaping. |
| Baked freezing | up to 2 months | Freeze completely cool cookies up to 2 months, separated by parchment. |
| Restoring | As described | Thaw sealed at room temperature. Refresh plain unglazed cookies at 300°F (150°C) for 3–5 minutes and cool fully. |
Notes
- Scale ingredients, including US measures, without changing cookie size or oven temperature. Extra trays increase whole-batch time.
Nutrition
Approximate values per portion from the listed ingredient weights divided into 32 equal portions. Includes required fillings and finishes. Brands, unused coatings and actual portion size affect the estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why must browned butter cool until opaque?
Soft opaque butter produces a manageable dough; liquid browned butter makes shaping and spread less predictable.
Why do I weigh the butter after browning?
Browning evaporates water. Weighing and topping up to 227 g keeps the mixture consistent.
How finely should I chop the pecans?
Chop into small pieces so the cold logs slice without tearing or dropping large nut chunks.
