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Oat and Pecan Brittle Cookies

These oversized, undulating, oaty-butterscotchy-toasty cookies get their crispy-edges and chewy center from a few essential moves. It may feel cruel to have to wait, but the dough MUST rest overnight. “By chilling in the fridge, the dough ‘cures,’ and the sugar further dissolves, contributing to a chewier texture,” Claire explains. “The rest also allows the flour to fully hydrate and the fat to solidify, so you get the most pleasing spread and wrinkly surface during baking.”
If you’d like to skip making the pecan brittle, substitute 8 oz. (227 g) toffee bits, such as Heath Bits o’ Brickle (often found in the baking aisle of the supermarket), instead. You should still toast the pecans and grind half into the flour mixture, then add the rest to the dough along with the toffee bits and remaining oats.
Servings: 18 cookies
Author: Bon Appétit

Ingredients

Pecan Brittle:

  • 142 g coarsely chopped pecans 1¼ cups
  • 150 g granulated sugar ¾ cup
  • ½ stick unsalted butter 4 tablespoons
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ¼ teaspoon Morton

Cookies:

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter 1 cup, cut into 16 pieces, divided (1 stick + 1 stick)
  • 173 g all-purpose flour 1 ⅓ cups
  • 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1 teaspoon Morton
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 200 g old-fashioned oats 2 cups divided (100 g + 100 g)
  • 150 g dark brown sugar ¾ cup packed
  • 100 g granulated sugar ½ cup
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Toast the pecans:

  • Place a rack in the middle of the oven; preheat to 350°.
  • Toast pecans on a small rimmed baking sheet, tossing halfway through, until slightly darkened and fragrant, 8–10 minutes. Let cool.

Make the pecan brittle:

  • Line another small rimmed baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat.
  • Cook granulated sugar, butter, and 2 tablespoons of water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring gently with a heatproof rubber spatula, until sugar is dissolved.
  • Increase heat to medium and bring syrup to a rapid simmer.
  • Cook, without stirring, swirling pan often, until syrup turns a deep amber color, 8–10 minutes.
  • Immediately remove saucepan from heat and stir in pecans.
  • Once pecans are well coated, add baking soda and salt and stir to incorporate (mixture will foam and sputter as the baking soda aerates the caramel).
  • Working quickly (it will harden fast), scrape mixture onto prepared baking sheet and spread into a thin layer.
  • Let cool completely, 5–10 minutes.
  • Chop into pea-size pieces; set aside.

Brown (half) the butter:

  • Place half of butter (1 stick) in the bowl of a stand mixer.
  • Bring remaining butter to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring often with a heatproof rubber spatula.
  • Cook, scraping the bottom and the sides of the pan constantly, until butter sputters, foams, and, eventually, you see browned bits floating on the surface, 5–7 minutes.
  • Pour brown butter over butter in stand mixer bowl, making sure to scrape in all the browned bits.
  • Let sit until butter begins to resolidify, about 30 minutes.

Prepare the flour mixture:

  • Pulse flour, salt, and baking soda in a food processor to combine.
  • Add half of reserved pecan brittle and 1 cup of oats.
  • Process in long pulses until oats and brittle are finely ground.

Make the dough:

  • Add brown sugar and granulated sugar to butter and beat with the paddle attachment on medium speed until light and smooth but not fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  • Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add eggs and vanilla. Beat until very light and satiny, about 1 minute.
  • Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the flour mixture; beat on low speed until no dry spots remain and you have a soft, evenly mixed dough.
  • Add remaining half of brittle and remaining 1 cup of oats; mix on low speed just to distribute.
  • Fold batter several times with a spatula to ensure everything is evenly mixed.

Portion the dough and refrigerate:

  • Using a 2-oz. (#16) portion scoop or ¼-cup measuring cup, scoop level portions of dough to make 18 cookies.
  • Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing as close together as possible (you’ll space them out before baking).
  • Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill at least 12 hours and up to 2 days. (If you’re pressed for time, a couple hours will do; cookies just won’t be as chewy.)

Bake the first two batches of cookies:

  • When ready to bake, place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 350°.
  • Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Arrange 6 cookies on each prepared baking sheet, spacing at least 3" apart.
  • Bake cookies, rotating baking sheets top to bottom and front to back after 12 minutes, until dark golden brown around the edges, 16–20 minutes.
  • Let cookies cool 5 minutes on baking sheets, then transfer cookies to a wire rack with a spatula and let cool completely.

Bake the final batch of cookies:

  • Carefully move a rack to middle of oven.
  • Arrange remaining dough on one of the baking sheets (it’s okay if it’s still warm).
  • Bake as before (this batch might go a bit faster).

Notes

  • Dough can be formed 2 months ahead; chill dough balls at least 2 hours before transferring to freezer. Once frozen solid, store in resealable plastic freezer bags and keep frozen. No need to thaw before baking, but you may need to add a minute or two to the baking time.
  • Cookies can be baked 5 days ahead; store airtight at room temperature.
  • This recipe was adapted from Claire Saffitz’s new cookbook, ‘Dessert Person, Recipes and Guidance for Baking with Confidence.’