Butternut Pecan Cookies

Here’s a great recipe for Butternut Pecan Cookies — soft, warmly spiced cookies made with roasted butternut squash and toasted pecans. They’re perfect for fall baking.

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Butternut Pecan Cookies

Makes: about 24 cookies
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 12–14 minutes per batch
Total: ~1 hour (plus cooling)

Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 1 cup roasted butternut squash purée (see note)

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened

• ¾ cup packed brown sugar

• ¼ cup granulated sugar

• 1 large egg

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp salt

• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon

• ½ tsp ground ginger

• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg

• ¼ tsp ground cloves

• 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Optional add-ins:

• ½ cup white chocolate chips or cinnamon chips

• Coarse sugar for rolling

Instructions

1. Roast the squash: Halve and seed a small butternut squash. Roast cut-side down at 400°F (200°C) for 35–45 minutes until tender. Scoop out flesh and mash or purée until smooth. Let cool. (You can also use canned butternut squash purée — just drain any excess liquid.)

2. Toast the pecans: Spread chopped pecans on a baking sheet and toast at 350°F (175°C) for 6–8 minutes, until fragrant. Cool.

3. Cream the butter and sugars: In a large bowl, beat softened butter with brown and granulated sugars until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.

4. Add wet ingredients: Beat in the egg and vanilla, then mix in the butternut purée until smooth.

5. Whisk dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.

6. Combine: Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Fold in the toasted pecans (and chips, if using). Don’t overmix.

7. Chill: Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes (up to overnight) — this helps the cookies hold their shape.

8. Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment. Scoop dough into 1½–2 tablespoon balls, roll in coarse sugar if desired, and place 2 inches apart.

9. Bake 12–14 minutes, until edges are set and centers look slightly soft. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Tips

• Squash moisture matters: If your purée is very wet, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve or blot with paper towels — too much moisture makes cakey, spread-out cookies.

• Don’t skip chilling — the dough is soft, and chilling prevents excessive spread.

• Toast the pecans — it makes a big flavor difference.

• Storage: Keep in an airtight container up to 4 days, or freeze baked cookies up to 2 months. Dough balls can be frozen and baked from frozen (add 2–3 minutes).

Variations

• Maple version: Swap 2 tbsp of the brown sugar for maple syrup and add ¼ tsp maple extract.

• Gluten-free: Substitute a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend.

• Vegan: Use flax egg and plant-based butter.

Would you like a version with a cream cheese glaze or a streusel topping?

Here’s a great recipe for Butternut Pecan Cookies — soft, warmly spiced cookies made with roasted butternut squash and toasted pecans. They’re perfect for fall baking.

---

Butternut Pecan Cookies

Makes: about 24 cookies
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 12–14 minutes per batch
Total: ~1 hour (plus cooling)

Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 1 cup roasted butternut squash purée (see note)

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened

• ¾ cup packed brown sugar

• ¼ cup granulated sugar

• 1 large egg

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp salt

• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon

• ½ tsp ground ginger

• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg

• ¼ tsp ground cloves

• 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Optional add-ins:

• ½ cup white chocolate chips or cinnamon chips

• Coarse sugar for rolling

Instructions

1. Roast the squash: Halve and seed a small butternut squash. Roast cut-side down at 400°F (200°C) for 35–45 minutes until tender. Scoop out flesh and mash or purée until smooth. Let cool. (You can also use canned butternut squash purée — just drain any excess liquid.)

2. Toast the pecans: Spread chopped pecans on a baking sheet and toast at 350°F (175°C) for 6–8 minutes, until fragrant. Cool.

3. Cream the butter and sugars: In a large bowl, beat softened butter with brown and granulated sugars until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.

4. Add wet ingredients: Beat in the egg and vanilla, then mix in the butternut purée until smooth.

5. Whisk dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.

6. Combine: Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Fold in the toasted pecans (and chips, if using). Don’t overmix.

7. Chill: Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes (up to overnight) — this helps the cookies hold their shape.

8. Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment. Scoop dough into 1½–2 tablespoon balls, roll in coarse sugar if desired, and place 2 inches apart.

9. Bake 12–14 minutes, until edges are set and centers look slightly soft. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Tips

• Squash moisture matters: If your purée is very wet, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve or blot with paper towels — too much moisture makes cakey, spread-out cookies.

• Don’t skip chilling — the dough is soft, and chilling prevents excessive spread.

• Toast the pecans — it makes a big flavor difference.

• Storage: Keep in an airtight container up to 4 days, or freeze baked cookies up to 2 months. Dough balls can be frozen and baked from frozen (add 2–3 minutes).

Variations

• Maple version: Swap 2 tbsp of the brown sugar for maple syrup and add ¼ tsp maple extract.

• Gluten-free: Substitute a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend.

• Vegan: Use flax egg and plant-based butter.

Would you like a version with a cream cheese glaze or a streusel topping?