Skip to Content

Grain-Free Brown Butter Pecan Cookies – Paleo

Please share:

Discover the delightful taste of these Paleo-friendly grain-free brown butter pecan cookies. Embracing butter as part of the Paleo diet enhances the flavor of these cookies, making them a delightful treat.

Paleo Pecan Cookie

This recipe has been refined over time to achieve the perfect balance of taste and texture. Whether you prefer your cookies thin, salty, crispy, or chewy, this recipe caters to all preferences.

Gluten-Free

Gluten Free

And what’s the secret to the perfect combo of flavor, chewy, and pecan cookie crispiness? Three key ingredients:

  • Otto’s Natural Cassava Flour (the ONLY cassava flour is would ever use and recommend)
  • Pure Maple Sugar
  • Coconut Sugar
Gluten-Free Brown Butter Pecan Cookies

Using the combination of maple and coconut sugar add amazing flavor and sweetness, while giving it the signature chewiness in the center.

The cassava flours then comes in and crisps up the outer edges, making it our new favorite cookie.

Yes, butter is an iffy spot for Paleo but we’ve adopted it long ago and it’s a perfectly solid PALEO ingredient.

Despite being higher in carbs and not suitable for a Keto diet, these cookies are free from sucrose and undesirable additives. They avoid grains, rice flour, and synthetic components.Check out these brown butter cookies recipe ingredient list:

  • 1 cup (227g) Unsalted Butter (see notes)
  • 2 1/4 cup (270g) Otto’s Naturals Cassava Flour
  • 1 tsp (6g) Baking Soda
  • 1/2 tsp (3g) Redmond Real Salt (see notes)
  • 1/4 cups (55g) Maple Sugar
  • 1 1/2 cup (300g) Coconut Sugar
  • 1 Tbsp (15g) Blackstrap Molasses
  • 1 lg Egg + 1 Egg Yolk, room temperature
  • 1 Tbsp (18g) Vanilla (see notes)
  • 1 cup (100g) Pecans, chopped (optional, but highly recommended)
  • Maldon Sea Salt Flakes

Now that’s a clean ingredient list!

Gluten-Free Brown Butter Pecan Cookies

Topped with Flaky Salt (don’t miss this step)

And of course, flaky salt sprinkled on top of these pecan cookies before baking adds that final touch. I made the mistake of baking these with salted butter, adding salt in the dough, then more flaked salt on top. Now, I love salt, but that was still a bit much.

If you’re using salted butter, cut the Redmond Real Salt in half.

Gluten-Free Brown Butter Pecan Cookies

Grain-Free Brown Butter Pecan Cookies

Yield: 5 dozen
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 23 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (227g) Unsalted Butter (see notes)
  • 2 1/4 cup (270g) Otto's Naturals Cassava Flour
  • 1 tsp (6g) Baking Soda
  • 1/2 tsp (3g) Redmond Real Salt (see notes)
  • 1/4 cups (55g) Maple Sugar
  • 1 1/2 cup (300g) Coconut Sugar
  • 1 Tbsp (15g) Blackstrap Molasses
  • 1 lg Egg + 1 Egg Yolk, room temperature
  • 1 Tbsp (18g) Vanilla (see notes)
  • 1 cup (100g) Pecans, chopped (optional, but highly recommended)
  • Maldon Sea Salt Flakes

Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
    2. Combine the cassava flour, baking soda, and Redmond salt. Whisk to combine, and set aside.
    3. In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat in a medium-sized saucepan (too small and it may foam too high and bubble over). Let it bubble and foam up, whisking constantly to keep it from burning. Remove from heat when the bottom is nicely browned and it smells nutty and fragrant, being careful not to let it burn. Set aside and let cool about 10 minutes.
    4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the browned butter, maple sugar, coconut sugar, and molasses on medium speed about 1 minute. It will be a gritty texture and the butter may separate some, but this is fine. It will all come together in the next step.
    5. Add in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Mix until well combined, smooth, and thickened.
    6. Add in the dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until combined, then turn speed up to medium and continue mixing another 2 minutes.
    7. Add in the chopped pecans, mixing just until combined.
    8. Using a small (tablespoon-sized) cookie scoop, drop scoops of cookie dough on an unlined baking sheet 2" apart. Sprinkle lightly with Maldon salt flakes (I like to gently crush them a little so there aren't huge flakes in each bite).
    9. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes. The edges will be slightly browned and the centers will be puffed and slightly undercooked. Remove from oven and let cool 2 minutes on the baking sheet before gently removing to cool completely on a wire rack.
    10. Cookies will be slightly chewy until they cool completely. Then they will be quite crispy with a slight chewiness in the center.

Notes

    • If you are lactose-free, you can use ghee that has already been browned (like Pure Traditions).
    • I highly recommend a good quality Mexican Vanilla Extract in this recipe. It's next level, but you can absolutely use any vanilla you have on hand.
    • If you're using salted butter, cut the Redmond Real Salt in half.
    Nutrition Information
    Yield 60 Serving Size 1 cookie
    Amount Per Serving Calories 73Total Fat 4gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 14mgSodium 73mgCarbohydrates 8gFiber 0gSugar 6gProtein 0g

    Please share:

    HT

    Monday 24th of May 2021

    Hi! I’m making these right now and am setting on step 5 to add sour cream but there isn’t any sour cream in the ingredients...

    Kendra Benson

    Monday 24th of May 2021

    So sorry about that. There is no sour cream. It was there in my recipe testing but removed later on. I'll get the instructions fixed to remove it.

    Skip to Recipe