Gluten-Free Butter Pecan Cookies

Name: Gluten-Free Butter Pecan Cookies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 112 g super-fine blanched almond flour; 84 g Bob’s Red Mill tapioca flour; 70 g sweet rice flour (also called "mochiko," distinctly different from white rice flour or brown rice flour); 1 tsp cornstarch; ½ tsp baking soda; ¼ tsp ground cinnamon; ½ tsp kosher salt; ½ cup unsalted butter (room temperature); 78 g granulated sugar; 100 g light brown sugar (preferably organic); 1 large egg (room temperature); 1½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 4 oz toasted pecan pieces

JUMP TO RECIPE

These gluten-free butter pecan cookies are rich, buttery, and packed with toasted pecans in every bite. With crispy edges and a soft chewy center, they’re the ultimate holiday cookie.

QUICK LINKS: Flour Substitutions | Cookie Variations

If I had a dollar for every friend who begged for early access to this gluten-free butter pecan cookie recipe after just one bite, I'd be rolling in dough. Okay, maybe not rolling—but I’d definitely have enough to buy myself a fancy chai latte to enjoy with the cookies.

Think pecan praline meets a super chewy baked cookie — they’re as comforting as they are decadent. Toasted pecans bring out a nutty aroma, while brown sugar adds caramel-like depth. Best of all, these drop cookies are quick to whip up, making them perfect for last-minute cravings or holiday gatherings.

The base for these butter pecan cookies is adapted from my all-time favorite gluten-free chocolate chip cookies! In all its nutty pecan goodness, I bring you a chewy cookie for non-chocolate lovers.

Close up overhead Gluten Free Butter Pecan Cookies

Why you'll love this recipe

Buttery and toasty: These cookies have a buttery vanilla flavor enhanced by toasted pecans.
Crisp and Chewy: Made with a blend of gluten-free flours, these cookies don't compromise on texure or flavor. They have crisp edges with a gooey chewy center and crunchy pecans studded throughout.
Versatile: Dress them up with icing, a drizzle of chocolate, or a pinch of flaky sea salt to make them just a bit more fancy.
Quick and Easy: No need to chill the dough — you’ll have cookies ready in under 30 minutes!
Perfect for Gifting: Their festive flavor and texture make them a holiday favorite!

Ingredients for Gluten-Free Butter Pecan Cookies

For ultra-chewy cookies with crisp edges and a classic chocolate chip cookie flavor, these cookies use a blend of almond flour, sweet rice flour, and tapioca flour.

Here's everything you'll need to make this recipe:

Super-fine blanched almond flour: Super-fine blanched almond flour adds flour bulk without drying out the cookie. It imparts the cookie moisture and a subtle nutty sweetness.
Bob's Red Mill tapioca flour: Like sweet rice flour, tapioca flour offers chewiness, but it also is what helps create the fluffiness and crispy edges. I exclusively recommend Bob's Red Mill brand as I've found other brands to be gritty.
Sweet rice flour or mochiko: Also called mochiko or glutinous rice flour, sweet rice flour is distinctively different than white rice or brown rice flour. Sweet rice flour is the same flour used to make mochi, and as such, it contributes to the chewiness of the cookie center. I recommend Koda Farms mochiko or Bob's Red Mill.
Cornstarch: The tiny bit of cornstarch in this recipe helps maintain thickness during baking. It absorbs moisture and reduces spread, creating a softer and chewier cookie.
Kosher salt
Baking soda
Ground Cinnamon
Unsalted butter
Light brown sugar: I recommend organic light brown sugar, as it has a higher molasses content than conventional, creating a chewier cookie with more flavor.
Granulated sugar
Large egg
Pure vanilla extract
Toasted pecan pieces

Visit the recipe card for exact quantities!

How to Make Gluten-Free Pecan Cookies

Here's how you get the most deliciously chewy butter pecan cookies in less than 30 minutes. Start by measuring and sifting your flour into a bowl. To be sure you measure the flour correctly, I recommend measuring by weight.

Cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.

Step 2 Add Egg Vanilla GF Butter Pecan Cookies

Mix in the egg and vanilla extract.

With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients, mixing until combined.

Mix in the pecan pieces...

...mixing until just combined.

Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop 2 tablespoon-size balls of dough and chill the cookie dough balls while you preheat the oven.

Gluten Free Pecan Cookie Dough Balls on Baking Sheet

Space the cookies 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Baked Gluten Free Pecan Cookies On Baking Sheet

Bake until the edges are just set but the centers still look underbaked, 8-9 minutes.

Hint: Don’t Overbake: The cookies should look slightly underbaked in the center when you pull them from the oven. They’ll firm up as they cool.

Gluten Free Butter Pecan Cookies Wire Rack

Gluten-Free Flour Substitutions

I recognize that buying three different gluten-free flours can seem daunting! Rest assured, the three flours used in this recipe are three of the most commonly used flours in my kitchen (in fact, here are 24 recipes that use all three!). If you don't have one of the flours, here are my recommended subsitutions.

Superfine blanched almond flour: If you can't have nuts, this is not the cookie for you (see: PECANS). However, if you just don't have almond flour, replace the almond flour, tapioca flour, and sweet rice flour measurements in the recipe with:
- 115g (1 cup + 1 tablespoon) gluten-free oat flour
- 35g (¼ cup + 1 tablespoon) tapioca flour
- 40g (¼ cup) sweet rice flour
Bob's Red Mill tapioca flour: Substitute by weight with arrowroot starch.
Sweet rice flour: If you can't find sweet rice flour or want a grain-free version, I would replace it by weight with additional tapioca flour. Your bake time might vary a bit, so keep an eye on the cookies for clues that they're done!
Cornstarch: You can leave the cornstarch out or replace it with an additional teaspoon of tapioca flour, but your cookies will be noticeably thinner.

Can you Make Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Butter Pecan Cookies?

Yes! To make these cookies dairy-free, simply replace the butter with a firm plant-based butter, such as Miyoko’s or Country Crock plant butter.

Bite of Gluten Free Butter Pecan Cookies

How to get perfectly round even cookies?

Use a Cookie Scoop: A medium cookie scoop ensures evenly sized dough portions, leading to uniform cookies that bake evenly.

Scoot the Warm Cookies: Once the cookies come out of the oven and are still warm, place a round cutter or the rim of a large glass over each cookie and gently swirl it around. This helps reshape any uneven edges into perfect circles while the cookies are still soft.

Butter Pecan Cookie Variations

Here are a few additional ways I've baked these cookies before if you want to mix things up a bit!

Maple Icing: Drizzle the cooled cookies with an icing made my mixing 1 cup powdered sugar, ¼ cup maple syrup, and 1 tablespoon melted butter.
Chocolate Pecan Cookies: Add 1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate to the dough for a chocolatey twist.
Toffee Pecan Cookies: Add 1 cup toffee chips to the dough.
Cinnamon Sugar Coating: Roll the cookie dough balls in a mixture of ¼ cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon before baking for a buttery snickerdoodle-like twist.
Pecans on Top: Press 2-3 pecans or large pecan pieces into the top of each cookie dough ball before baking. This will add even more toastiness and crunch to every bite.

Or, for a more classic chewy drop cookie, see my classic gluten-free chocolate chip cookie recipe here!

How to store gluten-free butter pecan cookies

Room Temperature: Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Freezing the Dough: Scoop dough balls onto a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer bag and store for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding 1-2 extra minutes to the bake time.

Freezing Baked Cookies: Once cooled, freeze the cookies in a single layer. Thaw at room temperature when ready to enjoy.

Tip for Success: Pecans

Toast the pecans: This step is crucial for enhancing the nutty flavor and ensuring the pecans turn irresistibly crunchy in the cookies. Skipping toasting will leave the pecans soft after baking, resulting in a less-than-ideal bite.

Break the pecans by hand: Instead of using a food processor or knife, simply crumble the pecans into pieces with your fingers. This keeps the chunks larger and crispier, avoiding the fine, dusty bits that can turn into flour-like texture in the cookies.

Recipe FAQ

What's the best way to toast pecans?

Spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 300°F for 6-10 minutes. Watch closely to avoid burning!

Why are my cookies spreading too much?

Whenever I bake cookies, I always bake off 1 or 2 tester cookies first so I can make adjustments as needed. If your cookies spread too much, there are two likely culprits.

First, if your flour was not measured properly or you used a different brand of gluten-free flour. I recommend always measuring by WEIGHT not volume and using any specific flour brands listed here.

Alternatively, they could spread because the cookie dough was too soft. Make sure the butter isn’t overly soft or melted when adding it to the cookies, or if it was, never fear! If you find your cookies are spreading too much, chill the dough in the freezer for 15 minutes before baking to help prevent excessive spreading.

Drop cookies are some of my favorites because you just cookie scoop them onto a baking tray and bake! Here are a few favorite drop cookies I make on repeat!