Published: Aug 9, 2021 · Modified: May 5, 2023 by Carolyn

Keto Butter Pecan Cookies

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Crispy and delicious, these low carb butter pecan cookies are one of my most popular keto dessert recipes. They’re so buttery and sweet, and so easy to make. And they’re egg free!

Titled image of a stack of keto butter pecan cookies on a cupcake stand.

I am delighted to be re-introducing you to one of my most popular keto cookie recipes. Now, for those of you who love these butter pecan cookies, don’t panic. I haven’t changed the recipe at all.

I’ve just taken some new photos and added in even more tips and tricks to get the best low carb cookies imaginable! Because you deserve success in your keto baking.

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Popular low carb cookie recipe
Ingredients for butter pecan cookies
Tips for keto butter pecan cookies
Slice and bake method
Frequently Asked Questions
Storage information
Other keto pecan recipes you might like
Keto Butter Pecan Cookies Recipe

A stack of low carb pecan cookies on a white table.

This recipe was first published in my cookbook, The Everyday Ketogenic Kitchen, and I was amazed at how popular it was right off the bat.

But really, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that these unassuming little cookies took the keto world by storm.

While they aren’t fancy looking, and they don’t have frosting or sprinkles or beautiful drizzles of chocolate ganache, they pack a huge flavor punch.

They’re shortbread-style cookies, with no eggs and no baking powder. Just like traditional shortbread, they are the perfect marriage of flour, butter, and sweetener. Crispy, buttery, and absolutely melt-in-your-mouth.

Have I sold you yet?

A crispy butter pecan cookie sits on the edge of a cup of coffee, with two more cookies on the plate and a bowl of pecans in the background.

Ingredients for butter pecan cookies

Just like conventional shortbread, you don’t need a lot of fancy ingredients for this recipe. You simply need:

butter
sweetener – must be erythritol based for a crisp cookie
flour – a mix of almond and coconut flours gives the right consistency
vanilla
salt
chopped pecans

Tips for keto butter pecan cookies

The method is ridiculously simple but I have a few extra tips for you!

Use softened butter. The butter should be soft enough for you to press a finger easily into it. If not, warm it up ever so slightly before proceeding, otherwise the other ingredients won’t beat in as well.
Beat in the sweetener. It is absolutely imperative to use an erythritol based sweetener such as Swerve here. Erythritol is the only sweetener that allows cookies to get crisp. Even a small amount of allulose or BochaSweet will make them too soft.
Add the flour, vanilla, and salt. The dough should be very uniform and well combined.
Stir in the chopped pecans. I find it easiest to do this by hand, as the nuts can get caught in the beaters.
Roll into balls and flatten slightly. Don’t push them down too much yet, as the edges crack when you do. Bake for 5 minutes.
Flatten again. This is a trick I developed to get nice flat keto cookies. After a few minutes of baking, the dough is softer and more cohesive, so you can press them down thinly with a flat bottomed glass.
Finish baking and enjoy! Remember, they will continue to crisp up as they cool so, as hard as it might be, leave them alone for a bit.

Keto butter pecan cookies and pecans scatted around on a wooden cutting board.

Slice and bake method

I want to give you one additional tip for these low carb cookies that I think you will appreciate, and that’s the slice and bake method. It’s ideal for making them in advance and baking a few cookies at a time. Here’s what you do:

Divide the dough in half and roll each into a log about 1 ½ inches thick.
Wrap each log tightly in waxed paper and freeze for 1 hour.
Use a sharp knife to slice the dough into ¼ inch slices.
Bake 5 minutes, then flatten with a glass.
Proceed as directed.

You can freeze the dough logs for up to 2 months, but they will be very hard right out of the freezer. Let them soften for about 20 minutes before slicing. You can just cut a few and return the rest of the dough to the freezer, or you can make the whole batch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why don’t these low carb cookies take any eggs or baking powder? Won’t they fall apart?

As mentioned above, these are shortbread style cookies. The recipe works as written and trust me, as long as you are using finely ground almond flour, they hold together just fine!

Can I use a different sweetener?

Please be sure to read the How To section. If you want a crisp cookie, the sweetener MUST be erythritol based, with no allulose or xylitol in the blend. As long as the main ingredient is erythritol, other sweeteners such as Lakanto should be fine.

I don’t like pecans, can I add something else?

Absolutely! Many readers have enjoyed these as low carb chocolate chip cookies too.

Can you make them dairy free?

I have not tested this myself but palm shortening or coconut oil will probably work.

Close up shot of a stack of low carb butter pecan cookies with pecans scattered around.

Storage information

Once baked, simply keep these low carb cookies in a covered container on the counter for up to 5 days. You can also refrigerate them for up to 10 days or freeze them for several months.

If you would prefer to freeze the raw dough, please refer to the “Slice and Bake” method outlined above.

Other keto pecan recipes you might like

Keto Butter Pecan Cookies Recipe

Crispy and delicious, these low carb butter pecan cookies are one of my most popular keto dessert recipes. They're so buttery and sweet, and so easy to make. And they're egg free!

4.51 from 227 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: keto butter pecan cookies, low carb cookies

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 18

Total Time: 28

Servings: cookies

Calories: 240kcal

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter softened
½ cup Swerve Sweetener
1 ¾ cups almond flour
2 tablespoon coconut flour
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup chopped toasted pecans

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325°F and line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and sweetener together until lightened and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the almond flour, coconut flour, vanilla extract, and salt until well combined. Stir in the chopped pecans.
Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place a few inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Flatten slightly with the palm of your hand.
Bake 5 minutes then remove from the oven and use a flat-bottomed glass to flatten again to about ¼ inch thick. Return to the oven and bake another 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are golden brown.
Remove and let cool completely. Store on the counter for 4 days and in the refrigerator after that.

Video

Nutrition Facts

Keto Butter Pecan Cookies Recipe

Amount Per Serving (2 cookies)

Calories 240 Calories from Fat 201

% Daily Value*

Fat 22.3g34%

Carbohydrates 5.3g2%

Fiber 3.1g12%

Protein 5g10%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.

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