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!
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
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?
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.
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
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!
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.
Absolutely! Many readers have enjoyed these as low carb chocolate chip cookies too.
I have not tested this myself but palm shortening or coconut oil will probably work.
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
- The Best Keto Pecan Pie
- Keto Maple Pecan Scones
- Sugar Free Pecan Turtles Candy
- Keto Biscotti with Pecans and Cranberries
- Pecan Crusted Salmon
- Brown Butter Pecan Muffins
Keto Butter Pecan Cookies Recipe
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
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.
Dixie Joe says
Fantastic! I did not have pecans so I made with Lily’s caramel salty chocolate chips and they were great. However, the entire time I was enjoying these tasty morsels, I kept wishing I had pecans. Going to make another batch as soon as I can. Thanks for the great recipes!
Kathy Cooke says
I used 1 cup of toasted, ground pecans and 3/4 cup almond flour instead of 1-3/4 cup almond flour for more of a pecan flavor. Otherwise made as written. The dough was sticky, so I used a cookie scoop and patted the dough down with my fingers before baking. Wonderful flavor! So buttery. The cookies did spread a good bit while baking, so don’t pay them too thin before baking. Watch them near the end to prevent burning. I baked them for 15 minutes. Next time I’d try using the full amount of almond flour to see how much of a difference in taste there is.
Carrie Logan says
These are amazing. They are a tastier, more buttery version of Pecan Sandies. I made three of your recipes this weekend and this is my husband’s favorite. As for me, I love them all.
Abbey says
Is there any other flour besides Almond flour?
Every time I use it all my things taste like crap…..I hate Almond flour.
I have Coconut, pecan,walnut,carbaquick, flours and Flax seed meal also
Tyvm
Carolyn says
No, this recipe is tested and works with almond flour. Sorry you hate it but this recipe is delicious and everyone loves it! 🙂
Debbie Givan says
Made these as lemon cookies (no pecans, lemon extract instead of vanilla) and they were amazing. Can’t wait to try other flavors. These are so crisp, which is what I crave in a cookie, and so easy. Best go-to keto cookie!
Karen says
Look delicious. Could I use granulated monk fruit as the sweetener?
Carolyn says
There really is no such thing as “granulated monk fruit”. Monk fruit is a highly intense extract that comes in liquid or powdered form, similar to stevia. I believe you mean an eryhtritol based sweetener that has a tiny bit of monk fruit to make it sweeter. Don’t be fooled by the marketing! Please turn over your bag and if the first ingredient is erythritol, and it contains no allulose in the mix, then it should work.
Linda Gomez says
I bought Everyday Ketogenic Kitchen for this recipe. After I was diagnosed celiac, I found gluten free pecan sandies but they were loaded with sugar. No Bueno. I was also pre-diabetic. This was the first recipe I made out of this cookbook. And I recently made it again. It is quick, easy, and delicious!
Carolyn says
Thank you!
Gail Scott says
These are the BEST Keto Cookies ever!! I like them as they are and I have also added Keto friendly chocolate chips – everyone loves them – — perfect recipe – quick and easy to make– thank you so much for this fabulous recipe!!
Carolyn says
So glad to hear it!
Brenda Clark says
One of my favorite cookies! Love them.
Lynn B. says
These are really delicious. I did add a handful of Lily’s butterscotch flavored baking chips. Yummy! Thanks Carolyn for all your work on developing these recipes.
Kelly says
Wow! These cookies are delicious and so easy. I made a couple of small alterations that worked well. I added an egg and increased almond flour to 2 cups to compensate for the extra moisture. I also doubled the vanilla and the pecans. After the first batch, it occurred to me that chopped dried cranberries would be a good addition. Not keto but tasted great. Thanks.
Ann says
I have started keto in earnest, but I still like to bake. These were delicious. It’s so nice to have a low carb cookie that tastes good. Thanks!
Patti says
Hi Carolyn,
I’ve enjoyed following your blog and trying out your recipes. I always find them informative and easy to follow. I followed this recipe exactly and they look exactly like your picture. Unfortunately they taste salty. I’m not sure what happened. I used unsalted butter, toasted pecans and measured exact. The only substitute was I used powdered Swerve as it was what I had on hand. Could that have made the salt stand out more? I’d love to try these again but worry I’ll get the same results. Thoughts? And thank you for all you do for those of us trying to eat healthier.
Carolyn says
Huh. I don’t think the powdered would have anything to do with it. Were the pecans salted, by chance? Other than that, I am stymied!
Laura Jacewicz says
I’m hoping you can help me. I made these cookies and they were great but I made too many. I ended up with about 25 leftovers which I ground up. I’d like to make a bourbon ball using Swerve confectioners sugar, more ground pecans, a keto chocolate chip (melted) and bourbon. Can you help me figure out the ratio? Thanks.
Carolyn says
I would just google bourbon balls and use those ratios with my cookies. I really have never made them so that’t the best I can offer you.
Claire says
At last, a low carb recipe that everyone in my house adores! These are great, thanks for the recipe
Marisa says
Hi! These look delicious! Is the 5.6 grams the net carbs or do we have to subtract the 3.1g fibre from it? Thank you!
Carolyn says
It’s total carbs.
Elaine says
Wow, a proper little treat!
We have just started following a Keto diet and my husband was missing sweet treats!
I’ve never baked with coconut or almond flour before or used an alternative sweetner before so really wasn’t sure if we’d like these at all but they are so scrummy and even my fussy children enjoyed them!
Great to have a little go to treat! Thanks for a great easy to follow recipe!
Olivia says
This recipe is FANTASTIC! Simple, delicious, and, did I mention delicious? Especially good with chocolate chips. My father, a diabetic who scoffs at low carb desserts, gobbled these right up. With how low carb and delicious these are, they are my go-to cookie recipe!
Carolyn says
I’m so happy to hear that!
Diana Koen says
Thank you, Carolyn, for a perfect, cannot be improved upon, Butter Pecan Cookie recipe. Made it this morning and enjoyed every delicious bite and now looking forward to having these with friends. For one, this cookie has made me want to try baking desserts again after many attempts with other recipes that nobody would eat. I really like the texture and flavor, and they hold up well. Thank you.
Carolyn says
So glad to hear it, Diana!
Farzana says
Hello can I use xylitol instead of swerve?
Carolyn says
No, you will get very soft cookies that don’t crisp up. I mean, yes you can… but they won’t be at all the same!
Lynn says
Outstanding cookies. My non-keto friends couldn’t believe these are low carb. I add 1/4 cup Lily’s chocolate chips. My new go-to cookie. Thank you, Carolyn.