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.

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.

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

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?

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!

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Add the flour, vanilla, and salt. The dough should be very uniform and well combined.
  4. Stir in the chopped pecans. I find it easiest to do this by hand, as the nuts can get caught in the beaters.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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:

  1. Divide the dough in half and roll each into a log about 1 1/2 inches thick.
  2. Wrap each log tightly in waxed paper and freeze for 1 hour.
  3. Use a sharp knife to slice the dough into 1/4 inch slices.
  4. Bake 5 minutes, then flatten with a glass.
  5. 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

Titled image of a stack of keto butter pecan cookies on a cupcake stand.
4.55 from 262 votes

Keto Butter Pecan Cookies Recipe

Servings: 20 cookies
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes
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!

Ingredients
 

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

Serving: 2cookies | Calories: 240kcal | Carbohydrates: 5.3g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 22.3g | Fiber: 3.1g
I’d love to know your thoughts, leave your rating below!

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4.55 from 262 votes (112 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




444 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Can I replace the coconut flour with oat hull fiber?

    1. WEll, maybe. I can’t say for sure without trying it myself.

  2. 5 stars
    I just made these and they are absolutely delicious. It’s not your fault the first batch landed on the floor. 🙂

  3. 5 stars
    These are delicious. They turned out perfectly.
    I was thinking about making them in a lemon or pumpkin pie spice version.
    Thanks for all your great recipes and tips!

  4. Kay Young says:

    My all time favorite keto recipe! When we run out of these cookies I make another batch right away… they’re always on hand…

  5. Kristi DeSeve says:

    5 stars
    I almost threw these in the trash….like the last cookies I baked with coconut flour in them. I made your peanut butter ones and they were so rubbery….STILL WARM though! I didn’t let them cool all the way (as instructed!!) and tried them; they smelled so heavenly I couldn’t resist. THESE I let cool completely and … YUM!! Crispy edges, soft inside, DELICIOUS! I’m going to be baking and LOVING your peanut butter cookies soon. 🙂

    1. AHA. You just learned a valuable keto baking lesson… But even warm the PB cookies shouldn’t be rubbery. Did you use a different sweetener?

  6. Heidi Scribner says:

    5 stars
    These are so good!

  7. Will almond meal work as well as almond flour

    1. Almond meal is often more coarse and won’t work as well, if that is the case. Many brands use meal and flour interchangeable but a good fine almond flour uses blanched almonds (no skins) and is finely ground enough to make a cohesive cookie.

  8. 5 stars
    These are 100 times better than the Pecan Sandies I grew up on! So buttery and delicious!!

  9. 5 stars
    Absolutely delicious! Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe.

  10. What is the approximate diameter of the finished cookie, if the recipe is followed perfectly? I’m trying to decide how many to make for a gathering.

    1. I am sorry, I really don’t measure my cookies like that. About 2 inches, I guess?

  11. Pat Stone says:

    I’m allergic to almonds and to coconut Any suggestions for a substitute to make these cookies?

    1. No I am sorry. There is no good substitute for this cookie.

  12. Joann Vazquez says:

    5 stars
    I just want to say how much I’ve enjoyed this recipe. Very easy to make and the flavor is wonderful! I’ve never been disappointed with your recipes. Thank you for all you do!

  13. Andrea Thueson says:

    5 stars
    These keto butter cookies were melt in your mouth GOOOOD. I am so excited whenever I find such a tasty Keto treat. Thank you!!!

  14. wilhelmina says:

    5 stars
    You made my favorite cookies keto friendly!!! They are amazing, and possibly a little dangerous, I can’t resist!

  15. Matt Taylor says:

    5 stars
    I love butter pecan cookies and this Keto version is amazing. Only 2.2 net carbs for two cookies, that is insanely cool. Awesome keto recipe!

  16. Oh my goodness. These are some of the best cookies . They took care of my cookie craving. They are so easy to make. I saw a baking mix for 12.99 on amazon and said I bet I can make these cheaper and I saw your recipe and these are the only ones I will make.now. . I followed your recipe exactly. This recipe is with all ingredients I have on hand I didn’t have to go buy some expensive ingredients that cost outrageously. Thank you so much. for this recipe. Cheryl

  17. I followed the recipe exactly but they didn’t get crunchy. Could it be because I used an erythritol/monkfruit sweetener?

    1. What brand is it? Can you link to it? Most erythritol sweeteners should work but I’ve only ever tested them with Swerve.

  18. Mary Haugh says:

    I followed the recipe exactly but I have a bowl of powder that I can’t shape into a cookie or a log. Help, what can I do? Does it need more butter? I love your recipes and I have never had a problem before.

    1. What almond flour did you use? Is it by chance defatted? because there would be no way it was a bowl of powder if you used the same ingredients I did.

  19. 5 stars
    I followed the recipe on these cookies exact except I substituted coconut oil for the butter- they turned out great and were delicious!

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