Easy Butter Pecan Cake Mix Cookies with Nuts & Toffee

Bake some magic this season with a simple cake mix, rich pecans, and irresistible toffee bits.

This butter pecan cookie recipe yields thick, gooey cookies with a rich, buttery flavor. They're loaded with toasted pecans and toffee and covered in a warm, sweet coating.

Unlike many of my other cake mix cookie recipes, these cookies don't have a frosting or glaze. Instead, they're rolled in cinnamon sugar (like snickerdoodles) before being baked.

Their coating -- plus a secret ingredient -- infuses these cookies with warmth and a captivating flavor.

They will be a huge hit. Especially in fall and winter, when pecans, toffee, and cinnamon are the flavors of the season.

Ready to try a cookie in a league of its own? Then grab your pecans, and let's go nuts!

And don't forget to check out all my other mouthwatering desserts.

You'll Make These Cookies Over & Over -- Here's Why

• Quick and easy. If you want a delicious cookie without a lot of fuss or dirty dishes, this is the one for you.
  
  A large bowl plus a few simple ingredients are all you need. You don't even need to pull out your electric mixer. A wooden spoon will do the trick.

• Unique flavor, texture, and add-ins. These cookies stand apart from the cake mix crowd. They are simpler without any decorating fuss.
  
  You can't find these buttery, gooey cookies at any grocery store. These are one-of-a-kind.
  
  They remind me of Christmas cookies, though you can make them any time of year.

• They freeze wonderfully. Out of all the delicious recipes you can make with cake mix, this is one of the easiest to freeze. Bake a batch, freeze, and enjoy them anytime you want. 

Ingredients

• 1 box of butter pecan cake mix (Betty Crocker)

• A stick of butter. Unsalted butter tastes so much better in cake mix cookies than vegetable oil.

• Large eggs. Use them at room temperature.

• Toasted pecans. Nuts are quick and easy to toast in a skillet on the stove. But don't walk away from them. They burn quickly.

• Heath toffee bits. This is the unexpected ingredient everyone will be talking about.

• White sugar and ground cinnamon coating. Mix the sugar and cinnamon together just like you would for snickerdoodles.

Substitutions

• Add in a cup of butterscotch chips in place of the toffee bits. The taste is similar, although the size and texture differ.

• Use spice boxed cake mix instead of butter pecan. Either flavor of cake mixes tastes like the holiday season.

• Try half butter and half cream cheese for a softer, tangy cookie.

Variations

• Instead of mixing chopped pecans in the dough, place a single pecan on the tops of the cookies.

• Make a brown butter maple flavoring glaze for the top of the cookie. Don't roll the cookies in the cinnamon-sugar coating for this easy cake mix recipe.

Directions

Prep and bake these easy cookies. Here's how.

Prep Work

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an ungreased cookie sheet with parchment paper. 

• Preheat a skillet on the stove on medium heat for about 5 minutes.

• Add the whole pecans to the dry skillet. Toast the pecans for 4 to 5 minutes or until they get fragrant and are toasty brown. Stir every minute or so and keep a close eye on them. They can burn quickly.

• Remove the pecans from the heat and cool for 5 to 6 minutes.

• Melt the butter in the microwave in a microwave-safe container for about 45 seconds. Cool the melted butter for 2 to 3 minutes.

• Finely chop the cooled pecans with a knife or in a food processor.

• Whisk the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl. 

Bake the Cookies

• Pour the dry cake mix and add the wet ingredients.

• Mix with a wooden spoon. Scrape the bowl's sides to ensure all the dry ingredients are integrated into the cookie dough.

• Stir in the chopped pecans and the toffee.

• Rest the dough for about 10 minutes so the wet ingredients are absorbed into the dry ingredients.

• Scoop the cookie dough balls with a medium cookie scoop (1 tablespoon size is ideal). Roll the dough ball in your hands to make it smooth. 

• Roll the cookie dough balls in the cinnamon sugar until coated.

• Space the cookie dough about two inches apart on the lined baking sheet.

• Cover the dough with a square of parchment paper. Then flatten the dough ball with the bottom of a glass.

• Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 11 to 13 minutes or until the edges are done, and they are golden brown.
  
  The middles may not look completely done, but they will finish baking with the residual heat when out of the oven.

• Remove the cookie sheet from the oven.

• Shape the cookies with a round cookie ring. It should be larger than the cookie.
  
  Circle a warm cookie with the ring. Rotate the ring around the cookie for about 5 seconds. The sides of the cookie will pull in, and the cookie will get rounder.
  
  The warmth of the cookie will help it conform to the ring. Repeat this technique with all the cookies. 

• Place the cookie sheet on a wire rack and cool for 5 minutes.

• Transfer the cookies to the cooling rack. Cool them completely. 

• Enjoy.

Tasty Tips

• Rest the cookie dough for about 10 minutes after mixing it together. During this time, the dry ingredients absorb the fat and moisture from the melted butter.
  
  The dough will be the perfect texture for scooping and baking. No excessive stickiness here.

• Shape the cookies with a larger cookie cutter if you want the cookies to be rounder. Baking irregularly shaped cookie dough leads to uneven cookies.
  
  But if you want to make the cookies look the same size and appearance, circling the freshly baked cookies with a cookie ring is the answer.
  
  Maybe the cookies won't be 100% perfect. But they will be more attractive when you swirl the cookie ring around each one.

How to Store

Store the cooled homemade cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will stay fresh for 3 to 4 days. 

I recommend freezing them if you don't think they will be eaten that quickly.

How Long Do Butter Pecan Cookies Last?

Butter pecan cake mix cookies will last 3 to 4 days when stored properly. If you need to keep them for longer, freeze them.

This is one of those easy cookie recipes that freezes quite well.

How to Freeze

Flash freeze the cookies first before long-term freezing. If you flash freeze first, the cookies won't stick together. This makes it easier to pull each one out individually.

Here's how.

• Line a cookie sheet with a sheet of parchment paper. Don't skip this step or the cookies will stick to the pan.

• Place the cookies in a single layer in the pan.

• Freeze for 1 hour.

• Transfer the cookies to a freezer-safe container (or zip-top freezer bag).

• Label with the contents and date.

• Freeze for 6 months. If you think the cookies will be in the freezer for the entire 6 months, add a little extra moisture protection.
  
  Wrap the frozen cookies in plastic wrap before putting them in the freezer container.
  
  They'll be ready the next time you crave a cookie because they don't take much time to thaw.

To thaw:

• Remove the frozen cookie from the freezer.

• Thaw the cookie at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes.

• Enjoy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What to Serve with Cake Mix Butter Pecan Cookies

These flavorful cookies are one of my favorite cookie recipes made with cake mix. Try them with one of these sides.

• Ice cream. You'll be hooked the first time you try this warm, chewy cookie with a scoop of vanilla or butter pecan ice cream.

• Hot chocolate. You'll love this perfect recipe made with melted chocolate chips.

• A tall glass of cold milk.

Hungry for More Cake Mix Cookies

Cake mix cookies are the easiest cookies to whip up in a hurry. Try these recipes for your next get-together or cookie exchange.

• Cherry chip cake mix cookies dipped in melted white chocolate (or substitute white cake mix, cherry extract, and sprinkles)

• Lemon cake mix cookies drizzled with melted white chocolate chips

• Cream cheese frosted Funfetti cookies or Funfetti sandwich cookies

• Oreo cookie sandwiches with chocolate cake mix

• Strawberry crinkle cookies with cake mix

• Chocolate chip cookie with yellow cake mix and chocolate chips