Let’s level up our best homey, comforting oatmeal cookie with chunks of real white chocolate and toasty pecans. It’s an easy recipe that requires just one bowl and no chilling!
Oatmeal cookies are classics, and they lend themselves to so many yummy variations like Maple Glazed Oatmeal Cookies and Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies. I especially love Soft Batch Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies. But white chocolate pecan oatmeal cookies are in a class by themselves. These hearty satisfying cookies are crisp on the outside, chewy inside, with lots of crunchy pecans and sweet white chocolate chunks throughout. Loaded oatmeal cookies might just be the ultimate fall treat.
what you’ll need
Note these cookies are made with shortening, which gives them a satisfying chewy texture. You can substitute butter but the texture will change slightly, and the cookies will spread more readily.
- rolled oats
- happily these cookies are forgiving and any old rolled oats will do: quick cooking or regular both work.
- pecans
- white chocolate
- I buy good quality real white chocolate and chop it into chunks. You can also use white chips if you like their flavor.
- flour
- eggs
- white and brown sugar
- shortening
- I don’t use shortening very often, but I do with oatmeal cookies because I like the texture it gives them. I like to use Crisco butter flavored shortening.
- baking soda and salt
- cinnamon
- vanilla
how to make white chocolate pecan oatmeal cookies
I use my stand mixer but you can use electric beaters or even an old fashioned wooden spoon if you like.
- Cream the shortening and sugars together.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda.
- Blend in the flour and rolled oats.
- Fold in the pecans and white chocolate.
- Portion out dough with a scoop, roll round, and flatten slightly on un-greased cookie sheets (2 inches apart!)
- Bake @14 minutes until golden and not ‘wet’ in the center.
Sue’s styling tip!
When baking cookies with lots of yummy inclusions like these, pay attention to what’s on top! Choose the best angle for your ball of cookie dough before placing and flattening it on the cookie sheet. Pop in a few ‘extra bits’ if you feel like it. Lots of visible chunks in the dough bake up into the most tempting cookies.
why we love these cookies
Easy to make in just one bowl, and no chilling of the dough puts these cookies ahead of the game already. But it’s the combination of ingredients that makes them so great. They remind me of the $$$ cookies in the white bags, you know the ones.
tips for making white chocolate pecan oatmeal cookies
Feel free to use milk or semi sweet chocolate chunks instead of white.
I always bake a test cookie or two first and make adjustments if needed.
If your cookies look a bit puffy when you pull them out of the oven, give the baking sheet a sharp rap on the counter to flatten them.
If you make your cookie dough ahead, be sure to bring it back to room temperature before baking or the cookies will not spread properly.
These cookies will freeze beautifully. I recommend freezing the baked cookies rather than the dough: I wrap them first in plastic, then in heavy duty zip lock freezer bags.
These cookies are sturdy and travel well for care packages and lunch boxes.
White Chocolate Pecan Oatmeal Cookies
Equipment
- baking sheets
- cookie scoop medium size: 1.5 inches across, approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough.
Ingredients
- 1 cup shortening, I like butter flavored Crisco.
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup` chopped pecans
- 1 cup chopped white chocolate, 4 ounces
Instructions
- Set oven to 350F
- In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugars.
- Add eggs, one at at time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda.
- Gradually add the oats and flour to the bowl and mix just until almost combined, then add in the pecans and white chocolate. Fold until well blended but don't over mix.
- Scoop the dough by rounded cookie scoops and roll into a ball with your palms. Place the balls on an ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart and flatten slightly with your fingers or a small spatula.
- Bake for about 14 minutes minutes or until lightly golden. After cooling a couple of minutes, move to wire rack to cool completely. Note: I always do a test cookie or two first and make adjustments as needed.
Nutrition
Can I use Quick Oats instead of rolled oats for this recipe?????
Yes, you can use regular or quick cooking rolled oats. Regular oats will give you a slightly better texture.
The best ever , so crispy and the faves are wonderful. Brown sugar just gives such a great caramel flavor. You always have the best recipes.
Thank you so much.
Thank you Sibylle <3
Baking soda is in the ingredient list but I don’t see it being added in the instructions. Maybe I’m just missing it?
It goes in with the cinnamon, etc., just clarified.
Thanks! i put it with the flour, they still came out excellent! I’m in south Florida, I did a test run without chilling the dough and did one chilling the balls for 20 minutes. The chilled ones came out perfect. It’s already in the 90’s here with feel like temp 104. Even with AC running it’s still humid and the chilling helped, they came out just like pictured and not flat like the unchilled dough one I tested. Test runs is always the way to go!
I made this recipe just as offered. It is delicious. I made them to take camping trip and are hoping they hold up
Of course they maybe gone before I can pack them, they are so good.
I love any kind of oatmeal cookie, and with the rain from Tropical Storm Hilary today, it was time to give these a try. The family loved them and I can’t wait to make some cookie deliveries. Crispy on the outside, chewy on the middle, loaded with yummy nuts and white chocolate – delish. I love Sue’s comment to test a cookie or two for the timing. My oven seemed hot and they were more than done at 12 minutes. Thanks for another great recipe Sue!