Oat-Pecan Pralines

These oatmeal cookies borrow everything good about pralines and bake it into a chewy, nutty drop cookie. Molasses and maple extract give the dough that dark, caramelly sweetness you’d find in a New Orleans candy shop, while packed brown sugar deepens the flavor even further.

The dough is soft and sticky, which is why an hour in the fridge is a must. Cold dough holds its shape on the baking sheet instead of spreading into flat discs. You’ll roll them into 1-inch balls and press a pecan half right into the center of each one. That pecan toasts as the cookie bakes, and the contrast between the crunchy crown and chewy interior is what makes these stand out.

Space them 3 inches apart on the sheet. These spread more than you’d expect. Pull them when they’re deep golden brown, not just lightly tanned. That extra color means the molasses and brown sugar have caramelized properly.

Pro Tips

• Use old-fashioned oats for chewier texture, or quick oats if you prefer a smoother cookie.
• Let the butter come to true room temperature before creaming. Cold butter won’t aerate properly and you’ll get dense cookies.
• Remove cookies from the sheet immediately after baking. They’ll continue cooking on the hot pan and can overbake fast.

Variations

• Fold in ½ cup of butterscotch chips for an even more candy-like cookie.
• Swap maple extract for vanilla and add ½ teaspoon of cinnamon for a spiced version.
• Use walnuts in place of pecans if that’s what you have on hand.