If you love butter pecan flavor, give these gluten free butter pecan cookies recipe a try. You will love these fun caramel bits I found to go in these cookies! Try these and try a few more gluten free cookie recipes too
Click for Table of Contents:
Butter pecan is one of my favorite ice cream flavors. Do you have a favorite flavor of ice cream that would be fun to create a cookie around? If you love caramel as much as my kids, this gluten free caramel apple cake and these gluten free caramel cupcakes are definitely worth trying too!
I have learned my kids will devour any cookies with melted caramel bits...I may need to find a way to hide more veggies in my cookies. Caramel camouflage may just be the sneaky way to achieve this (insert evil grin.) If you want a more grown-up cookie, give this Gluten Free Coffee Flour Cookie recipe a try!
Why these cookies are great:
There is something about the creamy goodness mixed in with that butter and nutty pecan flavor that makes me buy this flavor all of the time. Add caramel sauce, and it is heaven.
These cookies took a little time to create. Lots of trial and error to get the flavors just right. I used Kraft caramel bits to get the caramel flavor into the cookies. (*Note to be careful when you take these out of the oven. The melted caramel is HOT!)
If you prefer a classic cookie recipe, you will want to make these Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies too!
Ingredient notes:
- Gluten free flour blend - I tested this recipe with both Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Blend and King Arthur Measure for Measure. That doesn't mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours.
- Xanthan Gum - If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- Pure vanilla extract - I do not recommend using imitation vanilla.
- Butter - Use vegan butter if you want these cookies to be dairy-free.
Recipe step by step directions:
Step 1: Add the dry ingredients to a bowl and whisk to blend. Pour the pecans in and mix well so the pecans are evenly dispersed.
Gluten Free Flours
I have tested two gluten free flour blends in this recipe. I liked King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure and Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour Blend. This doesn't mean other blends won't work, I just haven't tested any others. Try to avoid flour blends that are high in starch.
As always, if your blend does not contain Xanthan Gum, you will need to add 1 teaspoon.
Step 2: In a smaller bowl, add the wet ingredients and whisk to blend. Pour the wet ingredients on top of the dry ingredients. Mix well.
Step 3: The gluten free butter pecan cookie dough is a little more firm than other cookies I have made. Let the dough sit for 5 minutes to absorb the liquid.
Step 4: Use a cookie scoop to drop the dough balls onto a cookie sheet. You can pat the cookies down if you prefer a flatter cookie.
Step 5: Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes at 350º F. Remove them from the oven and move the cookies to a cooling rack. Be careful and use a spatula so you don't get burned by the hot caramel.
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ:
You can make these cookies nut-free by skipping the pecans.
You can make these cookies dairy-free by using vegan butter. I haven't found dairy-free caramel chips so you would need to substitute them with something like Enjoy Life dairy-free chocolate chips.
Yes!! We often make a double batch so we can freeze some of the cookies! Just let the cookies fully cool, then add to a freezer bag. Zip the bag closed squeezing as much air out as possible.
These cookies will keep up to 4 days in an air-tight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
Gluten Free Cookies:
- Crisp Delicious Gluten Free Butter Cookies are the star of any bake sale!
- If you love sprinkles, these Gluten Free Funfetti Sugar Cookies are a wonderful treat.
- My take on the classic cookie with some shredded coconut! Gluten Free Coconut Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave me a rating and a comment. I LOVE hearing from you!! You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest to see even more delicious recipes!
📋 Recipe
Gluten Free Butter Pecan Caramel Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups gluten free flour blend * see note
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup toasted pecans unsalted
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup Kraft caramel bits
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- Spray coconut oil onto a cookie sheet.
- In a large bowl, add dry ingredients and whisk to blend.
- Add all wet ingredients, pecans, and caramel bits.
- Mix well.
- Use a cookie scoop to drop cookie balls onto a baking sheet.
- Bake 10 minutes until done.
- Cool on a cooling rack.
Notes
- I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF and Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend. That doesn't mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours.
- If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter for vegan butter.
- These cookies will keep up to 4 days in an air-tight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
Nutrition
If you love the recipes you are finding on my blog, I would love for you to sign up for my newsletter (and get my free chocolate e-cookbook!)
(*Note this post was updated from an older March 2015 post. Here is the old photo below
Nicole
Sandi, these cookies look amazing! And all those new photos....I just wanna grab1 through the screen.
Sandi Gaertner
LOL thank you so much Nicole, glad you like the new photos :-).
jenna
I've been on a huge pecan kick lately!! Can't wait to give these a try using your dairy-free suggestions. I think I saw some vegan caramel chips on amazon the other day. I'll have to check them out 🙂
Sandi Gaertner
We are pecan fanatics as well 🙂
Cinnamon Flowers
If you want to use a premade flour such as Mama's Gluten free almond flour or cup for cup, would you use 3 cups plus the Xanthan gum (if the mix doesn't have it) ?
Sandi Gaertner
Hi, you definitely want to add 1 teaspoon xanthan gum if your gluten free flour blend doesn't have it already. Cup4Cup has dry milk in it. This will work for this recipe, but it doesn't work for any of my baked recipes with lemon juice...just an fyi. Thank you for taking the time to write 🙂
Julie
Can a gluten free flour be substituted, if so how much? These look wonderful!
Sandi Gaertner
This is a gluten free recipe. Are you asking if you can use a different gluten free flour Julie? I used Authentic Foods Gluten Free Flour Blend, I assume other blends will work as long as they don't contain bean flour. Also check if you use a different blend that it has xanthan gum. If it doesn't you will want to add a teaspoon. Good luck. Sandi
Linda
These look so good! I love the combination of butter pecan and caramel. If only I could eat dairy! Thanks for sharing at Gluten-Free Wednesdays. I'll be highlighting these cookies this week.
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Linda, Thank you so much. I wonder if you could use this dairy free caramel for the cookies? http://www.adventuresofaglutenfreemom.com/2010/11/handcrafted-dairycasein-free-chewy-caramels/