Praline pecan butterscotch oatmeal cookie! It’s a mouthful to say, but ooey gooey and delicious! If a cookie and a pecan pie had a baby, I imagine this would be it!

On a recent trip to New Orleans, we became addicted to Donald Link’s Cochon Butcher restaurant. We spent a week having lunch there everyday. How could we resist menu items such as Le Pig Mac? On the second day, I decided to try one of the their cookies. Oatmeal Pecan Butterscotch! OMG! One of the best cookies we’ve ever had!

I was immediately in search of the recipe. Alas, Google did not turn up a Donald Link or Cochon Butcher Oatmeal Pecan Butterscotch cookie recipe. However, I came home to a the new Milk Bar Life cookbook which contained Christina Tosi’s Grandma’s oatmeal cookie recipe. I used that as a starting point for my version of the cookie I fell in love with. With a lot less granulated sugar, but keeping all the brown sugar for the caramelley flavor and other tweaks: Ta Dah! A wonderful ode to the Cochon Butcher cookie.

Don’t even think of replacing the praline pecans with plain pecans. That’s what makes the cookie! The praline will turn into delicious goo when baked, you’ll see 🙂

Cookies
14 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cup all purpose sugar
1 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup of butterscotch chips
1 1/2 cup praline pecan (recipe follows)
1 cup powdered sugar

Praline Pecans
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons water
2 cup pecan halves

Praline pecans instructions

1. In a small heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine all ingredients except for pecans
2. Place over medium-high heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until mixture reaches the softball stage, 238 to 240 degrees
3. Pull the pan off of the stove and add pecans
4. Continue to stir the candy vigorously until the candy cools, and the pecans have a nice thick coating of the praline
5. Spread the praline pecan out in a single layer on a parchment, foil or Silpat lined cookie sheet
6. Cool completely and break into individual pecan pieces before using in recipe

Cookie instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, salt and baking soda
2. Combine butter, sugars and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment
3. Cream together for 3-5 minutes on high until light and fluffy, stopping mixer and scraping sides down with a spatula occasionally
4. Add eggs one at a time, mixing for a minute after each addition to thoroughly combine
5. Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture and mix until combined, about 30 seconds
6. Add butterscotch chips and praline pecan and mix for another 30 seconds until well distributed throughout dough
7. Scoop about 2 Tbsp. of dough onto a parchment, foil or Silpat line sheet. Place scoops right next to each other. You won’t bake them just yet
8. Cover and cool dough balls for 30 minutes in refrigerator (this will make it easier to work with)
9. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (350 if convection)
10. Put confectioner’s sugar in a large bowl.
11. Roll each dough ball between the palm of your hands and gently roll each piece in confectioner’s sugar to coat
12. Place cookies about 2” apart on parchment, foil or Silpat lined cookie sheet
13. Bake for 13-16 minutes until golden brown and crackled
14. Cool for 5 minutes before moving from the baking sheet