Butter Pecan Cake Mix Cookies

If you love the rich, warm flavor of pecans and the ease of a cake mix cookie, this is the recipe for you! In this post I’m going to show you how I make some of the most delicious butter pecan cookies. . .ever! 

Use Cake Mix to Make Cookies

If you’ve followed me a while, no doubt you’ve seen some of my prior cake mix cookie recipes. I’m a huge fan of my Lemon Crinkles. And my Peanut Butter Cake Mix Cookies. And my Cake Mix Chocolate Chip Cookies. Oh, and the German Chocolate Sandwich Cookies. Those are amazing. 

Today, however? Well, I was feeling kind of nutty. 

No, really. I had a big back of pecans handy and also had a box of butter pecan cake mix that needed to be use. So, I decided to merge those into cookies! 

Pecans are Delicious

I don’t know about you but I’m already up for pecans. I add them to so many dishes, like my Butter Pecan Bundt Cake with Praline Topping. And my Butter Pecan Cupcakes with Brown Butter Frosting. The idea of adding them to this particular cake mix just felt right. 

Pecans add crunch but they also add an additional flavor profile. They’re the perfect complement to a cookie like this! 

Butter Pecan Cake Mix Cookie ingredients

You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. These are simple ingredients you might already have on hand. 

• 1 box butter pecan cake mix
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) room temperature butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon maple extract (or vanilla extract)
• 1 cup chopped pecans (plus more for decorating)

How to Make Butter Pecan Cake Mix Cookies

These came together so fast, I could hardly believe it! 

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Place parchment paper on two large cookie sheets. (I use Nordic Ware sheets.) 

Mix butter in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Add extract and keep beating. 

Now work in the two eggs. Your batter will split but don’t worry about that. It will all come together, I promise. 

Add in the cake mix and beat until it all comes together. 

Stir in one cup of pecans. 

Scoop onto parchment lined cookie sheets

Add chopped pecans and press down with palm. (Careful! This is a loose, sticky dough. Add the pecans before pressing!)

Place in preheated oven and back for 11 – 12 minutes or until golden brown. 

Remove and place on wire rack to cool. 

Transfer cookies directly to rack to continue cooling. 

Serve and enjoy! 

Store leftovers in airtight container at room temperature. They should stay good for 4-5 days. 

You can freeze these cookies to eat later. You can also freeze the dough before baking. (I love to keep frozen dough balls in my freezer.) They should stay good in the freezer up to two months. 

What to Expect from these Cookies 

First of all, can we talk about how easy they are to make? Talk about simple! And I love, love, love the addition of the maple extract. It gives them that rich “fall” flavor. 

But don’t think you have to eat them in the fall. I baked them up in the heat of July and they were perfect! The crunch of the nuts. The warmth of the butter-pecan cake mix. The soft “bite” of the cookie. It all comes together in something that’s pretty close to perfect! And I’m nuts about the nuts on top. Great call! 

No matter when you make these, you’re going to love them! 

Variations on this Recipe

Looking for a way to change these up? Here are a few ideas: 

Chocolate Chip: If you like a “nutty” version of a chocolate chip cookie just add a cup of mini chocolate chips to this recipe. Delicious! 

Caramel: Drizzle caramel on top of these cookies to give them even more flavor and texture!

Pan cookies: I think this recipe would be great baked in a sheet pan and then cut into squares. Drizzle with caramel and additional chopped pecans, if you like. 

Coconut: I know. . .sounds weird. But I think a cup of coconut would be divine! 

Let your imagination run wild as you consider the possibilities to dress up this cookie! 

That’s it for this post, friends!

I hope you enjoyed this delicious recipe. 

If you make this recipe and love it, don’t forget to leave a review and a comment below. And while you’re at it, go ahead and pin some photos to your Pinterest boards!

See this recipe at  

• Full Plate Thursday 
• Weekend Potluck

About the Author

Janice Thompson is an author, baker, and all-around mischief maker! She has overcome a host of baking catastrophes, including a toppled wedding cake, to learn more about the baking process. Janice has published over 165 books for the Christian market but particularly enjoys writing recipes and baking devotions. To learn more about Janice or to drop her a note, visit her About the Author page.  

• Follow me on Pinterest
• Follow me on Facebook
• Follow me on Instagram
• Follow me on X
• Follow me on TikTok