Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Brown the butter: In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the 2 sticks of butter, stirring constantly. The butter will begin to foam, and you'll see golden brown specks forming at the bottom. Once it smells nutty and turns a deep golden brown (about 3–5 minutes), remove from heat immediately and pour into a heatproof bowl. Let it cool for about 10 minutes before using.

Mix the sugars: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and white sugar. Pour in the cooled brown butter and whisk until well combined.

Add the wet ingredients: Stir in the 2 eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla (or Nilla) extract and mix until smooth.

Combine the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the bread flour (or all-purpose flour + 2 tbsp extra), salt, and cornstarch. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring just until combined—do not overmix!

Fold in the chocolate chips & pecans: Gently stir in the chocolate chips and chopped pecans, making sure they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Chill the dough: Cover the dough and chill for 20 minutes in the refrigerator. For faster results, pop it in the freezer for 10–15 minutes. If time allows, you can also chill the dough overnight for enhanced flavor and texture.

Bake: Place the cookies in the preheated oven at 350°F. Check them at 9 minutes—the centers may look slightly underdone. If they seem too raw in the center, bake for an additional 2 minutes until the edges are golden but the centers are still soft.

Cool before eating! Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Allow to cool completely for about 10 minutes before biting in—this helps them solidify and develop the perfect texture!