Brown Butter Cookies - Easy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe! (2024)

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These Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies are soft and chewy with a subtle nutty flavor. They’re loaded with chunks of dark chocolate and finished off with a touch of sea salt. If you’re looking to up your chocolate chip cookie game, these are a must-try.

Brown Butter Cookies - Easy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe! (1)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  • Easy Brown Butter Cookies with Chocolate Chips
  • What Does Brown Butter Do to Cookies?
  • Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies – Key Ingredients
  • How to Make Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Why Are My Cookies Flat and How To Fix It
  • How to Store
  • More Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes to Try
  • Get the Recipe

Easy Brown Butter Cookies with Chocolate Chips

One thing about me is that I am vey picky about my chocolate chip cookies. And I’ve eaten plenty that were just okay. So, I spent a good chunk of time working on my Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe to make sure it was perfect.

These Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies are the same quick and easy recipe, but they’re made with brown butter instead of regular melted butter. You get the same chewy texture and cripsy edges, but with melted pools of chocolate and the signature nutty flavor of brown butter.

What Does Brown Butter Do to Cookies?

The brown butter gives the cookies a nuttier, richer finish. Basically, the darker you brown the butter (without burning it, of course), the deeper the flavor will be.

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Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies – Key Ingredients

  • Unsalted Butter – most of the butter will be browned and then you’ll need an additional 2 tablespoons of regular butter, not browned.
  • Sugar – we’re using a combination of light brown sugar and granulated sugar for a perfectly moist and chewy texture
  • Chocolate – I opted for chocolate chunks instead of chips. Chopping up the chocolate bar results in lots of chocolate shards that get blended throughout the cookie dough and they melt down into pools of chocolate.
  • Flakey Sea Salt – I love Maldon sea salt. It is life-changing.

Why Do I Need Both Butters?

When you brown butter, you are cooking off some of the moisture in the butter, so by adding another 2 tablespoons of melted butter, you can ensure you’re getting the right amount of fat and moisture needed.

How to Make Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

These brown butter cookies are ready in just 30 minutes!

  1. Brown the butter: Cut the butter into pieces, then melt it over medium heat in a saucepan. Bring it to a boil, then stir frequently until the butter turns amber and releases a nutty aroma. Remove from the heat and cool for a few minutes. For more detailed instructions, here’s a step-by-step tutorial for how to brown butter.
  2. Combine the wet ingredients: Melt additional butter in a microwave-safe bowl, then add it to a large mixing bowl with both sugars. Beat until combined, then add the egg and vanilla.
  3. Add the dry ingredients: In another bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Slowly mix into the wet batter until a dough forms. Add the chocolate and beat until incorporated.
  4. Portion and bake: Use a cookie scoop to portion the dough out onto a baking sheet. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, then bake until the edges are set, but the center is still slightly gooey.
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Why Are My Cookies Flat and How To Fix It

Here are a couple of ways you can prevent your brown butter chocolate chip cookies from spreading too much as they bake:

  1. Let the butter cool: Once the butter is browned, it does need to cool for several minutes before you add it to the other ingredients. If it’s too hot, it will soften everything up and the cookies won’t hold their shape. The best way to tell if the dough is ready is to scoop it onto the baking tray. If it holds its shape, it’s good to go. If it wilts or falls, then it needs to firm up a bit.
  2. Properly measure the dry ingredients: I always recommend using a kitchen scale when baking, but if you don’t have one, follow the spoon and measure technique to properly measure the flour.
  3. Line the baking sheet: A silicone baking mat helps prevent spreading.

If your cookies are spreading too much, you can still fix it! Pull them out of the oven and use a spoon or butter knife to push the edges back towards the center. Be sure to do this while they’re still warm!

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How to Store

These chocolate chip cookies will last in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To enjoy again, thaw in the fridge or warm in the microwave.

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More Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes to Try

  • Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
  • Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies
  • Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Thick Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 5 reviews
  • Author: Julianne Dell
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 10 cookies

Print Recipe

Description

These Soft and Chewy Brown Butter Chocolate chip cookies are made with a nutty brown butter, chunks of dark chocolate and a touch of sea salt on top. They are perfectly crispy on the edges but soft and chewy in the middle.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup (144g) unsalted butter, browned
  • 2 tablespoon (28g) unsalted butter, melted
  • ½ cup (110g) packed light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup(48g) granulated sugar
  • 1large egg
  • 2 teaspoons (10ml) pure vanilla extract
  • 1 ¼ cups (175g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoonsalt
  • ¼ teaspoonbaking soda
  • ¾ cup (135g) roughly chopped chocolate bar
  • Flaky sea salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
  2. To brown the butter (1/2 cup), use a small saucepan, and cut the butter into pieces. Melt the butter over medium heat and allow it to boil and bubble. Once it’s starts boiling, stir it frequently and it will slowly start to turn an amber color and releases a nutty aroma. Remove the butter from the heat and allow it to cool for several minutes.
  3. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a microwave-safe bowl for 15-30 seconds. In a large mixing bowl, combine both the melted and browned butter with the brown and granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed until well combined, 2-3 minutes.
  4. Next add the egg and vanilla extract and continue beating until well incorporated.
  5. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking soda. Stir to combine and slowly add the dry ingredients into the dough, mixing on low speed until dough starts to form.
  6. Before the dough thickens, add the chocolate chunks. Beat until incorporated.
  7. Line abaking sheetwith parchment paper or use asilicone baking sheet. Scoop the dough using alarge cookie scoopand place on baking sheet, 2 inches apart. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
  8. Bake for 9-11 minutes. The center of the cookies should be slightly under baked but not too gooey. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

Notes

  • Right when the cookies come out of the oven, use a knife to flatten out any chocolate chunks on top and give it that smeared chocolate look.
  • For the chocolate chunks, I like to roughly chop a thick chocolate bar. Pieces should be no larger than a dime

Nutrition Information:

1

310

24.5 g

159.6 mg

16.9 g

37.7 g

1.6 g

3.6 g

49.1 mg

  • Category: Cookies
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American
Brown Butter Cookies - Easy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe! (2024)

FAQs

Are chocolate chip cookies better with brown butter? ›

Yes, browned butter chocolate chip cookies are delicious! Browning the butter adds a rich and nutty flavor to the cookies, enhancing the overall taste and creating a more complex flavor profile.

Why are my brown butter cookies hard? ›

My Best Tips for Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies:

I always use a kitchen scale to weigh my ingredients, especially flour. Incorrectly measured flour can lead to cookies that are tough, crumbly, dry, too thick, or just blah. I also swear by using an oven thermometer to ensure baking accuracy.

What is the secret to making cookies soft and chewy? ›

Cornstarch gives the cookies that ultra soft consistency we all love. Plus, it helps keep the cookies beautifully thick. We use the same trick when making shortbread cookies. Egg yolk: Another way to promise a super chewy chocolate chip cookie is to use an extra egg yolk.

Should I let brown butter cool for cookies? ›

After browning your butter, make sure it's cool enough to touch before adding it to your dough. I usually set it aside to cool for 10-15 minutes before making the recipe. Also, be sure to scrape every bit of brown butter from your pan.

Does browning butter dry out cookies? ›

Browning all the butter removes the water content, but the dough still needs some of that water to come together. Browning only some of the butter is enough to achieve that signature nuttiness, while the remaining unbrowned butter provides enough water content for the dough to come together.”

Can you brown butter too much? ›

Milk Solids Work Wonders For Brown Butter - Until They Burn

Those solids ultimately sink down and turn brown as they caramelize on the bottom of the pan. As this happens, it unlocks the nutty flavors brown butter is known for. But when the process goes too far, those same solids develop a burnt, acrid taste.

Should you melt butter for chocolate chip cookies? ›

For example, if you are making chewy chocolate chip cookies, you might want to use melted butter that is at room temperature to achieve the mouth-watering, soft chewiness. If you are making crisp cookies, it is best to chill it a bit beforehand, which will help create a crunchy texture.

What is the secret ingredient to keep cookies soft? ›

If you enjoy your cookies soft and chewy, chances are likely the recipe contains a common ingredient that serves a very specific purpose. No, it's not granulated sugar, nor the butter. It's not the egg, all-purpose flour, or even the vanilla extract. The simple, yet oh-so-necessary component is cornstarch.

What makes cookies fluffy and not flat? ›

Room temperature butter is just the right consistency to incorporate air when it's creamed with sugar. These trapped air pockets result in risen, fluffy cookies. If the butter is any warmer, it won't incorporate enough air and your cookies will have less rise.

How do you keep brown butter cookies from spreading? ›

“For the best results, choose a silicone baking mat or parchment paper to line your pan,” Dawn recommends. “Simply greasing your pan — basically adding fat to it — will encourage your cookies to spread.” (Check out our side-by-side test baking to see for yourself.)

Should I use baking soda or baking powder in cookies? ›

Baking soda is typically used for chewy cookies, while baking powder is generally used for light and airy cookies. Since baking powder is comprised of a number of ingredients (baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, etc.), using it instead of pure baking soda will affect the taste of your cookies.

What kind of butter makes the best cookies? ›

The best butter for your baked goods depends on what type of recipe you're whipping up. Unsalted, American-style butter works well in goods like cookies, pound cakes and pancakes that require the high-fat content of conventional butter and more flexibility with salt and flavor content.

What's the difference between brown butter cookies and regular cookies? ›

Brown butter is butter that has been heated to a point where the moisture evaporates and the milk solids brown. It has a delicious toasty flavour, which adds an amazing depth to brown butter chocolate chip cookies.

What kind of butter is better for cookies? ›

Unsalted butter gives you complete control of the overall flavor of your recipe. This is especially important in certain baked goods where the pure, sweet cream flavor of butter is key (butter cookies or pound cakes). As it pertains to cooking, unsalted butter lets the real, natural flavor of your foods come through.

What is the difference between brown butter cookies and normal butter cookies? ›

The cookies with brown butter were much nuttier and had a caramel taste, while the cookies with softened butter were more fluffy and had more of a sugar cookie flavor.

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