Crunchy on the outside yet soft and chewy on the inside, these brown butter chocolate cookies might just become your new favorite cookie. They're infused with a deliciously nutty brown butter flavor, studded with semisweet chocolate chips, and topped with a generous sprinkle of sea salt.
If you've been in my kitchen lately, chances are you've seen me bake tray after tray of these brown butter chocolate chip cookies. I've been tweaking and refining this recipe for ages, working to get it just right, and I think I finally nailed it.
These cookies are so. freaking. good. So delicious that my husband declared them 'the best cookies you've ever made.' And if that's not high praise, what is?
Let me show you how to make them, and then you'll have to bake them yourself and give me your verdict!
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What You'll Need
Here's a quick overview of some of the key ingredients and tools needed to make these cookies. The full recipe can be found at the bottom of the post.
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter - I always recommend baking with unsalted butter instead of salted butter. That way, you have more control over the total amount of salt in the recipe.
- Granulated sugar + light brown sugar - This recipe calls for both granulated sugar and brown sugar. I prefer to use light brown sugar, but dark brown sugar would also work well.
- Whole egg + egg yolk - While this recipe calls for one whole egg, I also like to add an additional egg yolk to make the cookies softer and tender.
- Vanilla extract - Be sure to use pure vanilla extract (not imitation) for best results.
- All-purpose flour - Be sure to use the spoon & level method when measuring out the flour!
- Semisweet chocolate chips - I used chocolate chips for this recipe, but you could also use chopped chocolate or chocolate chunks. I prefer the taste of semisweet chocolate, but feel free to use milk or dark chocolate if preferred.
Equipment
- Medium saucepan - To make the brown butter, you'll need a medium saucepan. The butter will bubble up a bit as it cooks, so you want to use a saucepan with higher sides.
- Mixer - Personally, I like to use a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment when making this recipe. However, an electric hand mixer will also work.
- Baking sheet - This recipe calls for 2 medium baking sheets or 1 large baking sheet.
- Cookie scoop - I like using a cookie scoop to portion out the cookies. That way, it's easy to get them all the same size.
How to Make These Cookies
Now that you've got everything ready, let's make some cookies! Here's how they come together:
Start by making the brown butter. Cut the butter into small pieces, then place it in a medium saucepan to melt over medium heat. Stir constantly as the butter melts and starts to get foamy. Once the butter is a nice golden brown color, take it off the heat and transfer it to a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking process. Let the brown butter cool for at least 10 minutes before continuing the recipe. (Image 1 and Image 2)
Start making the cookie dough. Beat together the brown butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar for a few minutes until the mixture is homogenous. Add in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, scraping the bowl periodically. (Images 3-5)
Finish making the cookie dough. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined, scraping the bowl as needed. Then, add in the chocolate chips and mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Finally, chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before baking. (Images 6-8)
Portion out the cookies. Remove the chilled dough from the fridge and portion out the cookies. I like to use a large cookie scoop to get them all the same size. (Image 9)
Time to bake! Bake the cookies at 350°F for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges are just starting to set. The middle may appear underdone and soft, but the cookies will firm up considerably once out of the oven, so it's important not to overbake them. (Image 10)
Tips to Perfect This Recipe
- Be careful not to overcook the brown butter. As the butter starts to cook, it will begin to bubble up and turn golden brown. This happens really quickly, so it's important to keep an eye on it! Once the butter is a nice golden brown color and smells nutty, take it off the heat and transfer it to a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking process. This whole process should take about 5-7 minutes.
- Don't overmix the dough. After adding in the dry ingredients and chocolate chips, mix the dough until just combined. If you overmix, the cookies could end up tasting tough and chewy.
- Don't skip out on chilling the dough. When making this recipe, it's important to refrigerate the dough to prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven. Chilling also helps enhance the brown butter flavor.
- Sprinkle on a little sea salt after the cookies come out of the oven. That tiny touch of sea salt adds a delicious flavor to the cookies and truly takes them to the next level — trust me!
Common Questions About This Recipe
These are some questions I frequently hear about these cookies. If you have a question that isn't answered below, feel free to leave it in the comments.
To make brown butter, you heat butter in a medium saucepan to melt over medium heat. Stir constantly until the butter starts to get foamy and reaches a nice golden brown color. I usually find that the whole process takes about 5-7 minutes.
Absolutely! You can make the dough, then tightly wrap it and refrigerate it for up to 2 days. Alternatively, you can freeze the dough for up to 2 months. I'd recommend rolling the dough into balls before freezing; that way, you can bake the cookies from frozen. Just be sure to bake them for a few extra minutes if baking from frozen.
Stored in an airtight container, these cookies usually last for about a week at room temperature. After that, you can wrap them firmly in a plastic bag and freeze them for up to two months. When you are ready to eat one, let it thaw at room temperature or even warm it up for a few minutes in the oven before serving.
How to Store & Freeze
To store: You can store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
To freeze: Baked cookies can be frozen for up to 2 months. Wrap them in plastic wrap and place them in a frozen-safe zip-top bag before freezing. You can also freeze the cookie dough for up to 2 months. I'd recommend shaping the dough into balls before freezing, and then you can actually just bake them from frozen. Just be sure to bake them a few more minutes than the recipe calls for.
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Print
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 12 cookies 1x
Description
Crunchy on the outside yet soft and chewy on the inside, these brown butter chocolate cookies might just become your new favorite cookie. They're infused with a deliciously nutty brown butter flavor, studded with semisweet chocolate chips, and topped with a generous sprinkle of sea salt.
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup (67g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (107g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 whole egg + 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (128g) semisweet chocolate chips + more for top of cookies if desired
- Optional: Sea salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Cut the butter into small pieces, then place the butter in a medium saucepan to melt over medium heat. Stir constantly as the butter melts and starts to get foamy. After several minutes, the butter will turn golden brown and start to smell nutty. Once the butter is a nice golden brown color, take it off the heat and transfer it to a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking process. Let the brown butter cool for at least 10 minutes before continuing the recipe.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a large bowl with a handheld mixer), beat together the brown butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar for a few minutes until the mixture is homogenous. Add in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, scraping the bowl periodically.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined, scraping the bowl as needed. Finally, add in the chocolate chips and mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Tightly wrap the cookie dough in plastic wrap, then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before baking. This helps enhance the brown butter flavor and affects the overall texture of the cookies.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a large sheet tray with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Remove the chilled dough from the fridge and portion out the cookies by measuring 2 tablespoons of the dough or using a large cookie scoop. Place the dough balls on the prepared sheet tray, keeping them at least 2 inches apart. If desired, place a few additional chocolate chips on the top of each cookie dough ball.
- Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges are just starting to set. The middle may appear underdone and soft, but don't worry! The cookies will firm up considerably once out of the oven, so it's important not to overbake them.
- Remove the cookies from the oven, then let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then, sprinkle each cookie with sea salt if desired. For best results, let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 15-20 minutes before eating to let the cookies harden a bit and get deliciously crinkly on top.
- Stored in an airtight container, these cookies will usually last for about a week at room temperature. You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to 2 months and let them thaw to room temperature before serving.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: If you'd like to prepare the dough ahead of time, you can refrigerate it for 2-3 days or freeze it for up to 2 months.
- Chocolate Chips: Feel free to swap the semisweet chocolate chips for milk or dark chocolate chips. You can also use chopped chocolate or chocolate chunks instead.
- Storage: Stored in an airtight container, these cookies will usually last for about a week at room temperature. You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to 2 months and let them thaw to room temperature before serving.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Chill Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Excellent Recipe!!! Mega Yummy!!!
Made a couple slight changes:
- 1 cup Bread Flour & 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Anthony's Espresso Powder
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips & 2 oz chopped bittersweet chocolate
Highly Recommend.
Thank You!
I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Nita! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review. 😊
So good!!! My new go to cookie recipe!
I'm so glad to hear this recipe was a hit! They're my favorite cookies to make at the moment too.
Delicious, and my husband and boys agree with me! The batch didn't last long in our household. Quick question- do you know how many calories are in each cookie?
So glad to hear you all loved the recipe, Tessa!
I don't usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. In addition, many of my recipes have ingredient substitutions or additions listed. However, there are lots of helpful online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. I'd recommend giving this nutrition calculator a try!