Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Posted Nov 25, 2023, Updated Dec 08, 2024
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These brown butter chocolate chip cookies are a delicious way to level up your cookie game. Browned butter is used in place of softened butter for a rich, caramel-like flavor that is irresistible. They’re easy to make – no mixer or chilling required!
Most of you know that we are slightly famous for our chocolate chip cookie recipe. Over 8,000 5-star reviews don’t lie, they are the best.
Well, one question I get asked often is how to use browned butter in the recipe, so I created this Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe and it’s absolutely to-die-for.
It’s everything the famous cookies are and more. Crisp edges, chewy centers, tons of chocolate chips and the rich, caramely, nutty notes of browned butter infused in every bite. A sprinkle of flaky sea salt is :::chef’s kiss::: a perfect finishing touch.
You don’t even need a mixer to make these delicious browned butter chocolate chip cookies!
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies: Ingredients & Substitutions
- Brown Butter. You can use salted or unsalted butter to make the brown butter for this recipe. For more tips and tricks – check out this post on How to Brown Butter.
- All-purpose flour. For a gluten-free version substitute a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour.
- Fine sea salt. Use fine (not coarse) sea salt. If using iodized table salt, decrease the amount by half.
- Granulated sugar. I recommend using organic cane sugar or regular white sugar.
- Light brown sugar. Dark brown sugar is a great substitution.
- Chocolate chips. Use your favorite variety – semisweet, dark milk, etc. You can also use chopped chocolate bars. Or, add nuts like in these chocolate chip pecan cookies.
How to Make Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Begin by preheating the oven to 375 degrees F and lining 2 large baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper, set aside.
Brown the butter
Check out this post for an in-depth, even more detailed guide on how to brown butter. Otherwise, follow the directions in the recipe for perfectly browned butter!
Begin by cutting the butter into ½“cubes at put it in an even layer in a thick-bottomed saucepan.
Then, cook the butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter beings to foam on top and is bubbling.
Once it starts to foam, it will turn light brown with light brown flecks.
Then, it will become a darker brown, amber color. At this point the butter is browned and cooking is complete.
As soon as butter is done cooking, transfer it to a bowl or glass jar to cool and stop cooking and to cool slightly (for about 5-10 minutes).
The great thing about brown butter is that you can store it for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. So, you can make it well in advance if desired.
Make the Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
While the browned butter is cooling slightly, combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt) in a small bowl. Then set the mixture aside.
Next, combine the browned butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large bowl and stir to combine.
Then add the egg and vanilla and mix until fully incorporated.
Next, add the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
Then, fold in chocolate chips.
Bake
Use a 1 ½ to 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop to measure out portions of dough, roll them into balls and place them evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheets. Repeat until all the dough is used.
Then, bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 7-9 minutes, until the edges are browned and the cookies just barely look set. They cook fast, so please watch them carefully. 7.5-8 min is my preferred baking time.
Once set, remove the brown butter chocolate chip cookies from the oven and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. This step is optional – but highly recommended.
Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool.
Serve
I suggest serving these brown butter chocolate chip cookies slightly warm so you get they ooey, gooey, melty chocolate chip factor.
Store
Once cooled, store brown butter chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days.
Freeze
- Freeze the dough before baking. Portion out the dough and roll it into balls. Then place it on a baking sheet and flash-freeze the balls until hardened. Once hardened, transfer to an airtight container until you’re ready to bake.
- To bake: remove the dough from the freezer and let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for 1-2 hours before baking according to the recipe instructions.
- Freeze baked cookies. To freeze baked cookies, let them cool to room temperature. Then store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- To thaw: let the cookies sit at room temperature until thawed. You can also warm them in the oven set to 250 degrees F, in a baking dish covered with foil (or a lid) until warmed through.
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe FAQS
Yes. Brown 1 cup of butter and double the rest of the ingredients.
Brown butter adds a rich, nutty, caramel-like flavor to cookies.
First, brown butter cookies have a slightly different flavor than regular chocolate chip cookies. Second, they are easy to make and don’t require a mixer!
Both work very well! I use salted butter.
You can halve this recipe and use 1 egg yolk for the egg. See this small batch chocolate chip cookie recipe (makes 8 cookies)
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Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Equipment
- Light colored, thick-bottomed pan
- Heatproof spatula for stirring
- Glass jar or bowl to transfer butter
Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter (brown butter)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup chocolate chips* (6 oz)
- Flaky sea salt for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Line 2 large baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper, set aside.
Brown the Butter
- Cut butter into ½ “ cubes.
- Put butter in a thick-bottomed pan (preferably in an even layer).
- Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally,
- First, the butter will melt.
- Then, it will begin to foam on top and start bubbling.
- Next, it will start turning light brown with light brown flecks.
- Then, it will start turning a darker brown, amber color. At this point the butter is browned and cooking is complete.
- As soon as the butter is done cooking, transfer it to a bowl or glass jar to cool and stop cooking. It should be amber in color with nice dark amber flecks throughout.
Make the Cookies
- In a small bowl, combine flour, sea salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the browned butter brown sugar and granulated sugar and stir to combine.
- Then, add the egg and vanilla and mix until fully incorporated.
- Add the dry mixture and stir to combine.
- Then fold in the chocolate chips.
- Use a 1 ½ to 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop to measure out portions of dough, roll them into balls and place them evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheets. Repeat until all the dough is used.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 7-9 minutes, until the edges are browned and the cookies just barely look set. They cook fast, so please watch them carefully. 7.5-8 min is my preferred baking time.
- Remove baked cookies from the oven and sprinkle them with flaky sea salt.
- Let them cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
Don’t brown more than 1 cup at a time. Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Brown Butter. You can use salted or unsalted butter to make the brown butter for this recipe. For more tips and tricks – check out this post on How to Brown Butter.
- All-purpose flour. For a gluten-free version substitute a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour.
- Fine sea salt. Use fine (not coarse) sea salt. If using iodized table salt, decrease the amount by half.
- Granulated sugar. I recommend using organic cane sugar or regular white sugar.
- Light brown sugar. Dark brown sugar is a great substitution.
- Chocolate chips. Use your favorite variety – semisweet, dark milk, etc. You can also use chopped chocolate bars.
- To bake: remove the dough from the freezer and let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for 1-2 hours before baking according to the recipe instructions.
- To thaw: let the cookies sit at room temperature until thawed. You can also warm them in the oven set to 250 degrees F, in a baking dish covered with foil (or a lid) until warmed through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These are literally the best cookies I’ve ever made.