Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Thick, nutty and loaded with chocolate, these Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies are the ultimate cookie.
Chocolate chip cookies are undeniably delicious but Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies? Those are on a whole other level. It’s mind blowing that one extra step could make such a difference in a cookie and boy is it worth it.
What Is Brown Butter?
Brown butter is just regular butter that has been cooked until the water evaporates which allows the milk solids to become toasted. This process gives the butter a delicious nutty flavor (and smell) that makes any dessert extra delicious.
Ingredient Breakdown
All-purpose flour – this gives the cookies structure. You can substitute some of the all-purpose flour with bread flour if you want them to be extra chewy.
Baking soda – helps the cookies spread. Do not use baking powder because it will make the cookies cakey.
Brown butter – provides flavor and structure. I always recommend using unsalted butter but salted butter works if that’s all you have on hand, just be sure to omit the 1 teaspoon of salt later on.
Granulated sugar and brown sugar – both sugars are necessary for sweetness and texture. I prefer using dark brown sugar for extra molasses flavor but light brown sugar also works fine!
Egg and egg yolk – binds the ingredients and provides structure. The egg yolk makes the cookies extra rich!
Heavy cream – when we brown the butter it boils off the water so heavy cream helps add more moisture back into the dough so it’s not dry. You can also use milk.
Vanilla extract and salt – enhances flavor. Always use pure vanilla extract instead of imitation for best flavor.
How To Make Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
1. Brown the butter: Cut the butter into cubes and place into a small pot. Heat on medium, stirring occasionally. The butter will bubble and foam until it reaches a light brown color, has little browned bits on the bottom and smells nutty and delicious. This happens quickly so don’t walk away from it! Pour browned butter into a medium bowl and place in the fridge to cool for about an hour. Stir the butter a few times. It’s ready to use when it’s soft but not melty (think room temperature butter consistency).
2. In a small bowl combine all-purpose flour, baking soda and salt.
3. Use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment to cream softened browned butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs one at a time and vanilla until just combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl
5. Add the dry ingredients all at once and mix on low speed until almost combined (there should still be streaks of flour). Then add the chocolate chips and mix on low speed until just combined. Do not over mix the dough because it will make the cookies tough.
6. Using a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop dough onto lined baking sheets (be sure to adjust the baking time if your cookies are smaller/larger). If desired press extra chocolate chips onto the tops of each cookie dough ball and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
7. Bake at 375°F for 11 minutes then cool on the baking sheet. The cookies will still look slightly raw when they come out but will continue to bake as they cool. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Pro Tips For Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Weigh your ingredients using a kitchen scale! Measuring ingredients by volume is not accurate.
- Don’t over mix the dough! There should still be streaks of flour in the dough when you add the chocolate pieces. Over mixing = more gluten development which means tough cookies. We don’t want any tough cookies here!
- Sprinkle cookies with flaky sea salt before baking. I like this brand.
- Press extra chocolate pieces on top of scooped dough before baking to make them look pretty.
- Bake one tray at a time on the middle oven rack. This ensures that there is even heat circulation.
- Don’t over bake them! They will still look a little raw when they come out of the oven but will continue to bake as they cool on the baking sheet. This is the secret to crisp edges and chewy centers.
- Make brown butter in advance so you already have it on hand whenever you want delicious cookies. It can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Let it soften to room temperature before using!
- I used these baking wafers in these cookies because I like how they melt into pools of chocolate but you can use whatever type of chocolate you like!
My Favorite Cookie Tools
- Kitchen scale I love this scale, I’ve been using it for years!
- Stand Mixer
- Baking sheets
- Parchment Paper
- Cookie Scoop
Freezing Instructions:
Scoop dough onto a baking sheet and freeze until firm. Transfer dough to a zip top bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake straight from freezer for 12-14 minutes.
If you try this recipe then please leave a rating/comment below to let me know how you liked it and feel free to ask any recipe questions you may have! 🙂
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Baking sheets
- Cookie scoop (I use a 3 tablespoon scoop)
Ingredients
- 330 g (2 3/4 cups) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 226 g (1 cup) unsalted butter
- 200 g (1 cup) brown sugar
- 150 g (3/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 30 g (2 tbsp) heavy cream or milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 280 g (2 cups) chocolate baking wafers can substitute chocolate chips/chopped chocolate
- extra chocolate for topping optional
- flaky sea salt for topping optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Brown the butter: Cut the butter into cubes and place into a small pot. Heat on medium, stirring occasionally. The butter will bubble and foam until it reaches a light brown color, has little browned bits on the bottom and smells nutty and delicious. This happens quickly so don't walk away from it! Pour browned butter into a medium bowl and place in the fridge to cool for about an hour. Stir the butter a few times. It's ready to use when it's soft but not melty (think room temperature butter consistency).
- In a small bowl combine all-purpose flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- Use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment to cream softened browned butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time and vanilla until just combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl.
- Add the dry ingredients all at once and mix on low speed until almost combined. Then add the chocolate baking wafers and mix on low speed until just combined.
- Using a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop dough onto lined baking sheets (be sure to adjust the baking time if your cookies are smaller/larger). If desired press extra chocolate pieces onto the tops of each dough ball and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
- Bake for 11 minutes then cool on the baking sheet. The cookies will still look slightly raw when they come out but will continue to bake as they cool.
Notes
- Weigh your ingredients using a kitchen scale! Measuring ingredients by volume is not accurate.
- Butter: I recommend using unsalted butter. You can use salted butter, just be sure to omit the 1 tsp salt.
- Store Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature.
- Scooped cookie dough balls can be frozen for up to 3 months in a zip-top bag.
