Something about the Fall just makes me want to bake way more than I usually do. And while I typically tend to be more of a savory than a sweet girl, my one exception is chocolate chip cookies. I will NEVER say no to a chocolate chip cookie, and typically that is my ideal late-night craving. Recently, I embarked on a mission to make the BEST brown butter chocolate chip cookies, well to my preference at least because there are SO many different ways to make chocolate chip cookies!
These are my top qualities:
- Medium thickness – not too thin and not too thick
- Crispy edges – I need a bit a texture that will crunch when you bite into it
- Soft, moist center – once you bite through the crisp edge, I want to find a soft center
- Rich brown butter flavor – adds so much rich nutty flavor to the cookies
- Chocolate variety – I want a variety of dark chocolate and milk, and you want to use GOOD chocolate…not chocolate chips!
With all these features in mind, I formulated a cookie that checks off all of the boxes. Is it perfect, no but its pretty dang close (but there is NEVER perfection in my book…we can always strive for better).
Table of Contents
- ❤️ Why You’ll Love Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 🍲 Ingredients
- 👩🍳 How to Make Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 🪄 Tips and Tricks
- BANG the cookies while baking!
- 🗒 Best served with
- 👝 How to Store Leftover Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies + Dough
- 🤔 Common Questions
- Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
❤️ Why You’ll Love Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
No fancy equipment – I developed this recipe so that it can be done without taking out a mixer. Just a bowl, a whisk, and a spatula can do the job.
Prep ahead – these cookies are actually EVEN better when prepped in advance and let to sit in the fridge 24 hours ahead…Also, I love making a double batch and keeping them in the freezer, ready to bake whenever.
The perfect balance of sweet and salty – using salted butter, a mix of chocolate, and a finish of flaky salt, these cookies hit all the different notes that form the ultimate cookie.
🍲 Ingredients
Salted butter – I love using a good quality high-fat-content butter (like Kerrygold butter) because it adds SO much flavor.
All-purpose flour – the base of the cookies
Baking soda – used to create that chewy center and slightly crisp edge — it encourages browning and spread.
Baking powder – helps them puff and stay soft instead of spreading too thin.
Granulated sugar – for sweetness
Brown sugar – for texture and sweetness
large egg – one egg goes a long way in this recipe
Vanilla extract – adds such a lovely flavor
Dark and/or milk chocolate bar – I like a mix but choose your favorite!
flakey salt – the perfect final touch to these cookies
👩🍳 How to Make Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
1. Brown the Butter
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and continue cooking, swirling occasionally, until it foams and the milk solids turn golden brown and smell nutty and toasty, about 4–6 minutes. Pour into a heatproof bowl and let cool until just warm to the touch, about 10–15 minutes.
2. Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. Combine the Wet Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and granulated sugar.
Pour in the cooled brown butter and whisk until smooth and glossy. Add the egg and vanilla and whisk vigorously until the mixture lightens in color and looks creamy.
4. Combine Wet and Dry Mixture
Using a rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until a few streaks of flour remain. Add the chopped chocolate and fold again until evenly dispersed and no dry spots remain.
5. Form and Chill the Dough
Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie (smaller than standard bakery size) to form roughly 18 dough balls. Arrange them on a tray and chill uncovered in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, ideally 24 hours, to firm up and develop flavor. If chilling overnight, cover after the first 2 hours to prevent drying out.
6. Bake
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and place 6–7 chilled dough balls on each.
- Bake for 5 minutes, then remove the trays and bang them firmly on the counter to deflate and create rippled edges.
- Return to the oven, switch rack positions, and bake for 2 minutes more.
- Bang again, then bake for 2 final minutes — about 9 minutes total.
Cookies should be lightly golden on the edges, slightly glossy and puffed on top, and soft in the center.
7. Cool and Finish
Let the cookies cool on the trays for 2–3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired.
🪄 Tips and Tricks
- Let the brown butter cool before adding – this is important because it can affect the texture of the dough!!
- Measure correctly – it’s essential to make sure you don’t pack the flour in the measuring cup, and also level it to avoid the dough being overly dry.
- Save chocolate for the top of the dough – this will give the final cookie such a gorgeous little puddle of chocolate.
- Let the dough CHILL – I know you want to bake them off right away but I promise even as little as 2 hours will help the flavors come together and make an incredible cookie.
My Pro Tip
BANG the cookies while baking!
Banging collapses the puffed centers, redistributing the molten chocolate and butter. That’s what gives you those signature wrinkled, rippled edges and gooey centers.
🗒 Best served with
- A COLD glass of milk….. YUM!
👝 How to Store Leftover Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies + Dough
Baked Cookies
- Room temperature:
Store in an airtight container at room temp for up to 3–4 days. To keep them soft, add a small piece of bread or a marshmallow inside the container — it keeps moisture in the cookies, not the air. - To refresh later:
Warm them in a 300°F oven for 3–5 minutes or pop one in the microwave for 10 seconds to re-soften the centers and wake up the chocolate.
Cookie Dough
- Refrigerator:
Keep shaped dough balls covered for up to 48 hours after chilling. - Freezer:
Freeze the dough balls solid on a tray, then transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container. Label with the date and bake directly from frozen at 350°F, adding 1–2 extra minutes to the bake time.
🤔 Common Questions
Browning the butter adds depth and richness. Those toasted milk solids give the cookies a nutty, almost caramel flavor that regular melted butter just can’t match. It’s the key to that “why do these taste so good?” moment.
Yes! Chilling allows the flour to fully hydrate, the butter to firm up, and the flavors to deepen. It also keeps the cookies from spreading too much in the oven. Even a 2-hour chill helps, but overnight makes them next-level.
Absolutely. Cold dough bakes beautifully — it just needs an extra minute or two in the oven. If frozen solid, bake directly from frozen at 350°F and add 1–2 minutes to the total time.
Banging collapses the puffed centers, redistributing the molten chocolate and butter. That’s what gives you those signature wrinkled, rippled edges and gooey centers.
Store them in an airtight container with a piece of bread or a marshmallow. It prevents them from drying out and keeps the centers soft and chewy.
Hot butter can cook the sugars or scramble the egg, making the dough greasy and dense. Letting it cool to just warm ensures a glossy, emulsified dough that bakes up chewy instead of flat.
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 14 tablespoons 1¾ sticks unsalted butter
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 10 ounces dark and/or milk chocolate bars, chopped into chunks
- Flaky salt, for finishing
Instructions
Brown the Butter
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and continue cooking, swirling occasionally, until it foams and the milk solids turn golden brown and smell nutty — about 4–6 minutes.
- Pour into a heatproof bowl and let cool until just warm to the touch, about 10–15 minutes.
Mix the Dry Ingredients
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Combine the Wet Ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and granulated sugar.
- Pour in the cooled brown butter and whisk until smooth and glossy.
- Add the egg and vanilla and whisk vigorously until the mixture lightens in color and looks creamy.
Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures
- Using a rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until a few streaks of flour remain.
- Add the chopped chocolate and fold again until evenly dispersed and no dry spots remain.
Form and Chill the Dough
- Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie (smaller than standard bakery size) to form roughly 18 dough balls.
- Arrange them on a tray and chill uncovered in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, ideally 24 hours, to firm up and develop flavor.
- If chilling overnight, cover after the first 2 hours to prevent drying out.
Bake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and place 6–7 chilled dough balls on each.
- Bake for 5 minutes, then remove the trays and bang them firmly on the counter to deflate and create rippled edges.
- Return to the oven, switch rack positions, and bake for 2 minutes more.
- Bang again, then bake for 2 final minutes — about 9 minutes total.
- The cookies should be lightly golden on the edges, slightly glossy and puffed on top, and soft in the center.
Cool and Finish
- Let the cookies cool on the trays for 2–3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired.
Can I use light brown sugar since that’s all I have?
I ran into the same situation. My wife told me I could add some molasses, so I did. It was one tablespoon to the 1 cup go light brown sugar. This is all assuming you have Molasses handy. Good Luck
That’s such a great tip — thank you for sharing! 🙌 You’re absolutely right, a little molasses goes a long way in deepening the flavor. I love that you made it work with what you had! 🍪
Yes, you can definitely use light brown sugar! When a recipe just says “brown sugar,” it usually means the standard kind — which falls right between light and dark brown. Using light brown sugar will work perfectly.
Your cookies might come out just a touch lighter in color and flavor, but the brown butter will still give you that deep, toffee-like richness, so you’re totally fine to go with what you have. 🍪