Brown Butter Cookies
Hello friends! This is no ordinary chocolate chip cookie recipe! These Brown Butter Cookies are the perfect combination of nutty, caramelized brown butter and rich chocolate chips, resulting in a cookie that’s soft, chewy, and full of flavor. Whether you’re looking for a cozy treat or a simple yet indulgent dessert, these cookies are sure to taste amazing with their brown buttered sweetness!
Best Brown Butter Cookies Recipe
In this post, I’ll walk you through how to make these irresistible cookies, from browning the butter to achieving that perfectly golden finish. This recipe makes about 24 cookies.
Full ingredients, prep time and total time amounts, and step by step instructions can be found at the bottom of this post!
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Preparing the Brown Butter
Begin by cutting the butter into pieces to ensure even melting. Place it in a medium saucepan over medium heat. As the butter melts, it will foam and the milk solids at the bottom will start to brown. Stir constantly until the butter develops a nutty aroma and the solids turn golden brown. Remove the pan from the heat immediately to prevent burning. Pour the brown butter into a heatproof bowl or container and let it cool for about 15 minutes before using.
Making the Cookie Dough
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer), combine the cooled brown butter, light brown sugar, and white granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes until light and creamy. Add the whole large egg and egg yolk, followed by the vanilla extract, mixing until fully incorporated.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips to the mixture using a spatula.
Shaping and Baking
Scoop the cookie dough using a cookie scoop and roll each portion into a ball. Place the dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Freeze the dough balls for at least 15 minutes before baking.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Arrange the frozen cookie dough balls on a baking tray, spacing them about 3 inches apart. Bake for 12 minutes, or until the edges are light golden brown. Remove the cookies from the oven before they appear fully baked; they will continue to set as they cool.
Let the cookies cool on the baking tray for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt to create a depth of flavor!
Storage
Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze the unbaked cookie dough balls for up to 2 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding a couple of extra minutes to the baking time.
Tips & Tricks
- Perfect Brown Butter: Stir the butter continuously while browning to prevent burning and ensure even browning.
- Chill the Dough: Freezing the dough balls before baking helps the cookies maintain their shape and enhances their texture.
- Don’t Overbake: Remove the cookies when the edges are golden, even if the centers look slightly underdone. They’ll firm up as they cool.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure the egg and yolk are at room temperature for a smoother dough.
Variations
- Nutty Delight: Add chopped walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts for a crunchy texture.
- Espresso Twist: Mix in 1-2 teaspoons of instant espresso powder for a mocha flavor.
- Experiment with Chocolate: Try different variations of chocolate chips. You can try milk chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, and dark chocolate chips.
- Customize the Add-Ins: Swap chocolate chips for butterscotch, heath bar pieces, or peanut butter chips.
- Holiday Flair: Add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg for a festive touch.
Why You’ll Love These Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
These cookies are buttery, rich, and loaded with chocolate chips, making them perfect for any occasion. Whether you’re baking for a holiday party, prepping for a cookie exchange, or indulging in a weeknight treat, these Brown Butter Cookies are a guaranteed hit.
FAQ Section for Brown Butter Cookies
- Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted butter? Yes, you can use salted butter, but be sure to reduce the amount of salt in the recipe to avoid over-salting your cookies. Skip the added ½ tsp of salt in the recipe if using salted butter.
- How do I know when the brown butter is ready? The brown butter is ready when it smells nutty and the milk solids at the bottom of the pan turn golden brown. Be careful not to burn it! Remove it from the heat immediately once it reaches this stage.
- Why do I need to freeze the cookie dough balls before baking? Freezing helps the cookies hold their shape during baking. It also enhances the flavor by giving the dough time to rest and hydrate the flour, which results in chewier cookies.
- Can I bake the cookies straight from frozen? Absolutely! There’s no need to thaw frozen cookie dough. Just place the frozen cookie dough balls on a baking sheet and bake. Add 1-2 minutes to the baking time.
- How do I store extra cookie dough? To store extra cookie dough, freeze the scooped cookie dough balls on a baking sheet. Once solid (about 2 hours), transfer them to a zip-top bag and keep them in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- How can I make the cookies softer or chewier? For softer cookies, bake them for slightly less time and store them in an airtight container. For chewier cookies, ensure the dough is properly chilled, and consider adding an extra yolk for more richness.
- Can I double the recipe? Yes, you can double the recipe easily. Make sure you have a large enough bowl for mixing, and adjust baking time slightly if baking multiple trays at once. Rotate trays halfway through for even baking.
- Can I make these cookies gluten-free? Yes, you can substitute the all-purpose flour with a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour. However, the texture may differ slightly depending on the brand you use.
Troubleshooting
- My cookies spread too much during baking. What went wrong? The butter may have been too warm when you mixed the dough, or the dough wasn’t chilled long enough. Solution: Ensure the brown butter cools completely before mixing and freeze the dough balls for at least 15 minutes before baking. If needed, add an extra tablespoon of flour to the dough.
- My dough is too sticky to handle. How do I fix this? Sticky dough can result from warm butter or humidity. Chill the dough in the fridge for 15-20 minutes before scooping. If it’s still sticky, lightly coat your hands or scoop with a bit of flour.
- My cookies didn’t spread enough. How can I fix this? The possible cause would be too much flour in the dough. Solution: Double-check your flour measurements (preferably use a scale, or the spoon-and-level method).
- My cookies turned out dry or crumbly. What happened? Possible causes are overbaking or too much flour. Solution: Remove the cookies from the oven when the edges are lightly golden, even if the centers look slightly underbaked. They will firm up as they cool. Also, ensure accurate flour measurement to avoid packing in too much.
- My cookies baked unevenly or some burned. What should I do? Make sure your oven is preheated properly, and use a middle rack for baking. If your oven has hot spots, rotate the baking sheet halfway through for even heat distribution.
If you like these cookies, you’ll love these other cookie creations!
I can’t wait to see your creations! Share your photos and feedback on Instagram or Facebook. Let’s make every bite a delicious memory!
Brown Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 12 tbsp unsalted butter room temperature (170 grams)
- ¾ cup brown sugar 165 grams
- ¼ cup white sugar 50 grams
- 1 egg
- 1 yolk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 255 grams
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1¼ cup chocolate chips 133 grams
Instructions
- Cut the butter into pieces so it melts evenly. Place it in the saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally to ensure even melting.
- As the butter melts, it will begin to foam. Stir constantly, and you’ll notice the color changing from yellow to golden. Keep an eye on the milk solids at the bottom of the pan as they begin to brown.
- When the butter smells nutty and the milk solids turn golden brown, remove it from the heat immediately to prevent burning.
- Pour the brown butter into a heatproof bowl or container. Let it cool for about 15 minutes before using.
- Place the brown butter, the brown sugar, and white sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl. Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer.
- Add the egg and yolk to the bowl and beat until combined.
- Add the vanilla extract and mix.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl. Mix on low speed until incorporated.
- Add the chocolate chips and stir with a spatula.
- Scoop the cookies using a cookie scoop. Roll them between your hands and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone mat.
- Freeze the cookie dough balls for at least 15 minutes before baking.
- Meanwhile pre-heat the oven to 350ºF.
- Arrange cookies on a baking tray, about 3 inches apart. Bake the cookies for about 12 minutes. The outside of the cookie should be light golden. As a rule of thumb, remove the cookies before they actually look baked. If cookies look baked in the oven, they will be dry and over baked as they cool down.
- Let the cookies cool down for at least 10 minutes.
- Storage
- Store any baked cookies for up to 3 days in an air-tight container at room temperature.
