These chewy Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies have tons of rich flavor from the bittersweet chocolate and the caramelized butter. Topped with a touch of sea salt, they are addictively good.
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Recipe Details
I love chocolate chip cookies and these Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies are the ultimate dessert. The brown butter adds yummy flavor to an already awesome cookie. You’re going to love this recipe and it makes the perfect addition to any holiday party or cookie platter.
- TASTE: Sweet, nutty, and a little salty, these cookies have lots of scrumptious flavor. The brown butter is rich and caramelized, which levels up any cookie.
- TEXTURE: Chewy on the inside with a crispness on the outside, these Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies are to die for. The sea salt on top adds just a touch of crunch to every bite.
- TIME: These cookies will take about 30 minutes, with another 30 minutes for the dough to chill.
- EASE: This recipe is not hard at all. Browning the butter can be done easily even for a first timer.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Flour- All-purpose flour is used here.
- Light brown sugar- This is moister than white sugar and has a sweet, rich flavor from the molasses.
- Butter- Use unsalted butter because we are adding salt in this recipe.
- Sugar- We are using some granulated sugar for extra sweetness.
- Eggs- One large egg + one egg yolk add fluff to the cookies, moisture, and help bind the ingredients together.
- Baking soda- This will leaven the cookies so they are chewier and crispy on the outside.
- Semi sweet chocolate chips- These are a mix of bitter and sweet chocolate flavors, which are perfect to balance out these cookies.
- Sea salt- This ingredient balances the sweetness in the cookies, and flakey sea salt can be added on top to give them a little salty crunch with each bite.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Substitute other chocolate chips- You can make chocolate chip cookie recipes with dark chocolate chips, milk chocolate, white chocolate, or even peanut butter chips instead.
- Use vanilla bean paste- This has a more intense vanilla flavor than extracts, so it can be used to increase the vanilla taste in these brown butter cookies. Regardless, use a good vanilla, no matter what kind, for this recipe.
- Make it gluten-free- Substitute the all-purpose or bread flour for gluten-free baking flour. It can be a 1:1 replacement.
- Add peppermint- Crush some candy canes and add them to the cookies if these are for the holidays. This also gives them some nice color.
How to Make Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Brown the butter. Add the butter to a small saucepan and melt it over medium-low heat. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the butter begins to foam, then turns golden brown with small toasted milk solids on the bottom, about 5–7 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool for 10–15 minutes.
Pro Tip: You want the brown butter to be warm, but not hot. This is because hot butter will scramble the eggs when this is added to the other wet ingredients.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, add the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Pour in the slightly cooled brown butter and whisk until combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, then whisk until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
- Add the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and sea salt. Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and fold with a spatula until just combined.
- Add the chocolate chips. Fold in 1 3/4 cups of the chocolate chips, reserving the extra 1/4 cup for topping.
- Scoop and chill. Use a large cookie scoop (about 2 oz) to portion the dough into balls. Top each rolled dough ball with a few chocolate chips from the reserved 1/4 cup. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, cover the sheet with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Bake. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the chilled cookie dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them a few inches apart. Bake for 11–12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden but the centers still look slightly soft. You want them to be slightly underbaked. They will continue to bake a little more after you
- Finish and cool. While the cookies are hot, sprinkle a little flaky sea salt on top to help balance the sweetness (optional). Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Let your butter cool- Once you’ve browned the butter, let it sit for 15 minutes to cool off. Hot butter will cook the eggs when they’re combined, so you don’t want it that hot.
- Add chocolate chips on top of the cookies- This is to make them more appealing. The chocolate chips on top will be seen and enjoyed with the first bite, unlike the ones within the cookie.
- Don’t skip chilling the dough- You need to chill the dough or it will spread like crazy when you bake the cookies. Chilling the dough helps the butter solidify and the cookies hold their shape.
- Add the sea salt while the cookies are hot- This makes it easier for the salt to adhere to the hot cookie and melted chocolate chips on top.
FAQs
How do I brown butter without burning it?
When you brown butter, the trick to not burning it is to cook it over a low to medium heat, and also constantly stir it. This keeps the butter from sticking to the bottom of the pan and burning. Keep the melted butter moving the entire time it browns and it won’t burn for you.
Should I use chocolate chips or chopped chocolate?
You can use either one. Chopped chocolate is not a uniform size like chips, so they tend to melt and create puddles of chocolate on your cookies, which is delicious. I like chocolate chips for this recipe, but they are both good options.
Serving Suggestions
These Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies are deliciously sweet with the perfect amount of salt. You can enjoy them with coffee drinks and teas, other desserts, or with an assortment of cookies.
- Beverages: Enjoy one of these cookies while sipping on a tasty Pumpkin Spice Latte, Iced Caramel Macchiato, or Iced Matcha Latte.
- Desserts: Pair these cookies with a yummy dessert at your next get-together, such as with Chocolate Cheesecake Bars, Chocolate Caramel Pretzels Bars, Easy Dubai Chocolate, or Chocolate Brandy Fig Bonbons.
- Cookies: Make a cookie platter with these tasty treats along with Chocolate Peppermint Cookies, Monster Cookies, Almond Joy Cookies, and Lofthouse Frosted Sugar Cookies (VIDEO).
Make This Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: You can prepare the cookie dough and put it in the fridge to chill until you’re ready to bake them.
Storing: Store any leftovers of these Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Freeze: You can freeze these cookies in a freezer safe container or ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or on the counter until ready to eat. You can also freeze the dough balls with parchment paper between layers in a sealed container.
More Scrumptious Cookies!
Full Recipe Instructions
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
These chewy Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies have tons of rich flavor from the bittersweet chocolate and the caramelized butter. Topped with a touch of sea salt, they are addictively good.
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Servings: 13 Big Cookies
Calories: 325kcal
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract yes this much
- 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 3/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips + 1/4 cup for topping
- Flakey sea salt for garnish
Instructions
- Brown the butter. Add the butter to a small saucepan and melt it over medium-low heat. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the butter begins to foam, then turns golden brown with small toasted milk solids on the bottom. This usually takes 5–7 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool for 10–15 minutes until just warm, not hot.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, add the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Pour in the slightly cooled brown butter and whisk until combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, then whisk until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
- Add the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and sea salt. Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and fold with a spatula until just combined.
- Add the chocolate chips. Fold in 1 3/4 cups of the chocolate chips, reserving the extra 1/4 cup for topping.
- Scoop and chill. Use a large cookie scoop (about 2 oz) to portion the dough into balls. Top each rolled dough ball with a few chocolate chips from the reserved 1/4 cup. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, cover the sheet with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. (Don’t skip this step).
- Bake. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the chilled cookie dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them a few inches apart. Bake for 11–12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden but the centers still look slightly soft. You want them to be slightly underbaked. They will continue to bake a little more after you
- Finish and cool. While the cookies are hot, sprinkle a little flaky sea salt on top to help balance the sweetness (optional). Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 325kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 266mg | Potassium: 170mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 378IU | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 2mg
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Hi, I’m Dina, so glad you stopped by! I believe life is too short for bad coffee and boring meals. With my easy to follow step-by-step recipes, you’ll be surprised at how quickly a wholesome and delicious meal can come together. I hope you find something you enjoy!
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