Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

If you love rich, bakery-style cookies with crisp golden edges and soft, gooey centres, this Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe is one you’ll make again and again. Browning the butter adds a deep caramel flavour that takes classic chocolate chip cookies to a whole new level. These cookies are soft in the middle, lightly crisp around the edges, and packed with melted chocolate in every bite. They are surprisingly easy to make and perfect for beginner bakers, with a total time of around 1 hour including chilling.

Ingredients

For the Cookie Dough

• 170g unsalted butter
• 150g light brown sugar
• 100g caster sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 250g plain flour
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 200g dark chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

For Topping

• Flaky sea salt, optional

How to Make Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

• Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 180°C or 160°C fan. Line two large baking trays with baking parchment and set aside.
• Brown the butter: Add the butter to a saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously as the butter melts and begins to foam. Continue cooking until golden brown specks appear and the butter smells nutty and caramel-like. Remove from the heat and cool for 10 minutes.
• Mix the sugars: Pour the browned butter into a large mixing bowl. Add the light brown sugar and caster sugar, then whisk until glossy and smooth.
• Add the eggs and vanilla: Whisk in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until fully combined and creamy.
• Combine the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, and salt.
• Make the dough: Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a spatula until just combined. Stir through the chocolate chips evenly.
• Chill the dough: Cover the bowl and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. This helps create thicker, chewier cookies.
• Shape the cookies: Scoop portions of dough onto the prepared trays, leaving enough space for spreading during baking.
• Bake the cookies: Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are golden brown but the centres still look slightly soft.
• Cool and serve: Sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired. Leave the cookies on the tray for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips for the Best Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Why should I chill the cookie dough?

Chilling helps the flour absorb moisture and prevents the cookies from spreading too much. It also improves the flavour and gives a chewier texture.

How do I know when the butter is browned properly?

The butter should smell nutty and have golden brown bits at the bottom of the pan. Watch carefully because it can burn quickly.

Can I use milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate?

Yes, milk chocolate creates a sweeter cookie, while dark chocolate balances the rich brown butter flavour beautifully.

Why are my cookies dry?

Too much flour or overbaking can make cookies dry. Measure flour accurately and remove the cookies when the centres still look slightly soft.

How can I make bakery-style thick cookies?

Chill the dough thoroughly and use larger scoops of cookie dough. Slightly underbaking also keeps the centres soft and thick.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve warm with a cold glass of milk
• Pair with coffee or hot chocolate
• Sandwich vanilla ice cream between two cookies
• Drizzle with melted chocolate for dessert platters
• Enjoy with salted caramel sauce

Storage

Room Temperature

Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Add a slice of bread to the container to help keep them soft.

Refrigerator

Cookie dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days before baking. Let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before scooping.

Freezing

Freeze baked cookies or raw cookie dough balls for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding 1 to 2 extra minutes to the baking time.

Nutrition

• Calories: 320 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 38g
• Protein: 4g
• Fat: 17g
• Saturated Fat: 10g
• Sodium: 180mg

Nutrition values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients used.

FAQs

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Recipe by Milli RoseCourse: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

18

cookies

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

12

minutes

Total time

60

minutes

Calories

320

kcal

32

minutes

Rich and chewy brown butter chocolate chip cookies with crisp edges, soft centres, and deep caramel flavour in every bite.

Ingredients

• 170g unsalted butter

• 150g light brown sugar

• 100g caster sugar

• 1 large egg

• 1 egg yolk

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 250g plain flour

• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt

• 200g dark chocolate chips

• Flaky sea salt for topping

Directions

• Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Line two baking trays with baking parchment.
• Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat until golden brown and nutty smelling. Cool for 10 minutes.
• Whisk the browned butter with brown sugar and caster sugar until glossy.
• Add egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract, whisking until smooth.
• Fold in flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and salt until combined.
• Stir through the chocolate chips evenly.
• Chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes for thicker cookies.
• Scoop dough onto baking trays leaving space between each cookie.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until golden at the edges but soft in the middle.
• Cool on trays for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Notes

• Chilling the dough improves flavour and texture.
• Use high-quality chocolate for the best taste.
• Cookies can be frozen before or after baking.