Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies are made with dark brown sugar, chocolate chunks, and a sprinkle of sea salt. They have a crisp edge and soft middle. The best part? These cookies don't need a mixer!
Chewy, gooey, and crunchy cookies that are loaded with flavour thanks to the browned butter! It's got sweet chocolate balanced with flakey sea salt, and a nutty browned butter that can't be beat. I used chopped chocolate for that extra ooey gooeyness!
Whenever I'm craving a chocolate chip cookie, I make these. They're so good!
For more cookie recipes, try Mini M&M Cookies, Brown Butter Mini Egg Cookies, and Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cookies.
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Why this recipe works
Brown butter - these cookies have that smooth caramel-y flavour from the brown butter!
No mixer - there's no mixer required for these cookies!
Chill time - game changer for intensifying the browned butter flavour.
Chocolate chip cookies - who doesn't love a good cookie!?
Key Ingredients
Full recipe and ingredients are in the recipe card below. Feel free to scroll through this section to view certain key ingredients we’re using!
Brown sugar - I used dark brown sugar, but golden yellow or light also works.
Butter - Unsalted butter works best for baking. This is going to be melted and browned
Chocolate - I used chopped milk chocolate chunks. I find this works best if you're looking to achieve that ooey gooey cookie. Any chocolate or chocolate chip works!
Sea salt - I like using this Maldon sea salt. It's sprinkled on top after the cookies are done baking for that perfect sweet and salty balance.
Step by Step Instructions
Here is how to make and bake these brown butter chocolate chip cookies. You will need one tray lined with parchment paper, a large mixing bowl, a spatula, a whisk, and a standard ice cream scoop.
Step 1 - Brown the butter. Add butter to a saucepan and place over medium heat. The butter will melt, then begin to crackle, and then eventually foam. This entire process should take 5 minutes. Make sure you whisk constantly during it! It'll turn a nice golden colour on the bottom of the saucepan with amber flecks too. Remove from the heat as soon as the butter begins to give off a nutty aroma. Immediately transfer to a glass measuring cup. Prep the rest of the ingredients while you allow the butter to cool for 10 minutes.
Step 2 - In a bowl, add browned butter, sugars, and vanilla. Whisk together.
Step 3 - Add in egg and continue whisking for 2-3 minutes.
Step 4 - Switch over to a spatula and fold in the flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix until just combined and there are no dry streaks.
Step 5 - Add in chocolate.
Step 6 - Roll the dough into 12 even balls. Make them tall. Place in fridge for 20-30 minutes to chill.
Step 7 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake 6 cookies per tray for 9-10 minutes. The cookies will look slightly underdone in the middle, but crispy on the edge.
Step 8 - Remove from oven and allow to sit on the cookie tray. This will let the cookies continue to bake from the heat of the tray! Sprinkle flakey sea salt (optional) & enjoy!
Expert Baking Tips
Here are a few baking tips from my kitchen to yours
Chill the dough! Yes, this recipe requires you to chill the dough, but I promise it’s worth it! Chilling the cookie dough for 20-30 minutes in the refrigerator allows the flour to hydrate and brown butter flavour to intensify. When it's baked with chilled dough, the fat in the recipe (unsalted butter) is solid, which gives you those crisp edges and crackly tops.
Dark brown sugar - I like using dark brown sugar for brown butter cookies as it carries more molasses, which helps intensify the flavours. Light brown works too though!
Keep on the tray - After baking, remove from the oven but keep the cookies on the hot baking tray for an additional 15-20 minutes. The cookies will continue to bake as they cool!
FAQ
I ended up with less butter after I melted and browned it. Why?
When you brown butter for longer than 5 minutes, it’ll start to lose moisture. This in turn will affect your baking ratios. After browning the butter, transfer it into a glass measuring cup. This way you can measure your butter while it cools before moving onto making the cookies. You should have slightly less than 1/2 cup of browned butter.
Is it normal to have flecks of butter appear while browning?
Yes! When those appear, don't stop mixing. Those are browned milk solids and they hold that caramel-y flavour we all love. Make sure to scrap every one of those out!
I think I burned my butter? How?
If you allow the melted butter to just sit there in the pot on medium heat, the bottom will burn. That's why you have to constantly be mixing it! Once it is done, immediately transfer into a heat-safe bowl to cool.
Other recipes to try
- Easy Carrot Muffins
- Strawberry Rhubarb Breakfast Cake
- Brown Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups
- Easy Olive Oil Banana Bread
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Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp sea salt flakes
- 3/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or chocolate chunks
Instructions
- Brown the butter: Melt the butter in a medium sized pan over medium heat. Once it melts, it will crackle, then become foamy – continue mixing the butter while this happens to prevent burning. The butter will go from melted to golden brown quickly, and you'll know it's almost done when the aroma of browned butter arrives. The whole process should take about 5 minutes! Once golden, remove from heat and transfer to a bowl. Let the butter cool for 10 minutes while you begin on the rest of the recipe.1/2 cup butter
- Whisk the butter, sugars, and vanilla together in a bowl.1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, 1/3 cup white sugar, 1 tbsp vanilla
- Add the egg and continue whisking.1 egg
- Toss in the flour, baking soda, and baking powder and fold using a spatula until just combined and there are no dry streaks showing.2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp baking powder
- Add in the chocolate.3/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Roll the cookies into 12 even balls. Chill for 20 minutes in the fridge. This will help intensify the brown butter flavour into the cookies.
- Once chilled, bake 6 at a time on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 9-10 minutes. The cookies will look slightly underdone in the middle, but crispy on the edge.
- Remove from oven and allow to rest on the cookie tray. This will let the cookies continue to bake from the heat of the tray. Sprinkle flakey sea salt if you'd like. Enjoy!1/4 tsp sea salt flakes
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