Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
These Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies have a rich toffee flavor and the perfect balance of dark and milk chocolate. After chilling overnight, they bake into the most delicious texture, with wrinkly, chewy edges and a melt-in-your-mouth center. Top with a pinch of flaky sea salt for a professional finish!
One of my favorite desserts to experiment with has to be chocolate chip cookies. There are so many unique ways to make them, from Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies to Salted Caramel Cookies or even making a Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake or Cookie Layer Cake for a celebration. But one of the easiest ways to elevate a chocolate chip cookie is by changing the flavor of the butter. Brown butter is butter that has been melted and cooked until the milk solids turn golden brown, giving off a nutty aroma. This simple process enhances its flavor, which adds a unique depth of flavor to desserts. Using brown butter to make these cookies is an easy way to make a bakery-worthy cookie right at home. It will make any home baker feel like a professionally trained chef!
American vs. European Butter
When making brown butter, the type of butter you use really makes a difference. I prefer using European butter rather than basic unsalted sweet cream butter as the taste is significantly different. Basic butter typically contains about 80% butterfat, while European butter has a higher fat content, usually around 82% to 85%. European butter is made using a slow churning process that gives it a creamier texture and slightly tangy flavor from the cultured cream used. This not only enhances its taste but also makes it the best kind for making brown butter. The extra fat gives a broader range of caramelized flavors from the milk solids without burning too quickly, which can enhance the nutty and complex profile.
How To Brown Butter
I’ve made a detailed post on how to brown butter, but the quick instructions are to start by melting unsalted butter over medium heat in a light-colored pan, which helps you see the butter change color more easily. Stir the butter constantly as it goes from loud and melted to quiet and foamy. Keep a close eye on the color when it goes silent. You’re looking for a golden brown shade and small brown bits at the bottom of the pan. This typically takes about 5 to 8 minutes. Once it reaches this stage, immediately remove the pan from heat to prevent burning and pour into a measuring glass to ensure you have the right amount.
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies – Key Ingredients
- Salted European Butter – Provides a rich, creamy base for the cookies, contributing to their flavor and structure, with the salt enhancing the overall taste.
- Cornstarch – Used to reduce the gluten formation in the dough, making the cookies tender and soft.
- Sugar (dark brown and granulated white) – Dark brown sugar adds moisture and a rich molasses flavor, while granulated white sugar helps create those lightly crisp edges.
- Lemon Juice – A small amount of lemon juice can enhance other flavors in the cookies and add a subtle brightness without a lemon taste.
- Egg (+ yolk) – The whole egg and additional yolk provide moisture, richness, and structure, helping to bind the dough and create a chewy texture.
- Chopped Chocolate (milk, dark, hazelnut) – Chopped chocolate not only adds rich, melty pockets of flavor but also varies in taste and texture depending on the type used. I used hazelnut chocolate, which really enhanced the flavor and made it unique.
- Flaky Sea Salt – Sprinkled on top after baking, flaky sea salt enhances the flavors of the cookies.
Best Chocolate For Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Using high-quality chocolate bars instead of chocolate chips can DRASTICALLY improve your cookie recipes and desserts. Chocolate bars usually have more cocoa solids and cocoa butter, giving them a richer flavor and smoother texture when melted. This makes them great for recipes like ganache, mousses, or sauces. Chocolate chips usually contain stabilizers and less cocoa butter, leading to a grainier texture and weaker flavor.
To make this the best brown butter chocolate chip cookie recipe, we’re using a mix of both dark and milk chocolate. The dark chocolate bakes into large puddles while also balancing the sweetness of the cookies while the milk chocolate adds so much creamy flavor! As a happy accident, my grocery store only had hazelnut milk chocolate bars and they ended up making these cookies EVEN BETTER. I highly recommend sticking with this combo.
But not all chocolate bars are created equal. Opt for chocolate bars found in the candy aisle (my favorite being Lindt). These are meant to be eaten by themselves so you know the flavor is going to be good! Baking chocolate bars aren’t as rich and creamy, so the flavor payoff isn’t as effective here.
Cookie Baking Tips
- It’s important to chill the dough overnight and not bake right away. Because of the butter’s high fat content, it needs to “dry out” properly, which will keep the cookies from spreading too much when baked. Letting the dough rest also allows the flavors to deepen, giving your cookies a richer taste.
- Use parchment paper and avoid a silicone baking mat. I find cookies spread a little too much on a slippery silicone mat, so use parchment for a bit more grit.
- Space the cookie dough balls at least 2 inches apart on the baking sheet to allow room for spreading during baking.
- Right when the cookies are fresh from the oven, use a fork to nudge in any wonky sides, creating beautifully uniform cookies with wrinkly edges.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to prevent them from breaking and to allow them to set properly.
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies FAQs
European butter can typically be found in the dairy section of well-stocked grocery stores or specialty food stores. I like Kerrygold, Westgold, Plugra, or Danish Creamery.
The cookies are ready when the edges start to turn a golden brown, but the center still looks slightly soft. They will continue to firm up as they cool on the baking sheet.
Yes, you can use unsalted butter if that’s what you have on hand. Just increase the amount of added salt in the recipe to 3/4 tsp kosher salt.
Definitely stick with chopped bars of chocolate here. Using chips will greatly affect the spread of these cookies.
Keep your baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will stay fresh for up to one week.
To freeze baked cookies, allow them to cool completely, then place them in a single layer on a baking sheet to freeze individually. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container, separating layers with parchment paper. They’ll keep for up to 3 months.
After the cookie dough balls have had their initial overnight chill in the refrigerator, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag. When ready to bake, you can bake them directly from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the original baking time.
For more cookie recipes, check out my:
- Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies
- Golden Birthday Cookies
- Monster Cookies
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Lemon Bar Butter Cookies
- Strawberry Jam Sugar Cookies
Make sure to tag me @butternutbakery on Instagram and leave a review below if you make these Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies. To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the button on the recipe card, the buttons above or below this post, or on any of the photos above. Happy baking!
Watch how to make these brown butter chocolate chip cookies:
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Total Time: 32 minutes + overnight chill
- Yield: 14 cookies
Description
These brown butter chocolate chip cookies contain a rich toffee flavor and the perfect balance of dark and milk chocolate. After chilling overnight, these cookies bake into the most delicious textures with wrinkly, chewy edges and a melt-in-your-mouth center. Top with a pinch of flaky sea salt to finish off these gourmet homemade cookies!
Ingredients
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 1 cup (220g) salted European butter + 2 tbsp
- 1 3/4 cup (228g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 cup (150g) dark brown sugar, tightly packed
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
- 6 oz 70% dark chocolate, chopped into medium chunks
- 3 oz milk chocolate, finely chopped (I used hazelnut milk chocolate which I also highly recommend!)
- Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling on top
Instructions
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Slice the 1 cup of butter and add it to a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir to melt down, then continue to stir as it goes from melted and bright yellow, to loud and bubbly. Next, it will turn foamy and quiet which is when the browning process happens. Keep stirring and keep a close eye on it as it changes into a rich amber color.
- At that point, remove it from the heat and immediately pour into a measuring glass. Drop in 1-2 extra tablespoons of butter until it reaches exactly 1 cup. Stir to melt in the butter and set aside to cool.
- In the meantime, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a small bowl and set aside.
- Once the brown butter has cooled (it can still be a little warm, just not piping hot), pour it into a large mixing bowl along with the dark brown sugar and granulated sugar. Thoroughly whisk to combine.
- Add in the vanilla, lemon juice, egg, and egg yolk and vigorously whisk until the mixture turns a shade lighter, about 1 minute of mixing.
- Pour in the dry ingredients and use a rubber spatula to fold the dough together. Just before the flour is fully mixed in, add in the chopped chocolate and continue to fold until fully combined. The dough will be sticky but should hold its shape when scooped.
- Using a large 2 ounce cookie scoop (or 1/4 cup), scoop the dough out onto a plate lined with parchment paper. I like to try and capture a large chunk of chocolate at the bottom of the scoop so when the dough is turned out, there’s a piece of chocolate on the top of every cookie.
- Place the plate of cookie dough into the refrigerator uncovered. The dough can be chilled for at least 4 hours but I highly recommend chilling the dough overnight for the best flavor and texture.
- The next day, preheat the oven to 350F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place 3-4 cookies onto the tray well spaced apart and bake for 12-14 minutes or until the edges are golden and the center is pale, puffed, and slightly underdone.
- If the cookies bake a little wonky, use the inside rim of a fork to nudge in the sides right when the cookies are pulled from the oven.
- Top with a pinch of flaky sea salt and allow the cookies to rest on the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
- These cookies are best enjoyed at room temp so dig in!
- PS – The dough freezes really well. To keep a stash in your freezer, allow the cookie dough to chill in the refrigerator overnight as instructed. The next day, drop the chilled cookie dough balls into a freezer storage bag and freeze for a few months. Follow all the same baking instructions.
Notes
STORAGE – Store your cookies in an air tight container at room temperature. They’ll still taste good for up to one week.
RECIPE UPDATE – This recipe was updated on 4/15/24 as an improved version of my old brown butter chocolate chip cookie recipe.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Chill Time: Overnight
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
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Meet Jenna
I’m the creator, baker, and photographer behind Butternut Bakery. Here I share desserts for every diet because I believe everyone should have a chance to indulge!
These turned out well. Loved the nutty flavor from the browned butter 🙂
Fantastic recipe. I recipe test every brown butter chocolate chip cookie I can find that looks decent. I tested two last week. These are thin crispy but chewy great texture. Not over sweet. So so good.
I have become famous in my family for these cookies! Truly the best cookie recipe/cookie I have ever eaten! Cannot recommend this recipe enough!
This recipe was my first successful attempt at making chocolate chip cookies. I’ve made it twice so far with my microwave’s convection setting.
The first time I skipped the coffee and swapped half the brown butter for ghee and used less chocolate and left the dough to chill for two days. The end result was incredibly buttery, crispy and gooey in the centre cookies.
The next attempt, I reduced the size of the cookies and followed the recipe more strictly and ended up with a wonderfully chocolaty cookie. The first cookie had a richer butter flavor likey cause I let it sit in the fridge for two days. It could also have been the ghee. Definitely recommend this recipe.
A word of caution for those baking this recipe in their microwave; don’t use a glass dish and preheat for at least 5 minutes even if your microwave has a cookie setting. Cookies baked in a glass dish turn out flat and the bottoms remain underbaked.
I’ve made these cookies so much I’ve memorized the recipe. People love them so much and I love making them!!
This was so good and everyone loved it! I will make this again
Man, everyone should know about this recipe. This is the best chocolate chip recipe I have ever baked. friends and family absolutely love them as well. I have simply subbed out regular flour with GF when it calls for it and it works flawlessly. Chocolate chunks over chocolate chips for the win! And sprinkle that quality flaky salt on top, its such a winner. cheers for this recipe!