These brown butter chocolate chip cookies are the perfect elevated chocolate chip cookie with a toffee flavor coming through from the brown butter, a lightly crisp edge and gooey center. An easy to throw together recipe that only needs one bowl and thirty minutes!
Brown butter chocolate chip cookies are my favorite cookies to make when I want a little extra flavor to my basic chocolate chip cookies. They are quick to throw together with basic pantry staple ingredients, so you can be enjoying a warm cookie in no time.
For more brown butter recipes, try my Cinnamon Streusel Muffins or my Marshmallow Crispy Cookies.
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Why You Will Love These Cookies
- No Chilling the Dough: There is no need to add extra time and chill the dough for these cookies.
- Crispy Edges & Chewy Centers: I love that these cookies have a bit of a buttery crisp edge, but keep a chewy, melt in your mouth center.
- Milk & Semi-Sweet Chocolate: I love adding both kinds of chocolate to these cookies so you get some richer and some sweeter bites.
Ingredient Notes
Full ingredient measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Brown Butter: I love the depth of flavor browning the butter adds to baked goods. It's definitely worth the extra effort!
- Sugars: You will use both brown sugar and granulated sugar for these cookies to help create the best crispy edges and chewy center.
- Eggs: Make sure you are using room temperature eggs. If you need to do this quick just place them in a bowl with barely warm water.
- Flour: I have tested these with both all-purpose and gluten free 1:1 ratio flour and either works great.
- Chocolate: I love using a mix of chopped chocolate and chocolate chips.
- Flaked Salt: A little flaked salt on top of a sweet cookie is the perfect way to elevate flavors and balance sweetness.
Step by Step Instructions
- Step 1: Start by browning the butter. You'll take one cup of butter and melt in a medium saucepan, and then continue to cook past the point of boiling. You will do this over medium heat, past the point of the butter foaming, until it turns a nice golden brown, and has a nutty smell. Make sure you are stirring and watching it, because it will turn from perfectly brown to burnt fairly quickly. Once finished browning, pour into a bowl and allow to cool completely. I usually throw it into the freezer for 10 minutes.
- Step 2: Place browned butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mix until smooth on low speed, anout 30 seconds each egg. Beat in the vanilla.
- Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt. And flour mixture to bowl and mix on low, being careful not to overmix. I usually like to stop mixing when I still have flour remnants around the bowl.
- Step 4: Fold in chocolate chunks and chips.
- Step 5: Scoop the dough into large balls. I like to use a ¼ cup cookie scoop. Place 6 cookie balls on your baking sheet and sprinkle with salt flakes.
- Step 6: Bake the cookies for 11-13 minutes. You're looking for a nice golden brown outside rim. Sprinkle with extra salt flakes and enjoy!
Expert Baking Tips
- I love using a mix of chopped chocolate and chocolate chips as well as a mix of milk chocolate and semi sweet. But use whatever you love the best, or have on hand. It's the perfect cookie dough base to add your favorites!
- If your cookies don’t come out a perfect circle, I like to take a little spatula and circle around the cookie to bring in any spots that have spread a little too far.
- I have given both cups and grams as measurements. Grams will be more precise, especially when measuring flour. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, no problem! Just lightly spoon flour into your measuring cup to insure its not packed in there. Light and fluffy is the key.
FAQ
No, you can use 7 tablespoons of room temperature butter instead. Or you can always make my favorite salted chocolate chunk cookies recipe if you don't want to brown the butter.
Yes! I have tested these with king arthurs measure for measure gluten free flour and they turned out great.
The most likely reason for cookies not spreading is too much flour. I always suggest using a scale if possible to measure.
Storing & Freezing
These brown butter chocolate chip cookies can be stored in an airtight container or a ziplock bag for 3-4 days at room temperature.
You can freeze your cookies in an airtight container for 2-3 months with them remaining fresh. Pull them out and allow to thaw before eating. Or you can freeze the cookie dough balls and bake as needed. No need to let them thaw, just add an extra 1-2 minutes when baking frozen.
Other Popular Recipes to Try
For more yummy treats follow me on instagram @thesaltedsweets. And be sure to tag me and comment if you make them and love them as much as I do!
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (227 g) salted butter browned and cooled
- 1½ cups (330 g) brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups (420 g) all-purpose flour can sub gluten free flour
- 1 cup (186 g) chopped chocolate trader joes pound plus is my favorite
- 1 cup (186 g) chocolate chips
- flaked sea salt
Instructions
- Start by browning the butter. You'll take one cup of butter and melt in a medium saucepan, and then continue to cook past the point of boiling. You will do this over medium heat, past the point of the butter foaming, until it turns a nice golden brown, and has a nutty smell. Make sure you are stirring and watching it, because it will turn from perfectly brown to burnt fairly quickly. Once finished browning, pour into a bowl and allow to cool completely. I usually throw it into the freezer for 10 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Place browned butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mix until smooth on low speed, anout 30 seconds each egg. Beat in the vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt. And flour mixture to bowl and mix on low, being careful not to overmix. I usually like to stop mixing when I still have flour remnants around the bowl.
- Fold in chocolate chunks and chips.
- Scoop the dough into large balls. I like to use a ¼ cup cookie scoop. Place 6 cookie balls on your baking sheet and sprinkle with salt flakes.
- Bake the cookies for 11-13 minutes. You're looking for a nice golden brown outside rim. Sprinkle with extra salt flakes and enjoy!
Cara
Love me some brown butter and the extra sea salt is divine. I also love when recipes give Graham’s for measurement. So much better in my opinion! This will be on repeat
brooke
I'm so happy we both share a love for brown butter and extra salt!! Thank you so much for trying them!
Michelle
My cookies never spread to look like yours! Any suggestions? I made exactly as you indicated.
Kinzie
This recipe is amazing - I’ve made it so many times and each time my whole family is like, “wow these are ridiculously good!” ❤️
brooke
Thank you so much!! I love when you can please the whole family! Thanks for taking the time to leave a rating and review.
Julie
Put the butter on the stove on medium. Took dog for walk. Came home to the smell of burnt butter. Poured it into a bowl leaving black grit in the pan. Made said cookies. OMG. Heaven!!!!
Thank you for loving salt and browned butter, they’re 2 of my favorite things!
brooke
I'm glad they worked out in the end and that you liked them!! Thanks!
Kinzie
These are amazing - so so good. I’ve made them at least 5 times. One of the best recipes around!
Kallie
The only chocolate chip cookie recipe you’ll need. That’s the only thing to know.
brooke
I love this!! And yes, these are a staple at our house too!
Ashley
Hands down the best cookies I have ever made!
Julie
Probably the best cookies I’ve ever made! My only complaint would be that I eat WAY too many whenever I make them.
Haley
Hands down the only chocolate chip cookie recipe I’ll ever use again!!! These are fantastic!!! The brown butter just takes it over the edge!
brooke
Thank you so much!! I agree, brown butter is truly amazing!
Ashley
Hi! Do you have a recommendation for the type of chocolate bars you like to use? I’m going to make these for a girls night and don’t want to let anyone down 🙂
brooke
I usually use the milk and dark chocolate pound plus bars from trader joes, but any good quality chocolate will be great. Chopping up a bar always helps create the melty pools of chocolate, but some people prefer chips. Guittard chocolate chips are my favorite if you buy chocolate chips.
Allyson
Love these cookies! Just curious what flour you use? I always weigh mine, but the gold medal flour I use is only 360g for 3 cups. Debating adding a bit more for the next batch 🙂 Thanks!
Sydney Ellen Rucker
Brown Butter Makes Everything Better!!! These are so so yummy. Side Note: Ran out of AP flour so I did Half AP Flour/Half Almond Flour. They spread a little more BUT the texture is so chewy and nutty!! Loved it!
Eleanor
Amazing!!! So good. We use this recipe a TON. I did put the butter in the freezer for thirty minutes to speed up the process. Is that a mistake?
brooke
Thank you so much! The butter should be fine chilled in the freezer as well!
Melissa
I don’t think you understand how amazing these cookies are! I take them to every event and they are devoured, sometimes before the actual meal starts! The brown butter is the key! Thanks Brooke for another homerun!
brooke
Oh yay!! Thanks Melissa! I think brown butter makes everything better!!
S
My cookies came out much puffier than pictured. Yours look more dense and chewy. Where did I go wrong?
Brooke Homec
If they're puffier its usually because there is more flour than needed. Did you with or scoop your flour?
Kim
The browned butter puts these over the top. They are delicious!
Natalie Lowery
Such a delicious cookie! The browned butter elevates the flavor and adds such a nutty kick. I love this recipe and can’t wait to make these again.
So Good!!!!!!!!
Natalie Lowery
Love these chocolate chip cookies!!! The brown butter elevates the cookies and make them irresistible. Bake them asap.
Nikki
The brown butter is a game changer! My family can’t get enough of these.
Amy Schelhaas
I made tons of your recipes and have never been disappointed. Browning butter has always made me nervous. Thankfully, I’ve mastered it! These were awesome. I didn’t have many chocolate chips so I used butterscotch chips as well. 10/10!
Brooke Homec
I'm so glad you're now a brown butter fan like me! It just adds so much extra flavor. Thank you for trying and leaving a review!
AB
Love this chocolate chip cookie recipe! It is always a hit!
Lynzee
The brown butter just does something magical to these cookies. 🍪 ❤️
Leslie Ceja
I managed to only mess these up because I packed the flour but I will be trying again !
Anna
These cookies are AMAZING!!! The brown butter gives them such a rich flavor. I have made these multiple times and I will say when making them into form I like to press mine down versus leaving them a ball. I feel like it gives them a better texture. Will never use another choc chip recipe because this one is it!!! 🙌🏼
Renita
Love these cookies. My only complaint is that mine come out much puffier than yours. I scooped spoonfuls into a meat cup and leveled off with a knife. Is this my problem? I will weigh it next time and compare.
Brooke Homec
if they're puffy there's a bit too much flour. I would always suggest weighing if thats an option.