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Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies – Nutty, Chewy, Bakery-Level Good

grandmastasty.com By grandmastasty.com Updated
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies – Nutty, Chewy, Bakery-Level Good

Chewy centers, crisp edges, puddles of melty chocolate, and that deep, toasty flavor you only get from browned butter—these Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies are classic, but turned all the way up. Browning the butter adds a nutty, caramel note, while a rest in the fridge gives you thicker cookies with richer flavor.

They’re perfect for bake sales, cookie boxes, or those nights when you just need a warm cookie straight off the tray.

Why You’ll Love Them

  • Brown butter magic: Toasting the butter gives a nutty, toffee-like depth you can taste in every bite.
  • Chewy + crisp: Soft centers, crisp edges, and just enough thickness for that perfect texture.
  • Chocolate in every bite: A mix of chips and chunks keeps every cookie loaded.
  • Freezer-friendly: Roll, chill, and bake from cold (or frozen) whenever a craving hits.

Ingredients

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

  • 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter
  • ¾ cup (150 g) packed light brown sugar
  • ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 ¼ cups (270 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ¾ tsp fine salt
  • 1 cup (170 g) semisweet chocolate chips
  • ½ cup (85 g) chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chunks
  • Flaky sea salt, for topping (optional but recommended)

Optional: ½ cup (60 g) chopped toasted pecans or walnuts for extra crunch.

Time & Yield

  • Prep (including browning butter): 25–30 minutes
  • Chill: 30–60 minutes (recommended for best texture)
  • Bake: 10–12 minutes per tray
  • Total: ~1½–2 hours including chilling
  • Yield: 20–24 cookies, depending on size

Instructions

1) Brown the Butter

  1. Melt & brown:
    • Add butter to a light-colored saucepan over medium heat.
    • Melt completely, then continue cooking, stirring often, as it foams and the milk solids turn golden brown and smell nutty.
  2. Watch closely:
    • Once you see amber-brown bits at the bottom and smell a toasty, caramel aroma, remove from heat immediately.
  3. Cool slightly:
    • Pour brown butter (scraping in all the browned bits) into a heatproof bowl.
    • Let cool 10–15 minutes, until just warm, not hot.
  1. Mix sugars & brown butter:
    • Whisk brown butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until well combined and glossy.
  2. Add eggs & vanilla:
    • Whisk in eggs one at a time, then vanilla, until the mixture looks smooth and slightly thickened.
  3. Combine dry ingredients:
    • In a separate bowl, whisk together:
      • Flour
      • Baking soda
      • Baking powder
      • Salt
  4. Bring it together:
    • Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture.
    • Stir with a spatula until no dry flour remains—avoid over-mixing.
  5. Fold in chocolate (and nuts if using):
    • Fold in chocolate chips and chocolate chunks (and nuts).
    • The dough will be thick and a bit shiny.

3) Chill the Dough

  • Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30–60 minutes.
  • This step:
    • Helps the butter firm up
    • Prevents spreading
    • Deepens the flavor

You can also chill the dough longer (up to 24 hours) for even richer flavor.

4) Scoop & Bake

  1. Preheat oven:
    • Preheat to 350°F (175°C).
    • Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Scoop dough:
    • Scoop 2-tablespoon portions of dough and roll into balls.
    • Place on baking sheets, leaving space to spread (about 6–8 per tray).
  3. Bake:
    • Bake for 10–12 minutes, until:
      • Edges are set and lightly golden
      • Centers still look slightly soft and underdone
  4. Finish with salt & set:
    • Immediately sprinkle tops with flaky sea salt, if using.
    • Let cookies cool on the tray for 5–10 minutes before moving to a wire rack.
    • They will firm up as they cool but stay chewy in the center.
  • Calories: ~200–230 kcal
  • Fat: ~11–13 g
  • Carbs: ~24–27 g
  • Protein: ~2–3 g

(Will vary with exact size and chocolate amounts.)

Serve Them Like This

  • Serve slightly warm so the chocolate is still soft and melty.
  • Pair with:
    • A cold glass of milk
    • Hot coffee, hot chocolate, or tea
  • Turn them into a dessert:
    • Sandwich a scoop of vanilla ice cream between two cookies
    • Crumble warm cookies over ice cream or yogurt

Pro Tips for the Best Brown Butter Cookies

  • Use a light pan for browning: Easier to see when the butter solids turn golden instead of burning.
  • Cool butter slightly: If it’s too hot when you add eggs, they can scramble and ruin the texture.
  • Don’t skip chilling: Especially with brown butter, chilling gives you thicker, chewier cookies.
  • Pull them early: If they look perfect in the oven, they’ll be overbaked once they cool. Slightly underdone is ideal.
  • Mix chocolates: Chips + chunks = gooey pockets and chocolate in every bite.

Variations & Twists

  • Brown Butter Walnut Cookies:
    • Add ½–¾ cup chopped toasted walnuts and a pinch of cinnamon.
  • Salted Caramel Version:
    • Press a few soft caramel bits on top of each dough ball before baking, then sprinkle with extra flaky salt.
  • Espresso Brown Butter Cookies:
    • Dissolve 1–2 tsp instant espresso in 1 tbsp hot water and stir into the dough with the vanilla for a subtle coffee note.
  • Mini Cookies:
    • Scoop 1-tsp portions and bake 7–8 minutes for bite-size treats.

Make-Ahead, Storage & Freezing

  • Chill the dough:
    • Dough can be refrigerated for up to 24–48 hours. Let sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes if too firm to scoop.
  • Storage (baked cookies):
    • Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days.
    • Add a slice of bread to the container to keep cookies soft.
  • Freezing:
    • Scoop dough into balls, freeze on a tray, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months.
    • Bake from frozen, adding 1–2 extra minutes to the baking time.

Why This Recipe Works

Browning the butter concentrates its flavor and adds nutty, toasted notes that make the cookies taste richer without extra ingredients. The mix of brown and white sugar gives chewiness plus crisp edges, while chilling the dough controls spread and intensifies flavor. Using both chips and chunks ensures melty pockets of chocolate throughout.

Final Thought: When you want a chocolate chip cookie that feels familiar but tastes next-level, Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies are the recipe you’ll keep coming back to—warm, chewy, and always worth the extra few minutes of browning the butter.