If there's one cookie I could eat over and over again, it would be a classic, chewy chocolate chip cookie. But, these are not just your standard cookie. These are quite literally the best brown butter chocolate chip cookies I have ever made. Nutty, sweet brown butter helps to make these cookies the chewiest, softest, most decadent chocolate chip cookie you'll eat, guaranteed.
Let's face it, cookies are great all year round! Whip up a batch for just about any occasion, and not one person will turn them down.
Cookies like my kitchen sink (aka triple threat cookies), fig and peanut butter cookies, and my oreo cookie bars are just as delicious. I've got cookies for all occasions here on the blog!
Jump to:
- What are the ingredients for these brown butter chocolate chip cookies?
- How do I make these cookies?
- Recipe Swaps and Substitutions
- THREE top tips for perfecting brown butter
- Tips to making the best brown butter cookies every time:
- Ways to serve these cookies
- How do I store these cookies? Can I freeze them?
- Hungry for More?
- Did you like this recipe? Share it!
- The Best Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
What are the ingredients for these brown butter chocolate chip cookies?
- Brown Butter - I'll walk you through the steps for making brown butter below. You'll need 1 cup of it!
- Vanilla Extract - it's always a necessity!
- Cane Sugar- cookies always need some sweetness, so the regular cane sugar is just about ¼ cup.
- Light Brown Sugar - the light brown sugar in cookies gives the chewy, soft, delicate texture we want when biting into a cookie.
- Chocolate Chips - I measure chocolate chips with my heart, not a cup. For reference, we likely use 1 ½ cups chocolate chips. The more, the merrier!
See the recipe card below for more specific information about more ingredients and quantities.
How do I make these cookies?
Step 1: To make the brown butter, add cubed butter to a light-bottomed medium pan and let the butter melt. Bring the heat to just above a medium flame. It will begin to sputter and foam. Continue to stir the butter and keep on a medium heat, ensuring the solids do not burn at the bottom, approximately 5 minutes. When the butter begins to smell nutty, turn off the heat and pour into a bowl, setting it aside until cool to the touch.
Step 2: In a large bowl (or in a standing mixer bowl), pour in the cooled brown butter with the cane and light brown sugar. With a hand mixer or with the stand mixer paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until the sugar is fully incorporated and the mixture is light and fluffy, approximately 4-5 minutes.
Step 3: Crack in the eggs and pour in the vanilla extract, then continue to mix until incorporated.
Step 4: To the wet ingredients, pour in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until just combined.
Step 5: Pour in a generous helping of chocolate chips. Using a spatula, fold in the chocolate chips until the cookie dough forms.
Step 6: Using a cookie scoop, form cookie dough balls, roll evenly between your hands, then place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Chill in the fridge for up to an hour. Once the cookies are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350º and bake the cookies in batches of 6-8 for 11-12 minutes, letting them cool for 15 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to fully cool.
Hint: Putting the cookies in the fridge to chill helps eliminate any unwanted extra spreading as the cookies bake. I've tested these cookies several times with and without chilling before baking, and I can guarantee, the chill time makes a world of a difference.
Recipe Swaps and Substitutions
- Flour - Swap out the all purpose flour for your favorite 1:1 all purpose gluten free flour. I recommend a scale for measuring the flour but if you don't have one, be sure to scoop and level the flour.
- Sugar - You can opt for coconut sugar instead of the light brown sugar.
- Butter - This recipe calls for brown butter, so it is important you use a butter that can brown well. Miyokos has a plant-butter that does the trick!
THREE top tips for perfecting brown butter
There are few important things to note when browning the butter itself, so remember these three top tips:
- Moving the pan - keep stirring, whisking, and moving the pan about so that the butter doesn't stick to one spot in the pan. Brown butter can get burnt quickly, so keep your eyes on the pan frequently.
- Act fact - when the butter is browned, transfer from the heat source and move to a bowl immediately. This will stop the butter from overcooking.
- Watch the color - the color of the butter will quite literally go from a yellow to a deep yellow, then lean towards amber. When it becomes the amber color, and you can SMELL a nutty aroma coming from the pan, the butter is brown and it's time to take it off the heat.
Tips to making the best brown butter cookies every time:
After making these cookies, and developing this batter several times, with various results, I've landed on three non-negotiable tips that I want to share with you so you get the best tasting cookie each time you make them:
- Adding enough flour - Weird as it sounds, adding more flour actually HELPS give the cookies the thickness and shape we want when we think about a classic chewy cookie.
- Chill time -We want to make sure the butter stays cold, so by chilling the cookie dough beforehand, it helps all of the ingredients to stay in tact, without spreading and becoming too thin.
- Using enough brown sugar - The brown sugar has molasses in it, giving the cookies their color, but also the chewiness we think of when it comes to a classic "soft and chewy" cookie. We use a full cup of light brown sugar, as opposed to using more cane sugar.
Ways to serve these cookies
These are perfect cookies to make for a variety of different occasions, so here's some of the best ways:
- Make these cookies for a cookie swap with friends.
- Use an extra large cookie scoop, bake 'em up, and sandwich vanilla or your favorite ice cream in between to make homemade ice cream sandos. YUM.
- Place in a cookie box for a gift for a family member or friend.
- Wrap in cellophane for teachers, first responders, or anyone on your list that can use a little joy.
How do I store these cookies? Can I freeze them?
To Store: You can store any cookies in a plastic or glass container and can be left on the countertop for up to 5 days.
To Freeze: Freeze the cookie dough in an air tight freezer storage bag and be sure to label the date in which the dough was formed. Also, indicate the bake time and temp: bake at 325º for 18 minutes. Freeze the cookies in cookie dough balls rather than in a clump of dough. It's a lot easier to place on a sheet and bake this way.
Hungry for More?
Here are some other yummy cookie recipes to round out your baking!
Did you like this recipe? Share it!
If you're just as in love with this recipe as I am, please share a comment below and rate it! Better yet, share this recipe with family and friends!! Thank you for being here!!
The Best Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Equipment
- 1 hand or stand mixer
- 1 whisk
- 1 large bowl
- 1 medium bowl
- measuring cups and spoons
- 1 spatula
- 2 baking sheets
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 300 grams all purpose flour 2 ½ cups
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking salt
- 1 cup butter browned (2 sticks)
- 50 grams cane sugar ¼ cup
- 200 grams light brown sugar 1 cup
- 2 whole eggs room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Brown Butter
- Add cubed butter to a light-bottomed medium pan and let the butter melt. Bring the heat to just above a medium flame. It will begin to sputter and foam.
- Continue to stir the butter and keep on a medium heat, ensuring the solids do not burn at the bottom, approximately 5 minutes.
- When the butter begins to smell nutty, turn off the heat and pour into a bowl, setting it aside until cool to the touch.
For the Cookies
- In a large bowl (or in a standing mixer bowl), pour in the cooled brown butter with the cane and light brown sugar.
- With a hand mixer or with the stand mixer paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until the sugar is fully incorporated and the mixture is light and fluffy, approximately 4-5 minutes.
- Crack in the eggs and pour in the vanilla extract, then continue to mix until incorporated.
- To the wet ingredients, pour in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until just combined.
- Pour in a generous helping of chocolate chips. Using a spatula, fold in the chocolate chips until the cookie dough forms.
- Using a cookie scoop, form cookie dough balls, roll evenly between your hands, then place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Chill in the fridge for up to an hour. Once the cookies are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350º and bake the cookies in batches of 6-8 for 11-12 minutes, letting them cool for 15 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to fully cool.
Sharon Roberts
I can't say enough great things about this cookie recipe. SO easy to follow, and the cookies were exactly how Morgan said: chewy, thick, and tastes of yummy brown butter. I had never made brown butter before, but I will be doing this many times now!
Jeanie
There are an INSTANT HIT for my family tonight!!! The brown butter was a first for me, but everyone raved about these and the texture. I found my new favorite cookie recipe thank you!!!!!!
Whitney
Delicious and easy to follow recipe! Was my first time browning butter and Morgan’s cue on it will smell “nutty” was just what I needed to know when my butter was ready!! Also love the option to double or triple the recipe!!
Tacy
Delicious! The browned butter adds amazing flavor. Simple recipe, I had everything in my pantry that I needed. These stayed nice and thick while baking, didn’t spread out too much. Will be using this as my go to cookie recipe.