Brown butter chocolate chip cookies are thick, chewy, and unlike any other chocolate chip cookie. There’s as much flavor in one of these brown butter chocolate chip cookies as there is in an entire batch of classic chocolate chip cookies!
There’s as much flavor in one of these brown butter chocolate chip cookies as there is in an entire batch of ordinary chocolate chip cookies. If you’ve browned butter before, you’re familiar with the unsurpassable nutty flavor that comes along with it. Browning butter, a simple technique, can be done on the stovetop. The aroma of browned butter alone is enough to anyone salivate and the flavor is absolutely marvelous.
What is Brown Butter?
Browning butter is a basic technique that considerably changes the flavor of anything it touches. I wrote an entire tutorial on how to brown butter if you’re interested in learning more about this one ingredient wonder. Browning butter is very easy because all you’re doing is gently cooking butter. This melting method gently cooks the butter until it develops a nutty flavor and toasted aroma. It’s like toasted hazelnuts swimming in a pool of caramel sauce. So good! You can taste this upgraded flavor in recipes like butterscotch blondies, brown butter pound cake, banana layer cake with brown butter cream cheese frosting, brownies, and today’s chocolate chip cookie recipe.
How to Brown Butter
How to brown butter: Cut the butter into pieces and place in a light-colored pan or skillet over medium heat. A light colored pan helps you determine when the butter has browned. This is important because there are only a few seconds between beautiful brown butter and burnt butter! Stir the butter as it melts. After the butter has completely melted, continue cooking on medium heat until the butter turns a light amber color and smells nutty. Immediately remove from heat and pour into a heat-proof bowl. There will be little bits of milk solids at the bottom of the pan. Don’t leave those behind! The toasted milk solids carry a lot of the brown butter flavor.
Can I Use Brown Butter in Any Cookie Recipe?
Going the extra mile to brown butter for cookie recipes makes a good cookie, a great cookie. But browning butter isn’t a technique that will work with ALL cookie recipes. Typically the recipe requires some testing if you’re replacing creamed butter with browned butter or melted butter with browned butter.
What’s the reason? During the browning process, as butter goes from yellow to amber in color, it loses some moisture, about a 20-35% loss. This is a considerable amount of moisture to leave out of your recipe! Maybe adding a little extra butter or another egg yolk to the cookie recipe will make up for this moisture loss? But then you may have too much concentrated fat in the cookie recipe. Confused? Trust me, I was too.
Let me make it easy for you. Browning butter = unbeatable flavor with moisture loss. Cookie dough using browned butter needs extra moisture. Adding 1-2 Tablespoons of milk will add the proper amount of moisture back to the dough.
Chilling is Crucial for Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chill browned butter: After browning the butter, chill it in the refrigerator. Chilling the brown butter will solidify it. Once chilled into a solid mass, cream it with the sugars just as if you were creaming softened butter. The key to chilling the brown butter? Chill it in a large container or baking pan. The larger the container or pan, the thinner the layer of butter will be and the quicker it will solidify.
- Chill cookie dough: After the cookie dough is all mixed up, you have to chill it again. This takes another 3 hours, but there’s a reason for it. Chilling cookie dough not only ensures a thicker, more solid cookie but an accentuated flavor. Time in the refrigerator develops a heightened buttery and caramel flavor. Pair this with the flavor of brown butter? MIND BLOWING.
Chilling the brown butter until it’s totally solid takes about 2-3 hours and chilling the prepared cookie dough requires the same. We’re looking at 4-6 hours of chill time. Taking this time guarantees thick and majorly flavorful chocolate chip cookies. I promise they’re worth the wait!
How does this recipe compare to these popular chewy chocolate chip cookies? That cookie uses melted butter, not browned. You can definitely sub brown butter for melted (in fact, some readers have!) but I find the resulting cookie a little crumbly which is in part to the missing moisture, explained above.
Quick Tips for Perfect Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch creates a softer cookie. Do not leave it out! Use it in my shortbread cookies, too.
- Sugars: Use more brown sugar than white for a chewier, softer cookie.
- Eggs: An extra egg yolk equals a richer tasting cookie.
- Milk: Milk makes up for the loss of moisture in the browning process.
- Plan Ahead: Make sure you plan ahead and have enough time for both stages of chilling. Chilling is everything in this cookie recipe.
- Nuts: Feel free to add chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts, making sure to leave the total amount of add-ins (including chocolate chips) at 1 and 1/2 cups.
- Pro Tip: Sandwich butter pecan ice cream in the center of two cookies. You’re welcome.
If there are any cookies leftover, wait until you try these brown butter chocolate chip cookies on day 2. The flavor is out of this world!
Print
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Prep Time: 7 hours
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 8 hours
- Yield: 24 cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Brown butter chocolate chip cookies are thick, chewy, and unlike any other chocolate chip cookie. There’s as much flavor in one of these brown butter chocolate chip cookies as there is in an entire batch of classic chocolate chip cookies!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 and 1/2 cups (313g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) milk
- 1 and 1/2 cups (270g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Brown the butter: Have a large flat heat-proof baking dish, such as a 9×13 inch pan, handy. Slice the butter into pieces and place in a light-colored skillet. The light colored helps you determine when the butter begins browning. Melt the butter over medium heat and stir or whisk constantly. Once melted, the butter will begin to foam. Keep stirring/whisking. After 5-7 minutes, the butter will begin browning and you’ll notice lightly browned specks begin to form at the bottom of the pan. It will have a nutty aroma. See photo above for a visual. Once browned, remove from heat immediately and pour into dish. Cover tightly, place in the refrigerator, and chill until solid, about 2-3 hours (or up to 1 day). A large flat dish, as opposed to a bowl, helps the butter solidify quicker.
- Remove solid brown butter from the refrigerator and spoon into a large bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer). Using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the chilled brown butter for 1 minute on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar and beat on medium high speed until light in color and combined, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract on high speed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt together until combined. On low speed, slowly mix into the wet ingredients until combined, then beat in the milk on medium speed. The cookie dough will be thick. Add the chocolate chips and mix on low for about 5-10 seconds until combined. Cover dough tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and chill for at least 2-3 hours and up to 3 days. Chilling is mandatory for this cookie dough or else the cookies will over-spread.
- Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes as you preheat the oven. This makes the cookie dough easier to scoop and roll. (If the cookie dough chilled longer than 3 hours, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.)
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Once chilled, the dough may be slightly crumbly, but will come together if you work the dough with your hands as you roll into individual balls. Scoop and roll dough, about 1.5 Tablespoons of dough each (I use this medium cookie scoop), into balls.
- Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes until slightly golden brown around the edges. My oven has hot spots and yours may too so be sure to rotate the pan once during bake time. The baked cookies will look soft in the centers when you remove them from the oven. Allow to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet. If the cookies are too puffy, try gently pressing down on them with the back of a spoon. During this time, you can press a few extra chocolate chips into the top of the warm cookies. This is just for looks! The cookies will slightly deflate as you let them cool.
- After 5 minutes, transfer cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week. You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Allow to come to room temperature then continue with step 5. Baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw. Read my tips and tricks on how to freeze cookie dough.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Skillet | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Baking Sheet | Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper | Medium Cookie Scoop | Cooling Rack
- Dough Chilling Alternative: Chill the cookie dough as a whole for 1 hour. Then remove from the refrigerator and roll into 1.5 Tablespoon balls, as the recipe suggests before baking. Continue to chill the cookie dough balls for the remaining 2-3 hours (or freeze them as suggested in the last step). Some readers find this easier! If you do this, you do not have to let the cookie dough sit at room temperature in the next step.
- Cookie Bars: Use a 9×13-inch pan and bake for 24-28 minutes or until lightly golden brown on top. No need to chill the cookie dough, just chill the brown butter as directed.
- Be sure to check out my top 5 cookie baking success tips AND these are my 10 must-have cookie baking tools.
Keywords: brown butter chocolate chip cookies
Hey Sally! I’ve got a couple questions about these cookies. What is the shortest amount of time that I can chill these cookies on the second chill? These looked amazing and I want them in my life as soon as possible. If I was wanting to make these into sandwich cookies, can I make frosting from brown butter as well? Thanks so much!
3 hours for that 2nd chill– you can make frosting from brown butter, too! Make sure it is softened and not liquid.
I made these : chopped up heath tofee bars in them and reduced chocolate chips. Same recipe, otherwise. Turned out really well! Thank you for a reliable, functional recipe that allows me to add my own flair to the base mix.
Just came out the oven! Totally delicious and beautiful too! I used dark brown sugar and they look beautifully golden. I used white chocolate chips because some how I ran out of my giant bulk of semi sweet but I think they’re a winner anyway. just wanted to report back they are worth the time and waiting for everything to chill. Thanks Sally!
I followed the recipe to a T!!! Turned out just like your cookies Sally! I chilled my dough overnight because I didn’t have the time to bake it the same day and they turned out wonderful. Thanks for sharing your recipe…
LOVE these cookies! Thank you so much! I sprinkle a little coarse salt on them before they go into the oven. Yum!
Hi! I just baked these, and they are quite flat. They are chewy, flavorful and yummy, but they did not come out like yours. This is the first time of all the recipes (of yours) that they did not come out right. Thoughts?
Can I use salted butter for the browned butter? Would you cut down on the salt in the recipe??
Thank you for this recipe! It’s going to be amazing!
Absolutely! I would reduce the salt in the recipe to 1/4 teaspoon.
Hi sally!! I just made these babies, the flavor is amazing but I baked them for about 18 minutes and they still do not seem cooked on the bottoms and leave behind greasy spots on the sheets. This has happened for a few other of you cookie recepies and I was wondering if you had any suggestions. Maybe add another tablespoon or two of flour? Thanks!
Cora, a little more flour should help. I’d say about 3 more Tablespoons.
Hi Sally,
Is it okay to chill the brown butter overnight? Want to make the brown butter tonight and the cookie mixture tomorrow.
Please do let me know. Dying to try this recipe!
Absolutely, yes!
Cookie nirvana. Texture and flavor that evolves. So rich I feel satisfied after eating two and like a glutton after having three. I prefer my butter a little browner than the recommended directions, though. 🙂
Try adding 1.5 teaspoons of mint extract instead of vanilla, you’ll thank me!
Thank you for the super helpful description of browning butter. These were phenomenal! I’ve made many batches since trying this for the first time. I always read your posts and try to follow your directions exactly and I’m glad I do because chilling in this recipe is e-v-e-r-y-t-h-I-n-g & completely necessary.
One batch I did use mini-chocolate chips because my friend prefers them (she says they get that “Panera taste” with chocolate chips in every bite), but, I could eat them with any add-in. I’ve shared this recipe more than any other recipe from your site.
Now that you’ve gotten your readers hooked on brown butter, any chance you’ll develop a brown butter frosting? Thanks for another amazing cookie recipe – you really are THE cookie lady!
These were not as buttery tasting as I was hoping for, but the browned butter did give a wonderful flavor that I had not experienced yet. However, the flavor was overshadowed by the amount of chocolate chips. I love chocolate, but I would greatly reduce the amount if I make these again. Maybe 1/2 – 2/3 the amount the recipe states.
I have made these before and they were AMAZING!! My fiance doesn’t normally like Choc Chip Cookies BUT he loved these 🙂
P.S can you use full fat milk instead of low fat?
Low fat is best. You want just a little bit of moisture without adding substantial fat to the dough.
I just made these as gifts for several of my professors to thank them for their influence on me since I’m graduating. I saw one of them the next day and most of the cookies were already gone! (She’d hidden two more from her husband, haha). Everyone who’s tried one of these has said they were fantastic!
Hey Sally!
Can’t wait to give these babies a try! I just browned the butter and am waiting for it to cool! The house smells absolutely marvelous!! One question, is there a reason you upped the temperature on these cookies opposed to your chewy cookie recipe from 325 to 350? Is it something about the brown butter? I love to hear all about your “cookie science”! It’s the only science I truly understand! 😉
For larger cookies (such as the chewy chocolate chunks), I usually like baking them at a lower temperature to ensure the entire cookie bakes through rather than just the edges or even just the top. These cookies are smaller, so 350 works just fine. Enjoy!
These are AMAZING. Thanks for another delectable cookie recipe. I check your website throughout the week and it is always the highlight of my day when there’s another sweet treat to try! My goal is to try all of your cookie recipes. Onto your new Dark Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies next. 😀 Can’t wait until your new cookbook is released this fall.
I’m making these cookies for the SECOND time THIS week!! I made a half of a batch Sunday night and they were gone BEFORE dinner on Monday! Needless to say I will be making full batches from here on! I would thank you but you are ruining my diet! I’m now hooked on browned butter everything!!!
These cookies are amazing!! They are my husband’s new favorite. I made these over a month and a froze half of the baked cookies. They were just as good as when they were freshly baked. *HINT* I love putting them in the microwave for a few seconds to get the chocolate chips soft. Question…Last time I baked them all in the same day. Today I don’t have time. Can they sit overnight or will that do something to the batter?
Hi Karen! You may definitely chill the cookie dough overnight– cover tightly.
These were good, but not worth the effort. I personally like your regular soft batch chocolate chip cookies the best. These tasted so similar and were so much more involved to make. I had friends and family do a side by side taste test and all agree: not much different.
WOW! These were amazing. My hubby didn’t believe that I made these! Thank you so much for all the amazing pictures. Now…about that adorable spatula. Where on earth did you get that? I have to have that now. Hehe. 🙂
Hi Sally,
I just browned my butter, and I find I have significantly less than 1 cup after browning. How much liquid butter in liquid form should I have for this recipe? Should I add more? Thanks!
That is completely normal. As long as you start out with the correct amount of butter. Browning the butter reduces it.
These are the best chocolate chip cookies ever. Period. They look perfect and taste better than any I have ever made. I also added 2 tsp. of molasses just because I love that flavor.
Hi Sally!
I want to make these but have a question about that extra egg yolk. Why is that extra egg yolk required? If I use two eggs would that totally ruin these cookies? I don’t really want to waste an egg yolk. Thanks for any input.
I like to use an extra egg yolk in come of my cookie recipes to make the cookies extra rich and chewy. An entire egg *should* be ok. The cookies won’t be as tender.
Another great recipe, Sally! All of my coworkers loved them/thought I was evil for trying to break their new diet. 🙂
Sally, guess what, in a earlier comment I made on december 24th, I told you I couldn’t wait to eat these cookies, so hehehehe I made them, and ate them on Christmas (girl, that butter was amazing, that nutty smell when you’re browning it.. can’t describe it), and of course I shared them with my family and it was a blast, by afternoon cookies were already a delicious memory… so, thank you so much for this recipe, the way you explain every step is amazing, you can’t go wrong..
Wish you a Happy New Year!!!!…
Hi Sally!
These cookies truly are amazing! I made them today for day 3 of Christmas festivities with my in-laws. My husband said they taste so high end. I prepared the butter Christmas Eve (hoped to make them for Santa, but we were pooped once my family left), then I made the dough last night. These are definitely my new go-to chocolate chip cookies! Adding the chips after baking is brilliant, by the way-it adds such lovely touch to the aesthetics. I did make the orange cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning as planned. They we’re great! I was shocked to find our foil was gone, so I baked them without. I know this dried them out a little bit, but the flavor wasn’t compromised at all. Mmm mmm mmm. Now it’s time to kick the treadmill into high gear as I’ve been a glutinous gal since Thanksgiving. Ha ha ha. Tis the season! Have a great night !
Sally,
Thank you so much for your hard work and diligence in creating amazingly masterful recipes! I’ve always loved all your recipes and seriously ONLY come to your site when it’s time to bake up something sweet. My only question is — can I brown the butter And chill is overnight to use in the recipe the next day? Or will it not scoop as easily and I’ll need to set it to room temp before using it in the recipe? Thanks for your help!!
Hi Desiree! Yep, you may chill the brown butter overnight. And no need to bring to room temperature– just cream it as directed until smooth.
Hi Sally! So I made these cookies last night (well, I made the dough sunday and baked them last night). I noticed that my cookies turned out to be much flatter than your pictures shows. I rolled the dough into balls and even froze the balls because of my time crunch last night (thank goodness I did – I was up until midnight baking!). I also made your chocolate butterschotch toffee bit cookie recipe and the same thing happened to them. However, the pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies i made at the same time turned out perfectly.
Do you have any idea what I may have done incorrectly to cause this? They still taste wonderful, but are a bit harder than expected. I also noticed that my pan (for these cookies specifically) had what look to be a lot of extra grease on it after baking them – not sure if that had something to do with it? I baked them on a silicon mat on a half sheet pan.
Thanks for your help!
Hmm. It sounds like there may not be enough flour in your cookie doughs. Are you at high altitude by chance? Anyway, flour is what helps soak up the grease and helps prevent spreading. I suggest adding 2 Tablespoons to the doughs– this will help!
Omg. Sally! Thank you for this post! I was the one who asked you about it on the chewy chocolate chunk cookie recipe! Since then I had made your brown butter pretzel and m&m cookies and they were absolutely amazing but I still yearned for something closer to the chewy chocolate chunk cookies! Oh my THANK YOU SO MUCH! I have to try these out!
Question though, what’s the difference between this and the brown butter pretzel m&m cookie? I mean aside from the add-ins of course. I was wondering what the difference is in the cookie dough texture!!! Cant wait for your reply!
P.S. Its highly likely I’ll be using this as a base dough for my White Choco Cranberry, White Choco toffee bits and regular choco chips!
Ah yes! Both recipes are tasty, but these are a little more rich, smooth, and soft.
I’m so happy you provided instructions for making brown butter! My mom can’t eat chocolate and was wondering if you have a suggestion for another type of chip to use? Thanks! Huge fan :)!
instead you can use 1 and 1/2 cups of any of these: peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, cinnamon chips (I find them at Walmart– yum!), toasted pecans, toffee bits, the possibilities are endless!