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Pile of Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Stacked on a Plate

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

These brown butter chocolate chip cookies are rich, chewy, and packed with deep caramelized flavor from browned butter. Crisp around the edges and soft in the center, they're finished with a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt for the perfect sweet-and-salty bite. This easy homemade cookie recipe comes together in under an hour and delivers bakery-style results with simple pantry ingredients.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Cooling Time 15 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 15 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 155
Ingredients Equipment Method Video Notes

Ingredients
  

Wet Ingredients
  • 9 tbsp butter to yield approximately 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon browned butter
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
  • 1½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp sea salt sprinkle some on top when they're finished too!
  • ¼ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
Mix-Ins
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Equipment

  • Medium stainless steel saucepan or skillet
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Medium mixing bowl
  • Whisk
  • Rubber spatula or wooden spoon
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Baking sheet

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sea salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
    Set aside.
    Dry Ingredients Mixed in a bowl for Brown Butter Cookies
  3. Place the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Melt the butter completely.
    Continue cooking, stirring frequently. The butter will begin to foam, then develop golden brown specks at the bottom.
    Once it smells nutty and turns amber in color, immediately remove it from the heat.
    Pour all of the browned butter, including the toasted milk solids, into a large mixing bowl and allow it to cool for 5 minutes.
    Butter beginning to brown in a pan on the stove
  4. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar to the browned butter and mix until well combined.
    Beat in the egg and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth and glossy.
    Wet Ingredients Mixed in a bowl for Brown Butter Cookies
  5. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.
    Do not overmix.
  6. Add the chocolate chips and gently fold them throughout the dough.
  7. Scoop approximately 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie and roll into balls.
    Place them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.
    Close up of Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls on a tray
  8. Bake on the top rack for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the centers still appear slightly soft.
    Avoid overbaking for the best chewy texture.
  9. Remove the cookies from the oven.
    Immediately sprinkle with a small pinch of flaky sea salt, if desired.
    Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
    Close up of a Fresh Baked Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie

Video

Notes

  • The toasted brown specks at the bottom of the pan contain most of the browned butter flavor. Be sure to scrape every bit into the mixing bowl.
  • Brown butter can go from perfectly toasted to burnt very quickly. Remove it from the heat as soon as it develops a nutty aroma and amber color.
  • Chill the dough for 30–60 minutes before baking.
  • Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
  • Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months or freeze unbaked dough balls and bake directly from frozen, adding 1–2 extra minutes to the baking time.