Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Published on December 12, 2022

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Quick Summary

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies-soft, chewy chocolate chip cookies with chocolate chunks, nutty browned butter, and a sprinkle of sea salt. This chocolate chip cookie recipe is guaranteed to be a family favorite!

You all know I LOVE a good cookie, especially a good chocolate chip cookie. Who doesn't love a good chocolate chip cookie? They are everyone's favorite dessert, especially when served warm, fresh out of the oven with a glass of cold milk.

But have you tried a Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie? The browned butter takes the cookies to a whole new level.

The cookies are soft, chewy, and the brown butter adds caramel and slightly nutty notes that give the cookies the BEST flavor.

Oh, and of course the cookies are loaded with chocolate. I like to use chocolate chunks so there are chocolate puddles throughout the cookies. Finish with flaky sea salt and you have the BEST chocolate chip cookie!

Table of Contents

Cookie Ingredients
How to Brown Butter
How to Make Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
How to Store & Freeze
More Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Butter– cut into tablespoon pieces so it is easier to brown. I use unsalted butter so I can control the amount of salt in the recipe.
All-Purpose Flour– to measure flour, give it a nice fluff, spoon it into the measuring cup, and then level it off. NEVER pack the flour in the measuring cup. If you do, the cookies will turn out dry and puffy.
Baking Soda– make sure it is fresh!
Sea salt– for the dough and for sprinkling on top of the cookies.
Sugars– brown sugar and granulated sugar. You do want to pack the brown sugar.
Egg– use a large egg
Egg Yolks– use 2 egg yolks, you can save the egg whites for something else. The egg yolks will create a super rich and chewy cookie.
Vanilla Extract– always use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
Chocolate Chunks– I like to use chocolate chunks because I love the melty chocolate puddles. Chop up your favorite chocolate bar. I like to use semi-sweet chocolate, but you can use dark or milk chocolate. If you prefer traditional chocolate chips, you can use chips instead of chunks.

How to Brown Butter

Making browned butter is simple, but the results are BIG! You will love the nutty, caramel-y flavor the brown butter adds to the chocolate chip cookies. This step is KEY for making this chocolate chip cookie recipe.

To brown butter, put the butter in a small saucepan and melt over medium heat. Once melted, turn the heat to medium high. Continue stirring and look for small golden bits that will start to settle on the bottom of the pan, this should take around 3 to 5 minutes. Once this happens, take it off the heat and pour into a medium, heat-safe bowl.
I like to use a light colored pan so it is easier to see the butter browning. Also, don't walk away because when the butter starts to brown, it will brown quickly. You will smell the nutty aroma when it starts to brown. It smells AMAZING:)

How to Make Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Scroll down to see the full recipe with amounts and instructions.

Let the brown butter cool to room temperature. You can put it in the fridge to speed up the process.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the browned butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. With the beater blade, mix until well combined. Add the egg, egg yolks, and vanilla. Mix until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as necessary.
Turn off the mixer and add all the dry ingredients. Mix on low until just combined. Don't over mix.
Stir in the chocolate chunks (can use chocolate chips). Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill the dough for 2 hours. You can chill for up to 48 hours. You can also go ahead and scoop the cookies into balls and chill in an airtight container.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and remove the dough from the fridge.

If you haven't formed the balls, scoop the dough into balls when the dough has warmed up a bit, about 2 tablespoons per cookie, and place on a large baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat. Leave about 2-inches of space between each cookie.
Bake for 10 to 14 minutes or until cookies are set around the edges, but still soft in the center. Don't over bake!
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.

How to Store & Freeze

Storing Baked Cookies: Store the baked cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days. You can freeze baked cookies in a freezer container or bag for up to 2 months.
Chilling the Cookie Cookie Dough: Covered tightly, the cookie dough will keep in the fridge for up to 48 hours.
Freezing Cookie Dough: Place the cookie dough balls on a baking sheet or tray and freeze until balls are solid. Transfer the dough balls to a freezer container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, remove the balls from the freezer and preheat the oven. Bake the cookies as directed but add a couple of minutes to the baking time.

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