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Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

These brown butter chocolate chip cookies have soft, chewy centers with plenty of chocolate chips and crispy edges. Sprinkle sea salt on top to add the best flavor!

Browned butter adds the best flavor to dessert recipes! Try brown butter blondies, brown butter Rice Krispies and banana bars with brown butter frosting, too.

Stack of brown butter chocolate chip cookies on a wood table.
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Why I Love This Recipe

Bubbling brown butter in a turquoise dutch oven pan.

Substitutions and Variations

  • For a thicker cookie, add 1-2 extra Tablespoons of flour and refrigerate dough for 1 hour.
  • Use both chocolate chips and chocolate chunks! It gives the cookies the best dimension.
  • Add a couple of extra chocolate chips on top right before baking.
  • Top with sea salt for the perfect sweet, salty and caramel flavor combination.
  • Sandwich 2 brown butter cookies between a scoop of vanilla ice cream to make the perfect ice cream sandwich.

How to Make Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Melt 1 stick of room temperature unsalted butter in a pan over medium-heat. Cook for about 3-5 minutes. Once the butter has browned (the color will be amber golden and aroma nutty), remove from heat and pour into a bowl. Chill for 5 minutes.

Making brown butter cookie dough with an electric mixer.

In a large mixing bowl, cream 1/2 cup softened butter, brown sugar and sugar. Add in the melted brown butter and mix then stir in eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients then stir in chocolate chips.

Cookie dough chocolate chip cookies in a bowl.

Scoop cookie dough onto the prepared pan, about 2 inches a part. Bake at 350°F until edges are golden brown (but center is still slightly doughy), about 7 to 9 minutes. Let cookies sit on pan for about 2-3 minutes, then move to a cooling rack.

Baked chocolate chip cookies stacked on top of each other.

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions

  • Make ahead: This browned butter chocolate chip cookie dough can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The cookies will actually get more flavorful the longer they are stored!
  • Freezing: It’s easy to freeze cookie dough! Portion into cookie dough balls then flash freeze on a parchment lined pan. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer safe bag and store up to 3 months. You can also freeze baked cookies.

More Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes

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The BEST Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies ...soft, chewy and slightly crispy around the edges. These have the perfect flavor and tons of chocolate!

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

4.95 from 19 votes
↑ Click stars to rate now!
Author: Jamielyn Nye
These brown butter chocolate chip cookies have soft, chewy centers with plenty of chocolate chips and crispy edges. Sprinkle sea salt on top to add the best flavor!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 28 minutes
Servings: 36

Video

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks at room temp)
  • 1 ½ cups light brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt (or kosher)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1-2 cup chocolate chips (I do a mix of semi-sweet and milk)

Optional: maldon flake sea salt

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with a baking mat or parchment paper and set aside.
    • Melt 1 stick of the butter in a pan over medium-heat. Cook for about 3-5 minutes, swirling the pan every so often. Allow the butter to brown (when it turns an amber golden color and has a nutty aroma, it’s done). Remove from the heat and then pour into a bowl and chill for 5 minutes.
    • In a large bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup softened butter, brown sugar and sugar. Mix for 1 minute, until smooth and creamy. Then add in the melted brown butter and stir until combined. Mix in the eggs and vanilla. Then add the flour, salt and baking soda. Mix until well combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Chill dough up to 30 minutes if desired.
    • Scoop cookie dough onto the prepared pan, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 7-9 minutes, or just until the edges are golden brown, while the center is still slightly doughy.
    • Remove from oven and allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes on the pan. Add a few extra chocolate chips on top of the cookies and sprinkle with flaked salt if desired. Then move to a cooling rack. Enjoy with a cold class of milk!

    Notes

    Brown butter: Learn how to make brown butter with these easy steps.Use a lighter colored pan to brown the butter, so that you can easily see the color change.
    For a thicker cookie: Add an extra Tablespoon or 2 of flour and refrigerate the dough for 1 hour.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 159kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 106mg | Potassium: 29mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 184IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American

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