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.
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
- Rich and flavorful: Learning how to make brown butter adds a rich flavor to the classics like these chocolate chip cookies or a Nestle toll house cookie recipe!
- Easy: While there is an extra step of browning the butter, they are just as easy as my chocolate chip pudding cookies.
- Perfect texture. This cookie recipe is nothing short of amazing with a gooey center and crunchy edges.
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.
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.
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.
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.
You may also love this gooey butter cookie recipe, cowboy cookie recipe or these peanut butter cookies with chocolate chips!
More Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes
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Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
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
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
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Categorized as: American, Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Cookies, Desserts, Reader Favorites
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Best cookies! So delicious and easy to make. The brown butter is what truly sets them apart from others.