This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, read my disclosure policy.
These Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies are some of my favorite cookies ever! Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies are full of delicious chocolate chips with a warm brown butter flavor. These huge cookies are a hit!
Browned Butter Cookies
Chocolate Chip Cookies never get old: they’re the gift that keeps on giving. I have a ton of recipes on this site and don’t plan to stop creating them anytime soon! This cookie is definitely one of the best chocolate chip cookie recipes I have made.
They are made with brown butter which gives the cookie a nutty aroma and toffee-like flavor. Why brown butter for chocolate chip cookies? It toasts the milk solids in the butter and adds so much flavor. If you’ve never tried it in cookies you must and these are a great cookie recipe to start with.
Ingredients & Variations
- Unsalted Butter: Unsalted butter is a must because we are going to brown it. You don’t want to brown salted butter as it will concentrate the salty flavor.
- Sugar: I use both brown and granulated sugar in the recipe. Brown sugar helps keep them soft. I normally use light brown sugar but dark brown sugar may be substituted.
- Eggs: Eggs are important for the structure and texture of cookies and the fat from the egg yolk makes them rich and chewy.
- Chocolate Chips: You can use regular size or mini semisweet chocolate chips or chocolate chunks. Milk chocolate can also be used but I love the chocolate flavor of semi-sweet chocolate chips best. Even dark chocolate would work!
- Extras: Feel free to add some chopped walnuts or pecans (reduce the chocolate chips to 1 1/2 cups and add 1 cup chopped nuts). You can also sprinkle the warm cookies with some flaky sea salt – salted chocolate chip cookies are SO GOOD.
How to make Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Browning butter is really easy. It melts easiest if you start with sliced butter. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the butter foams. Continue stirring and the butter will turn a dark caramel color.
- You can use a stand mixer or hand mixer or stir by hand – just mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl.
- Use a cookie scoop to scoop cookie dough balls onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. You can do 2-tablespoon size, 1-tablespoon size, or ¼ cup size for giant cookies. Chill in the fridge at least 30 minutes, longer if making giant cookies.
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line baking sheets with parchment or silicone liners.
- Bake 8-10 minutes for 1 tablespoon size cookies, 10-15 minutes for 2-tablespoon size, and approximately 15 minutes for giant cookies.
Expert Tips
- Brown the Butter: It’s easy, but you have to be careful. It’ll burn quick! You just melt your butter over medium-low heat and cook, stirring, until it turns golden brown and smells nutty. The butter will foam, and that’s okay. The foam will go away once it’s removed from the heat. Read my post to learn how to brown butter easily.
- For an extra flavor boost add 1 teaspoon almond extract in addition to the vanilla.
Storing
Store these in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. You can freeze these cookies in the freezer for up to 3 months. Make sure they are sealed in an airtight container.
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter
- ⅔ cup (134g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (200g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 ½ cups (310g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (340g) chocolate chips
Instructions
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, about 6 minutes, until it becomes brown in color. It will foam, reduce, then foam again. Once it’s done cooking the foam is a light brown and it will dissipate after you remove it from the heat. Once it starts to brown, keep stirring so it doesn’t burn. Let sit for about 5 minutes to cool.
- Pour into an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment (or a large bowl if using a hand mixer or stirring by hand). While still hot, add both sugars and mix on low until combined. Let sit to cool for a few minutes.
- While butter mixture is cooling, combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir and set aside.
- Turn mixer (with butter mixture bowl attached) on low. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing completely. Mix in vanilla extract and almond extract (optional, but it adds great flavor). Add flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
- Scoop cookie dough balls onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. You can do 2-tablespoon size, 1-tablespoon size, or ¼ cup size for giant cookies. Chill at least 30 minutes, longer if making giant cookies.
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line cookie sheets with parchment or silpat liners.
- Bake 8-10 minutes for 1 tablespoon size cookies, 10-15 minutes for 2-tablespoon size, and approximately 15 minutes for giant cookies.
Recipe Notes
- Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
- I love adding a sprinkle of sea salt on top the freshly baked cookies.
- It’s important to use unsalted butter for browning – browning concentrates the flavor and the butter will be too salty if using salted butter.
Thank you for this recipe, I added some revisions to it like whole grain flower but they still taste amazing! Keep up the fabulous work!!
Made these, they were fantastic! Added some bacon because, bacon.
Thanks for the recipe!
Adding bacon is ALWAYS recommended!! ๐
Is the brown sugar supposed to be packed? Making these tonight! Thanks!
Yes! Enjoy!
From extensive reading on the science of baking in particular with chocolate chip cookies, its not unusual for the dough to be dry. Its the browned butter that does it. Some bakers need to know that any amount of warmth to the butter will cook the dough and dry it out before you even put them in the oven. Butter has water in it and when its heated or in this case browned it loses that water or moisture. Therefore once your butter is browned, remove it from the heat, scrape it all into a heat proof bowl and add one standard size ice cube to it. It cools it down and adds back that moisture. Once its cool to the touch add it to the dough, then add your dry ingredients. It should help and I hope I’ve helped as well. Thanks for your recipe!
Thanks for the tips!
Hi i made these for christmas and I rolled the balls out before refrigerating the dough. ย They turned out great and i didnt have to strain my arm to before baking ๐ ย Great recipe!
I’m so glad you liked them!!
Featured In
Rate This Recipe
Recipe Ratings without Comment