Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure for details.

Hi Bold Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: My irresistible Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe is an elevated twist on the classic cookie everyone loves. Nutty browned butter, bittersweet chocolate, and crisp-chewy edges create bakery-style cookies with incredible depth of flavor.

• Classic flavor, upgraded: Notes of vanilla, bittersweet chocolate, and toasty butter make these cookies a crowd favorite.
• Perfect texture: Crisp edges and soft, fudgy centers give you the ultimate chewy chocolate chip cookie.
• Brown butter magic: Browning the butter adds deep caramelized flavor that makes the cookies taste extra rich and sophisticated.
• Easy make-ahead dough: Chilling the dough improves both the flavor and texture in this brown butter chocolate chip cookie recipe, making these perfect for prepping ahead.
• Quick to bake. The dough comes together easily, and the cookies bake quickly—browning the butter and chilling the dough are hands-off.

Chocolate chip cookies are beloved because they’re so comforting and nostalgic, and as a professional chef, I wanted to elevate this favorite without making it unrecognizable. Browning butter works magic here. The browning brings out nutty notes and a toffee-like flavor, and using melted butter creates a fudgy cookie that everyone will adore. For more chocolate chip cookies with an elevated twist, check out my Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies, Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.

My top tip here is to mind the timing when browning the butter. To make the best brown butter chocolate chip cookie recipe, don’t rush the process—stir the butter until it’s toasted, fragrant, and deep in color. Give the browned butter 30 minutes to cool off before adding the other ingredients. If the butter is warm, it could cook the eggs and melt the chocolate.

Table of Contents

• What are Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies?
• Tools You Need
• Key Ingredients and Substitutes
• How to Make Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
• Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
• FAQs
• More Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes

What are Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies?

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies are bakery-style, chewy cookies made with browned butter and full of melty puddles of chopped bittersweet chocolate. Using melted butter, a combination of white sugar and brown sugar, and chilling the cookie dough before baking contribute to cookies with a gooey middle and crispy edges. Brown butter, created by toasting the milk solids, adds depth, richness, and a butterscotch note.

Tools You Need

• Mixing bowls
• Measuring spoons
• Measuring cups
• Glass measuring jug
• Kitchen scale (optional)
• Frying pan
• Heatproof bowl
• Whisk
• Silicone spatula
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Cookie scoop or spoon
• Wire cooling rack

Key Ingredients and Substitutes

Butter

• Melted butter contributes richness and moisture, and contributes to a chewy texture.
• Browning the butter adds nutty flavor, caramel notes, and depth.
• Substitute: Any butter will work here—use European butter (which has a higher fat content) for an even richer flavor.

All-purpose flour

• All-purpose flour gives the brown butter cookies structure while still contributing to a chewy, soft texture.
• Substitute: Use the same amount of a gluten-free 1:1 baking mix, like my Easy Almond Flour Baking Mix or another gluten-free flour.

Baking soda

• Baking soda reacts with the brown sugar to help the cookies rise slightly and create thick, chewy, soft centers.
• Additionally, the baking soda contributes to the spread and browning.

Egg

• An egg binds the ingredients into a cohesive batter.
• Importantly, egg contributes moisture and richness.
• Use room-temperature eggs to create a smooth, uniform batter.
• Substitute: You can use a flax egg instead. Mix 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water. Let it sit for 5 minutes before mixing it into the batter.

Dark brown sugar

• Dark brown sugar, which contains molasses, adds moisture, creating chewy chocolate chip cookies.
• Additionally, dark brown sugar pairs beautifully with the browned butter, giving the cookies a deep, toffee-like flavor.
• You can make your own brown sugar with my easy recipe.
• Substitute: For a milder flavor, use the same amount of light brown sugar.

Granulated sugar

• Granulated sugar (white sugar) contributes to caramelization, which helps create crisp edges.
• Using a combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar in this browned butter chocolate chip cookies recipe helps create fudgy centers and crispy edges.

Vanilla extract

• Vanilla extract gives the brown butter cookies recipe a homey, warmly sweet flavor.
• Additionally, vanilla extract complements the brown butter.
• Make your own vanilla extract with my simple recipe.
• Substitute: You can use the same amount of Vanilla Bean Paste.

Salt

• Salt balances the sweetness.
• Additionally, salt enhances the chocolate flavor and brings out the caramel notes of the cookie.

Bittersweet chocolate

• Bittersweet chocolate gives the cookies a cocoa-rich flavor.
• I always use chopped chocolate from a bar, which creates pools of melted chocolate.
• Substitute: Use chopped semisweet chocolate or dark chocolate if you prefer.
  • You can also use the same amount of semisweet, bittersweet, or dark chocolate chunks, but note that chunks and chips contain stabilizers that prevent them from melting as smoothly as chocolate chopped from a bar.

How to Make Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Brown the Butter

1. Put butter in pan. Add the butter to an uncoated, light-colored 8-inch (20 cm) frying pan over medium-low heat.
2. Cook until milk solids are toasty. Once melted, cook while stirring constantly until the butter turns deep golden brown and smells nutty, about 5 minutes.
3. Add butter to a heatproof bowl. Immediately pour into a large heatproof bowl to stop the cooking.
4. Cool butter. Let cool completely to room temperature (about 30 minutes).

Make the Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

5. Mix dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour and baking soda. Set aside.
6. Whisk wet ingredients. Whisk the egg, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and salt into the brown butter.

7. Fold in flour and chocolate. Fold in the flour mixture until just incorporated, then mix in the chopped bittersweet chocolate.

8. Chill cookie dough. Cover with cling wrap and let chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
9. Prepare to bake. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) fan assist and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
10. Portion the dough. Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon (about 1 ½ oz / 40 g) portions and arrange half of the dough balls on each cookie sheet, evenly spaced apart.

11. Bake cookies. Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers are just set.

12. Cool cookies. Carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack when they come out of the oven so they stop cooking and the center stays gooey.

13. Enjoy! Serve warm or at room temperature with a cold glass of milk.

FULL (PRINTABLE) RECIPE BELOW!

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips

• Using an uncoated, light colored pan for browning the butter. This is important because it helps you see the brown bits when the butter gets toasty, so you can brown it enough without burning it.
• Let the browned butter cool completely. Be sure the butter is cooled before making the dough, or it can melt the chocolate and affect the texture.
  • To cool it quickly, pour the browned butter into a heatproof bowl, and place it on a larger bowl filled with ice.
  • Stir until the butter reaches room temperature.
• You can scoop the cookie dough balls before chilling if you prefer. The dough gets very firm when chilled.
• Be sure to chill the dough before baking. This ensures that the cookies don’t spread too much.
• I prefer bittersweet chocolate in these cookies for the best flavor. If you prefer, you can use an equal amount of dark or semisweet chocolate.
• Use less milk chocolate. If you like milk chocolate, use only half milk chocolate and the rest either semi-sweet or dark chocolate. This will keep the cookies from being overly sweet.
• Chips are fine to use. We think chopped chocolate, which melts into pools, makes the best cookies, but you can use chocolate chips in the same amount if that’s easier for you.
• Add nuts. If you like a nutty cookie, add 1 cup (5 oz / 142 g) of chopped, toasted pecans or walnuts, along with (or in place of) the chocolate.
• Deepen the flavor. Adding 1/2 teaspoon of instant espresso powder enhances the browned butter and chocolate (and it won’t make the cookies taste like coffee!).
• Top with flaky sea salt. A light sprinkle brings out the chocolate and toasty butter flavors beautifully.
• Baking in a conventional oven. If your oven does not have a convection setting, increase the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake one tray at a time.
• Don’t overbake. Pull the cookies out of the oven when the centers are just barely set. They will continue to cook on the pan as they cool.

Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions

Make-ahead tips

• These browned butter chocolate chip cookies are best the day they are baked, but if you wish, you can bake what you plan to eat that day and freeze the remaining scooped balls of dough on a parchment-lined tray.
• Once frozen, transfer the dough balls to a freezer-safe container or bag, and freeze for up to two months. container.
• Defrost at room temperature for 15 minutes before baking.
• For more information about freezing cookies, see our article How to Freeze Cookie Dough.

How to store leftovers

• Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

FAQs

Can I make these brown butter cookies gluten-free?

• Yes, you can make these brown butter cookies gluten-free.
• Simply replace the all-purpose flour with an equal amount of a 1:1 gluten-free baking mix, like my Easy Almond Flour Baking Mix or another gluten-free flour.
• Additionally, make sure your other ingredients are certified gluten-free.

Is it possible to make these chocolate chip cookies without an egg?

• Yes, you can make these chocolate chip cookies without an egg.
• A flax egg works well in this recipe. Mix 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water. Let it sit for 5 minutes before using.
• For more substitute ideas, see my guide, 12 Best Egg Substitutes for Baking Recipes and How to Use Them.

How can I get cookies with crisp edges and gooey centers?

• Melted butter is key to creating a denser dough that bakes up into cookies with the gooey centers and crispy edges.
• Be sure to use both dark brown sugar and granulated sugar in the amounts listed in the recipe. The granulated sugar helps the cookies caramelize and develop crisp edges, while the brown sugar contributes to chewy centers.
• Chill the dough. Refrigerating the dough chills the butter, so the cookies spread less, creating those delectable, thick, fudgy centers.
• Bake the cookies until the centers are just barely set.
• Transfer onto a cooling rack when they come out of the oven so they stay gooey.

More Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes

• S’Mores Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Single Serving Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie
• Thin & Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Banana Bread Chocolate Chip Cookies

Try These Recipes!

Sheet Pan Cookies (8-in-1)

Christmas Shortbread Cookies Recipe

Easy Cookie Brittle

Chocolate Rugelach