Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (Print version)
Nutty brown butter yields chewy centers and crisp edges, studded with semisweet chips and a sprinkle of flaky salt.
# What goes in:
→ Dairy & Eggs
01 - 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
02 - 2 large eggs
→ Sugars
03 - 1 cup packed brown sugar
04 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
→ Dry Ingredients
05 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
06 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Flavorings
08 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
→ Add-ins
09 - 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
10 - Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)
# Cooking steps:
01 - Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until butter foams and turns golden brown with a nutty aroma, about 4–5 minutes. Immediately pour into a large mixing bowl and let cool for 10 minutes.
02 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
03 - Whisk brown sugar and granulated sugar into the cooled brown butter. Add eggs and vanilla extract; beat until smooth.
04 - In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined.
05 - Gently fold chocolate chips into the dough until evenly distributed.
06 - Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
07 - Bake for 10–12 minutes, until edges are golden brown but centers are still soft.
08 - Remove from oven; optionally sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
# Tips from flavorandfeast:
01 -
- Brown butter adds a caramel depth that makes people ask what your secret is every single time.
- You get bakery level texture with nothing more than a saucepan and a mixing bowl.
02 -
- Walk away from the stove for even thirty seconds while browning butter and you will find a pan full of black specks that taste bitter and ruined so stay right there and keep stirring.
- Chilling the dough for just 30 minutes before baking firms up the fat and produces thicker cookies with more concentrated flavor.
03 -
- Use a light colored saucepan when browning butter because dark pans make it nearly impossible to see the color change until you have gone too far.
- Tap the baking sheet firmly on the counter right when it comes out of the oven to deflate the cookies slightly and create those dense chewy centers.