Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
I am obsessed with brown butter chocolate chip cookies. A simple step of melting and browning the butter on a stove will transform your chocolate chip cookies. It is a game-changing trick to create toffee-flavored, rich buttery cookies by just elevating one ingredient. It is truly remarkable! These are the best chocolate chip cookies!
I have been making brown butter chocolate chip cookies for at least 15 years and they have become one of my signature cookies. I shared my MJ's Top Secret Chocolate Chip Cookies, all made in one saucepan, which is one of my go-to cookie recipes.
Since I am always playing in the kitchen with different ingredients and methods, I wanted to work on melting and browning the butter until it is a perfectly warm amber color and letting it chill in the refrigerator before creaming the butter and sugars in a mixer. Since some of the liquids can evaporate when browning the butter, I needed to compensate for that. I decided to add one egg yolk, which adds both liquid and fat.
How to Brown Butter:
This is an important step. The butter will go through different phases. It will begin to melt and bubble. Take a wooden spoon or spatula and stir often and around the sides of the pan. Let the butter melt and watch for it to begin changing colors from a creamy yellow to a deep amber yellow.
The butter will begin to foam and this is why it is important to stir often so you can see what is going on below the foam. Small brown bits will begin to form and that will be a signal that the butter is officially browned. Butter can burn quickly so watch carefully. It is better to pull off of the heat a little early instead of browning too long and risk burning it.
Since you want the butter to chill quickly, pour it into a large bowl and place in the refrigerator. Use a spatula to get every bit of butter out of the pan. Every bit of butter matters! Let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 40 minutes.
Creaming the Brown Butter and Sugars:
This is an integral step as it creates a smooth and creamy dough and gets rid of the graininess from the sugars. It needs to be creamed for at least 4-5 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl often. The eggs and egg yolk can be added one at a time, mixing for 30 seconds after each addition.
If time is on your side, an easy way to make chocolate chip cookies even BETTER is to chill the cookie dough. The chilling process is important because it helps the ingredients marry together and you end up with a richer chocolate chip cookie. Also, the dough doesn't spread as much in the oven so you end up with a chewier cookie with crisp edges. Trust me on this one, chilling the dough is worth the sacrifice!
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If you love chocolate chip cookies, check out these other popular recipes:
- MJ's Top Secret Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Charmina's Chocolate Chip Cookies
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup Butter (melted until an amber color with browned bits on the bottom of pan)
- 1 cup Dark Brown Sugar (may use golden brown sugar)
- ½ cup Sugar
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 large Egg Yolk
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 2 ¼ cup Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 2 cups Chocolate Chips (may use more and a combination of chopped up chocolate bars and chips)
Instructions
To Brown Butter:
- Place butter in large pot or deep skillet. Melt butter over medium-low heat. The butter will go through different phases. It will begin to melt and bubble. Take a wooden spoon or spatula and stir often and around the sides of the pan. Let the butter melt and watch for it to begin changing colors from a creamy yellow to a deep amber yellow.The butter will begin to foam and this is why it is important to stir often so you can see what is going on below the foam. Small brown bits will begin to form and that will be a signal that the butter is officially browned. Butter can burn quickly so watch carefully. It is better to pull off of the heat a little early instead of browning too long and risk burning it.Since you want the butter to chill quickly, pour it into a large bowl and place in the refrigerator. Use a spatula to get every bit of butter out of the pan. Let it chill in the refrigerator for about 40-60 minutes.
- Pour chilled butter into mixing bowl. Add brown sugar and sugar and cream for 4-5 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl often.
- Add eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, beating for 30 seconds after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
- Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir just until combined, avoid overmixing. Stir in chocolate chips.
- If time allows, wrap cookie dough tightly and let chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour. If time allows, chill for 24-48 hours.
- Preheat oven to 385 degrees. Place parchment paper liners or Silpat liners on baking sheets. Roll balls of cookie dough and place on cookie sheet. Bake for 9-10 minutes or until edges starts to become a light golden color.
Happy Baking, my friends! Don't forget to sign up for my newsletter below. Thank you for following along!
Nancy Barbish
I really want to try the brown butter chocolate chip cookies can I use my kitchen aid stand mixer or does it have to be mixed with a wooden spoon
Modern Honey
Hi there, Nancy! Here's what I do...I brown the butter and stir it with a wooden spoon. Then I let it chill in the refrigerator. Once it is chilled for about 45-50 minutes, I pour it into my Kitchenaid mixer. I cream the butter and sugars together for 4-5 minutes until it starts to become creamy. Then I add the eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla. I hope that helps!
Gail Black
What kind of flour do you use? I usually use all purpose, but I see in this recipe it calls for baking soda....?
Amy Forsythe
Why 385 degree oven? Sounds too hot.
Modern Honey
Hi Amy! I love experimenting with oven temperatures. One of my cookie recipes calls for 410 degrees! Some call for 385, 375, 350, and 325. It just depends on the type of cookie dough and the result that I am looking for. After testing these cookies at different temps, I found 385 to be ideal. If your oven runs hot, I would suggest reducing it to 375. I hope that helps!
Tatiana Litvine
Hello Melissa
I’m from Europe (Belgium). Our oven here are going to 250° maximum.
Also we don’t use cup as measures. Could you send me an idea of the quantities in gram.
Thank you for your help.
Ana
These temperatures are given in Fahrenheit. You should convert to Celsius to figure out what to use for your oven.
Iman
It’s around 195 degrees in Celcius
Sherray Rowe
Did you ever get the recipe in grams? I have the measurements if you did not
David
This is almost an exact recipe I have except
mine calls for 3 cups flour instead of 2- 1/4 cups.
What's the difference using less flour? Sorry I'm not the most experienced baker
I love the brown butter idea.
Thank you
Modern Honey
Hi David! Great question. Less flour = a chewier texture with a more pronounced butter and brown sugar flavor. They are amazing! If you want a little more flour for a thicker cookie, I would suggest only adding about 2 Tablespoons more. I hope that helps!
Anthony
In the description you said you like to add an egg yolk when you brown the butter, but in the recipe it doesn't say to add the yolk. Should the egg yolk be added when browning the butter or no?
Modern Honey
Hi Anthony! After you brown the butter and let it chill in the refrigerator, you mix it with the sugars for 4-5 minutes. After that, you add the 2 eggs, 1 egg yolk, and vanilla. I hope that helps!
Anthony
That does indeed! Thank you for the clarification.
Sherri
What's the difference in taste and texture between these cookies and MJ’s Top Secret Chocolate Chip Cookies? Just trying to figure out which one to try first.
Modern Honey
This is such a great question! Here are the differences -- MJ's is made in a saucepan so you never use a stand mixer or handheld mixer. Brown Butter recipe takes longer to brown the butter and it needs to be chilled for longer. There are more steps in the brown butter recipe but because the butter is browned for longer, it has a more pronounced brown butter flavor. Both are amazing! I would say MJ's is easier and takes less time but there's more flavor with the Brown Butter recipe. Hope that helps!
Rose
Hi, I've really been into experimenting with new chocolate chip recipes and I can't wait to try this one as well!! I was just wondering if I can use a non-stick cookie sheet instead of a regular parchment lined one?
Julie
Hi- I’m a big fan of brown butter cookies and this one reminds me of the one published by Cook’s Illustrated in 2009. Love your website and your enthusiasm for cooking!
Modern Honey
Hi Julie! I am such a huge fan of Cooks Illustrated and own many of their cookbooks. Their recipes are amazing! Have a great day!
Julie
Made your recipe last night and oh my goodness...I didn’t think you could perfect perfection! Follow the steps as specified- These cookies are phenomenal! 😋😍
Pam
Fantastic recipe..I encourage everyone to try this!!..Takes an ordinary recipe for chocolate chip cookies to a new level. I added some instant coffee powder to the mixture but not too much because the brown butter is simply so rich on its own! The cookie flavor and texture were amazing! Temperature to bake at is perfect. I baked mine for 8 - 9 minutes and it was spot on crispy yet chewy...
Modern Honey
Hi Pam! Thank you so much for the kind words. I really appreciate it and I am so happy you loved the cookies! The brown butter puts them over the top! Have a great day! -- Melissa
Angela Taken
These cookies are awesome! I have never used browned butter in a cookie recipe and we all loved the taste! I have two daughters who are gluten-free and these worked great with GF flour. I will make the next batch with regular flour. I imagine that they will taste even better.
Pat
Hi! Making these for Christmas. Salted or unsalted butter?
Iman
I made them with unsalted and they were great
Angela Bibb
So excited to try this yummy recipe. My daughter is turning 23 next week and chose this recipe instead of cake...I hope I don’t disappoint. Do you use a particular chocolate chip? Also, the picture looks like you might have used milk chocolate, also? Would love to know your preferred brands and flavors. Thanks so much!
Angela
Patti Kumazawa
I was disappointed. While the raw dough had an incredible flavor, once baked it tasted like the original toll house cookie recipe I use regularly. The chilled dough was harder to work with, as well.
Perhaps because I always (including this time) put in a cup of toasted pecans? Could that overpower the brown butter flavor?
I used salted butter, Guittard semisweet chips and golden brown sugar.
The dough was so delicious I am inspired to try other brown butter recipes.
ANTHONY HARRIS
Did you use light or dark brown sugar? I found the flavor more favorable with dark brown sugar.
Ennn
So excited to try these!
I have few questions:
1) Can I make brown butter ahead & keep in the fridge?
2) Can I freeze the dough?
Thank you so much! Hoping to hear back from you.
Brittney Giles
What kind of Chocolate Chips did you use? Semi-Sweet? Milk? Both?
Garnet
I made these yesterday and was very pleased with the dough. Also made a lot of cookies. After the butter had chilled, I avoided the brown bits on the bottom of the chilled bowl, using just the amber solidified butter. I toasted the pecans in a skillet with a bit of olive oil. Small pieces toasted too long on some but used them anyway. Though very good, I'm still out on all the toasted flavors as a base. I agree with another, the dough taste better than the cookie.
Garnet
...I also used chopped milk chocolate with the semi-sweet chips. Lots of Choc!
Patrick Shamrock
Have you tried using cornstarch like in other recipes if not is it a good idea to try?
Ronda Erenberg
Hi, can we scoop the dough into cookie balls, and then chill them on the pan in that shape, instead of chilling the dough and trying to form the balls with the cold dough? I find the cold dough hard to work with. Also, should we use salted or unsalted butter? Thank you.
Kat
How imperative is it to let the dough chill for an hour? Can you bake it straight away after mixing the dough?
Folake
The cookies will spread a lot and turn out thin and crispy if not refrigerated to set. The longer they are refrigerated the deeper the flavor and the chewier they become
Nina
oh man these are good! the brown butter batter itself is so delicious so i put less chocolate chips to really enjoy it. i also smushed the dough balls down before baking since i prefer a thinner, crispier cookie. my husband are i are obsessed!
Jess
Recently made these for the first time, they turned out PERFECT! I’m no expert when it comes to the kitchen and am honestly still learning. My mom thought it was a lot of steps, and has never really been one to chill her chocolate chip cookie dough. More of a mix, bake, eat kinda lady. Lol However after tasting your recipe I made, she changed her mind. These cookies were a huge hit with everyone, which sadly meant I didn’t get as many as I would’ve liked. So I’m definitely going to be making some more! Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Janet
It's a cool night here in Chicago, so I thought I would give them a try. I'm so excited. My brown butter is cooling right now.😀
Janet
Ok, so it's the next day and I just took the last pan ok cookies out of the oven. All I can say is OH MY GOD, THESE ARE THE BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES I HAVE EVER HAD. Thank you I will never make cookies without the brown butter.
celeste
These cookies are the BOMB.COM and I mean it! that brown butter really makes a big difference those browned bits at the bottom are what make this cookie over the top! Thanks for another great recipe!
Diane
Just found your site and recipes look great . . . Especially the brown butter chocolate chip cookies! Before I start, can I double the recipe or should I make two separate batches?
Vivian
I followed the recipe, but it didn't turn out the way I expected. I wanted a thinner, chewier texture, but it was more cake like. What did I do wrong? Did I mix the batter too much?
Linda Welk
The flavor is absolutely amazing however when I did the first batch of 12 cookies after the time spacified they flattened out very thin and we’re very dark. My second batch with the same dough- I took out of the oven after six minutes as they were already getting very flat and crisp at the edges. What do you think I may have done incorrectly?
John
Just made these...WOW. So delicious!
Kay Star
I burned the bottoms of 27 cookies, because 385 degrees is too high. I am very disappointed, but what can I do? I have wasted a lot of money and time.
Vicky
Hello! I tried to make these last night. I browned the butter, left it to chill for an hour, used a stand mixer for the ingredients and made sure to cream the butter and sugar, and I left the dough in the fridge overnight. I went to make them this morning and the cookies are way too puffy. My friend made the recipe earlier this week and the cookies came out great. What am I doing wrong?
Amina
Hi! Is it okay if i add the butter while its hot to the sugars? What difference does it make if i do not chill it in the refrigerator?
Gisi
Hi Melissa, I'm a hobbybaker from Germany. I love your blog and the recipes. These cookies are unbelievable!!! And the cookies with m'ms and Brezels are also very delicious. Thank you for sharing your recipes and spend your time for us. Have a good time and greetings from Gisi from Germany
Angelica Portillo
Love this recipe! We are officially addicted to these cookies in my house. I make them often. I double the batch and then make a few cookies as needed, like every day. Follow the recipe exactly, including the temperature of 385. Actually, I think I do 8 minutes but it's because I make the balls a little smaller. Thank you for this recipe!
ruth tomada
hello, is the dark brown sugar packed?
jam
yes
Debzie
These cookies are good... but greasy! I followed the recipe exactly and chilled the dough for an hour. I feel like they need more flour.
Leah Riczker
Hi!! I was wondering if I could freeze the dough and bake it a week later? Does that ruin the consistency and chewiness of the cookies. Also how long can I store it in the fridge for? Thanks so much, I LOVE this recipe!!
jam
I think cookie dough on the fridge can only be stored maximum 3 days. I made my cookies 2 weeks after it was frozen it was still good. But around 1 month, they didn't taste as good anymore
Esther Gomez
THIS WAS AMAZING!!! So delicious! My kids and I have been making a lot of your recipes and we are all left stunned. You totally rock! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
Chelsea
These were so tasty! I’m obsessed with the taste of the dough. Going to be experimenting with turning this into a safe-to-eat-raw cookie dough!
Angie
I love your 3 Levain cookies. They are the best. Just a quick question, do you used convection or conventional oven when you bake your cookies. I will try this one. Browning butter sounds like fun!
I hope to hear from you. 🙂
jam
I did mine on a convection oven and had good results 🙂
Tricia Hosaka
When baking tbe cookies, whiche is better? Bake, bake-convec or true convec? Also should the temp remain at 385 deg? Thank you!
jam
Hi! I love this recipe, during quarantine we tried lots of recipes and this one was the best. It remained soft even at room temperature for a week.
Question, if I transform this into a triple chocolate cookie (with cocoa butter in the dough) how will I tweak the recipe? I just really like this recipe and I just want to adapt it to other flavors. THANKS! <3
Modern Honey
Let me see if I can carve out some time today and recipe test it for you. You don't have to twist my arm to do cookie recipe testing. Haha! I will keep you posted. 🙂 -- Melissa
Modern Honey
I did sneak in some time to recipe test yesterday and created a double chocolate version of the recipe. I will photograph them and post the recipe soon but I will let you know what I did. You get first dibs! 🙂 Add 1/3 cup of cocoa powder and since you are adding unsweetened cocoa powder, you want to add 2 Tablespoons of sugar to offset. If you like things less dark, I would suggest adding 3 Tablespoons of sugar. It will result in a very slightly flatter cookie, but will have a sweeter flavor. I hope that helps! Everything else stays the same.
jam
Waaah! I didn't notice that you replied, I just checked again because I'll be making the cookies again. THANK YOU THANK YOU! I tried this dough recipe and I scooped out a 45-50g cookie dough and put in 1/4tsp dutch-processed cocoa powder and mixed it before adding dark & milk chocolates to make triple chocolate cookies and they were so good! Your recipe makes a good base.
Just an additional question, I'm trying to use weight to have a more accurate recipe and may I know how packed are your dark brown sugar? I see many differing quantities saying 1 cup of brown sugar can go 200-240g depending on how packed it is.
MK
My family loved the cookies! One thing though, after I chilled my brown butter for about 15mins.. it hardened and it changed into a lighter color when I had to wait for it to melt to cream it with the sugars. Do I really need to chill it in the fridge or just let it stay in room temp after browning it?
MK
Hi! I love this cookie recipe but the dough is just very hard to work with after chilling because it becomes stiff and can’t scoop it into balls right away. My question is, can I scoop it right after mixing AND THEN chill the dough balls? Or will that affect the resting process of the cookie dough?
Danielle
Hi! This recipe looks absolutely amazing! Should I use salted or unsalted butter to brown?
Lola
are these cookies soft or chewy cookies?
Hope
I’m not sure if I did it wrong or not but did anyone else’s cookies start smoking when baking but wasn’t burning?
Lyndi
These cookies are delish! I formed my dough into a log and wrapped it good before chilling, it was easy to slice that way. I just tore off the amount I wanted for each cookie, then I weighed them so they'd all be the same size for an even bake. I baked up some yesterday and then today. I'm gonna try your browned butter snickerdoodle cookies next. I love your recipes! They're easy to follow and very concise. Thank you!
Carol Arthur
What type of butter, salted or unsalted?
Sophie
I made the recipe and it was very runny. I put it in the fridge overnight, then assembled the cookies and put them in the oven. They melted completely, and were runny 🙁 I don't know what I could have done wrong. How can I fix it? I would be sorry to waste so many ingredients.
I used brown sugar as you recommended