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Soft, chewy Brown Sugar Cookies made with rich dark brown sugar make the chewiest cookie! This brown sugar cookie tastes like a rich chocolate chip cookie without chocolate chips.
This was a highly requested cookie for my friends who aren’t huge chocolate chip fans. One of my sons loves the flavor of chocolate chip cookies but thinks the chocolate overpowers the cookie. So I set out to make a rich, decadent, soft, and chewy cookie without chocolate chips and the Brown Sugar Cookie was born.
The true star ingredients are dark brown sugar, which has the extra molasses to give it extra warmth, and browned butter. This is the perfect Fall cookie for those who don’t want something pumpkin but want the warm flavors that are associated with Fall baking.
The Brown Sugar Cookies stay extra soft and chewy, even days after making them. You are going to love these cookies! This recipe only calls for 7 ingredients and can be made in less than 30 minutes.
Brown Sugar Cookie Ingredients:
- Butter — half of the butter is browned butter which gives these cookies extra richness, depth of flavor, warmth, and toffee notes
- Dark Brown Sugar — it has more molasses than golden brown sugar so it creates an even chewier, more flavorful cookie
- Egg — the perfect binder which helps the wet and dry ingredients incorporate
- Vanilla Extract — I suggest using pure vanilla extract for the best flavor
- Flour — I suggest using all-purpose flour in these cookies
- Baking Soda — this is what gives the cookies rise and keeps them from going completely flat
- Salt — an essential baking ingredient to bring out the flavor in all baked goods
How to make Soft Brown Sugar Cookies:
- Start by melting 1/2 of the butter, which is 1 cube, in a saucepan until melted. Let it start to bubble for 2 minutes and then remove from heat. Add to mixing bowl with remaining butter and brown sugar.
- Mix the melted butter, softened butter, and brown sugar for 4-5 minutes until it starts to become glossy and smooth.
- Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix for 1 minute longer.
- Fold in dry ingredients — flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Cover the bowl and let chill for 15 minutes.
- Use a light-colored baking sheet. Roll the cookie dough into golf ball-sized balls. Pour sugar or brown sugar into a bowl. Roll the balls into the sugar and place them on a baking sheet, making sure to spread them apart.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes. Watch carefully to keep from overbaking.
Popular Cookie Recipes:
- Saucepan Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Pan Banging Chocolate Chip Cookies
COOKIE TIPS and Q and A’s:
- The cookies may look slightly underbaked but they will continue to firm up once you remove them from the oven. It is better to underbake rather than overbake!
- You can use golden brown sugar instead of dark brown sugar if you prefer. The cookies will have a lighter color but will still taste delicious!
- I always suggest a light-colored baking sheet since dark baking sheets can attract too much heat to the bottom of the cookies and they end up too brown.
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Brown Sugar Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup Butter (divided)
- 2 cups Dark Brown Sugar *
- 1 large Egg
- 1 Egg Yolk
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 2 1/3 cups Flour
- 3/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- Sugar or Brown Sugar (for rolling)
Instructions
- In a small pot, add 1/2 cup of butter (1 cube). Melt over medium heat. Once it is melted, let it bubble for 2 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat.
- In mixing bowl, add remaining 1/2 cup of softened butter, melted butter, and brown sugar. Mix together for 4-5 minutes until smooth and glossy.
- Add in egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix for 1 minute longer.
- Fold in flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Cover and chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add 1/2 cup of sugar or brown sugar to a bowl. Roll the cookie dough into golf ball sized balls. Roll into sugar and place on a light colored baking sheet, spaced apart.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes. Watch carefully to make sure you don't overbake the cookies.
Notes
- The cookies may look slightly underbaked but they will continue to firm up once you remove them from the oven. It is better to underbake rather than overbake!
- You can use golden brown sugar instead of dark brown sugar if you prefer. The cookies will have a lighter color but will still taste delicious!
- I always suggest a light-colored baking sheet since dark baking sheets can attract too much heat to the bottom of the cookies and they end up too brown.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I have followed this recipe twice now, it has yielded great results.
Thank you for making this recipe twice! I am so glad you liked them.
Soooo freaking good!!!!
I like using cookie scoops. What size scoop corresponds close to “golf size”balls
Hi Judith! A large sized cookie scoop equals about a golf ball.
OMG, these are delicious! I made these with the thorough assistance of my granddaughters and we love them. Easy to make and full of nutty brown butter and caramel flavor. These are keepers!
I have a boy in my class that can’t have chocolate and these are his favorite cookies. They are so good!
OMG they are soooo good! My new favorite cookies ever! I would love advice on how you got them to stay together as mine basically turned into a giant tray of one single cookies but I don’t even care because they are SO GOOD