If I had to pick one cookie recipe to bake over and over again, this would be it. These brown butter chocolate chip cookies have everything going for them—rich toffee flavor from the browned butter, melty pools of chocolate, a crisp edge, and that soft gooey center that makes you close your eyes on the first bite.
I’ve baked a lot of cookies in my kitchen—some good, some forgettable. But this one has earned a permanent spot in my recipe binder. Whether I’m baking for friends, bringing dessert to a gathering, or sneaking a warm one late at night with a glass of milk, these cookies always deliver.
Why I Love This Recipe
I used to chase “the perfect chocolate chip cookie” for years. After too many flat, too cakey, or too dry attempts, I finally decided to do my own thing—and this is what came out of it. The browned butter adds this deep, nutty caramel-like flavor that pairs beautifully with the brown sugar. It’s not overpowering, just rich enough to make you go “wow.”
Another trick? Baking them at a higher temperature. That quick blast of heat gives you that beautiful contrast—crisp golden edges and a soft, melty middle. No dry, crumbly cookies here.
These cookies are everything I want: soft inside, crispy outside, chocolate in every bite, and just a touch of salt that keeps you coming back.
What You’ll Need
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Unsalted Butter – You’ll start with a full amount, but browning will reduce it by about 25% as the moisture cooks off. Totally worth it for the flavor.
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Brown Sugar – I use more brown than white sugar in this recipe because that hint of molasses plays so well with the nuttiness of the brown butter.
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White Sugar – Just a touch to balance the sweetness and help the edges crisp up.
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All-Purpose Flour – No fancy flour needed. Just be sure to measure it right—spoon, level, or weigh it.
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Eggs & Vanilla – Classic cookie base. Don’t skip the vanilla—it brings out all the warm flavors.
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Semisweet Chocolate Chips – I like the slight bitterness of semisweet. It keeps the cookies from being too sweet and gives you those gooey chocolate pockets.
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Baking Soda & Salt – Baking essentials to help lift and balance.
How I Make These Cookies at Home
1. Brown the Butter
Start by melting your butter in a pan over medium heat. Keep stirring—this part goes fast. In a couple of minutes, it’ll foam, then turn amber with little brown bits settling at the bottom. That’s your flavor gold. Take it off the heat and cool it in a bowl in the fridge until it firms up again. I usually do this ahead of time and come back to it after lunch.
2. Cream It Up
Once the browned butter is back to a soft-solid state, scrape it (including all the browned bits) into a bowl and cream it with your sugars for about a minute. That smell alone is incredible.
3. Add Eggs and Vanilla
Mix in the eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy—about 2-3 minutes. It should look smooth and slightly glossy.
4. Mix in the Dry Ingredients
Fold in the flour, baking soda, and salt just until the dough comes together. Don’t overmix here—we want tender, not tough.
5. Stir in the Chocolate
Add your chocolate chips and give it a few good stirs to distribute evenly. Try not to eat all the dough at this point.
6. Shape and Bake
I scoop the dough into big balls—about 4 tablespoons each—and place 6 on a baking tray. Bake at 375°F for 8–10 minutes. They’ll spread a bit, so leave room. The edges should look golden, but the center can look slightly soft when you pull them out.
Let them cool on the tray for 2–3 minutes before moving them to a rack. This little rest helps them set up without losing their gooey center.
Tips I’ve Picked Up Along the Way
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Measure the flour right. Too much flour makes tough cookies. I weigh mine or use the spoon-and-level method.
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Don’t skip the brown bits. Those toasted milk solids at the bottom of the pan? That’s pure flavor. Get every last one into your dough.
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Size matters. Bigger dough balls give you that gooey middle. I use a ¼ cup scoop for bakery-style results.
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Top before baking. Add a few extra chocolate chips on top before baking for that picture-perfect cookie.
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Pan bang. When they come out of the oven, give the pan a gentle tap on the counter. It creates those beautiful crinkles and helps spread the cookie slightly.
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Shape them warm. If they bake up a little lopsided, use a round cutter or spatula while still hot to nudge them into perfect circles.
Common Questions
What does brown butter do for cookies?
It adds a deep, toasty flavor—like caramel and hazelnuts had a baby. It’s subtle, but it makes a big difference.
Why are my cookies flat?
If your butter wasn’t cooled enough or your dough was too warm, it can cause extra spreading. Chill the dough if needed.
Why did my cookies harden after cooling?
They may have been overbaked. Pull them when the center still looks slightly soft—they’ll finish setting as they cool.
How I Store and Freeze Them
Freezing Cookie Dough
I love having a stash of dough balls ready to go. Here’s what I do:
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Scoop dough into ¼ cup balls and place them on a tray.
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Freeze for 30–60 minutes until firm.
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Transfer to a freezer bag or container, layering with parchment between.
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Freeze for up to 3 months.
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When ready to bake, let them thaw on the counter for 30 minutes, then bake as usual (maybe an extra minute or two).
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Rich, gooey centers. Crisp golden edges. And that nutty, deep flavor only browned butter can bring.
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups unsalted butter (280g)
- 1 cup packed brown sugar (200g)
- ¾ cup white granulated sugar (150g)
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour (357g), measured properly
- 2 to 2½ cups semisweet chocolate chips (360–480g)
Instructions
- Start by browning the butter. Add the butter to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir continuously until it turns a deep golden brown and smells toasty—like caramel and hazelnut. Immediately transfer the butter to a large mixing bowl, scraping up all the brown bits from the bottom. Let it chill in the fridge or freezer until it firms up to a soft, scoopable consistency. You don’t want it liquid—otherwise your cookies will spread too much.
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Prepare baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Once the butter is back to a soft-solid state, beat it with the white and brown sugars for about a minute. Then add the eggs and vanilla, and mix for another 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Don’t forget to scrape in all those flavorful brown bits at the bottom.
- Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix just until everything is combined—no more. Overmixing can make your cookies dense instead of chewy. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Scoop out about ¼ cup of dough for each cookie (roughly 68 grams) and roll them into balls. Place on your prepared baking sheets with space between each.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, just until the edges are golden and the tops are set but still soft in the center. Let them rest on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely—or enjoy one warm with gooey chocolate!
Nutrition Information
Yield
20Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 445Total Fat 25gSaturated Fat 15gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 49mgSodium 195mgCarbohydrates 58gFiber 3gSugar 40gProtein 4g
TastyFitnessRecipes.com, occasionally offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although tastyfitnessrecipes.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
Storing Baked Cookies
For that soft-inside, crisp-outside texture, I leave them on a tray and loosely cover with a clean kitchen towel overnight. If you seal them in a container, they’ll soften all over (still delicious, just chewier).
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