Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies: Easy, Chewy & Gooey
There’s nothing quite like biting into a warm, gooey chocolate chip cookie — except when that cookie is made with brown butter. These brown butter chocolate chip cookies have a deep, nutty flavor, chewy centers, and slightly crisp edges that will make them your new go-to recipe. Whether you’re baking for a special occasion or just want to level up your classic cookie game, this recipe delivers bakery-quality results every time.
Looking for more cookie recipes? Try our Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies, Viral Smores Cookies, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies or our Double Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Growing up, my grandma made the best chocolate chip cookies, the kind that made the whole house smell like pure comfort. But (sorry, Nana), I think I’ve officially surpassed her. Once I discovered the magic of brown butter, there was no going back. The nutty, caramel-like flavor it adds takes these cookies to a whole new level. The best part is that this recipe is super easy and foolproof. Let’s get into it!
Watch How to Make Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
What is a Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie?
A brown butter chocolate chip cookie is a delicious twist on the classic. Instead of using plain melted or softened butter, you cook the butter until it turns golden brown and develops a rich, nutty aroma. This simple step deepens the flavor, adding caramel-like notes that perfectly complement sweet brown sugar and melty chocolate. The result? A cookie that’s chewy in the center, slightly crisp on the edges, and bursting with gourmet flavor, no fancy ingredients required.
Bonus points: when you add brown butter to any recipe, you automatically sound like a pro! The best part? Most people don’t realize it’s that easy. You just melt, swirl, and let the butter work its magic. The result is a cookie that’s chewy in the center, crisp at the edges, and bursting with bakery-worthy flavor without any extra fuss.
What is Brown Butter?
Brown butter, or beurre noisette in French, is simply butter that’s been melted and gently cooked until the milk solids turn golden brown. As it cooks, the butter develops a rich, nutty aroma and a slightly caramelized flavor. It’s a simple technique that adds a big depth of flavor to both sweet and savory dishes.
The process is easy: melt butter over medium heat, swirl the pan occasionally, and watch as it foams, then turns golden with little browned bits at the bottom. Remove it from the heat once it smells nutty and delicious. That’s it, you’ve made brown butter!
Why You’ll Love This Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
- Incredible flavor: Browning the butter adds rich, toasty notes you can’t get from regular melted butter.
- Perfect texture: Soft and chewy in the middle with just the right amount of crisp on the edges.
- Two types of chocolate: A mix of chopped chocolate bar and chocolate chips means you get pockets of melty chocolate in every bite.
- Simple ingredients: No fancy equipment — just a saucepan, mixing bowl, and baking sheet.
- Foolproof method: I’ll show you how to avoid common cookie mistakes like overbaking or spreading too much.
This recipe is adapted from my fan-favorite Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe, so you know it’s going to be good.
Ingredients You’ll Need for Brown Butter Cookies
(Exact measurements in the recipe card below)
- Salted Butter: Browning the butter adds a rich, nutty depth and chewiness, creating a luxurious taste in every bite.
- Brown Sugar: Key to chewiness and rich flavor, brown sugar adds moisture and a caramel-like sweetness.
- Granulated Sugar: Balances the chewiness with crisp edges and lightens the flavor to avoid heaviness.
- Egg + Egg Yolk: Adds moisture and richness for a soft, tender texture with a gooey center.
- Vanilla Bean Paste or Extract: Enhances flavor, adding warmth and depth without overpowering.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure for a thick, chewy texture that holds shape.
- Cornstarch: Softens the cookies for a melt-in-your-mouth effect.
- Baking Soda: Helps the cookies rise and spread evenly for chewy centers and crisp edges.
- Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances the richness of brown butter and chocolate.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks: Adds bold, rich chocolate bursts that complement the dough’s sweetness.
- Milk Chocolate Chips: Provides a creamy, sweet contrast to dark chocolate chunks for balanced flavor.
- Flaky Sea Salt: A final touch that boosts sweetness and adds a satisfying crunch. If you want to be extra fancy, try our Homemade Vanilla Salt Recipe to really elevate these cookies.
And if you have a gluten allergy, no worries, try our Best Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies! If I’m being honest, my sister, who does not have a gluten allergy, prefers them!
Step-by-Step: How to Make Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
1. Brown the Butter
Place the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Stir often as it melts, then foams. After a few minutes, it will turn golden with browned bits at the bottom. It should smell nutty and slightly caramel-like. Remove from heat and let it cool for 5–10 minutes. Below you will see photos showing the process of browning butter.
Pro tip: Use a light-colored pan so you can see the color change. If it goes from golden to dark brown quickly, it’s about to burn — take it off the heat. Learn more tips and tricks in our How to Make Brown Butter post.
Step 2: Mix the Wet Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the browned butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until well combined and glossy. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth.
3. Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. This prevents clumps and ensures even distribution of leavening agents.
4. Mix the Cookie Dough
Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, folding gently with a spatula until almost combined. Stir in the chopped chocolate and chocolate chips. Do not overmix, stopping when the flour streaks just disappear keeps the cookies tender. Chill for at least 1 hour.
6. Scoop & Bake
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop about 2 tablespoons (40–45 g) of dough per cookie, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the centers look slightly underbaked, they’ll continue to set as they cool.
Tips for Perfect Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Weigh your flour: Too much flour = dry cookies. If you don’t have a scale, spoon the flour into your cup and level it off.
- Don’t skip cooling the butter: Adding hot butter can scramble the eggs and make the dough greasy.
- Chill the cookie dough: Even 30 minutes in the fridge helps control spread, makes the cookies thicker, and intensifies the flavor.
- Use room temperature ingredients: Room-temp eggs mix more evenly and help create a smooth dough. Learn the importance of room temperature ingredients and quick hacks here.
- Mix chocolate types: A chopped chocolate bar creates melty puddles, while chips hold their shape.
- Pull them early: Cookies should look slightly underbaked when you take them out. They’ll set as they cool.
Why You Should Chill Your Cookie Dough
If you want thick, chewy brown butter chocolate chip cookies, chilling the dough is one of the easiest tricks in the book. Even 1 hour in the fridge makes a noticeable difference, but for truly decadent cookies, 24 hours is best.
Here’s why chilling works so well:
- Better texture: Chilling solidifies the butter, which helps the cookies hold their shape in the oven instead of spreading too much.
- More flavor: Just like marinating meat, resting the dough gives the flavors time to deepen. After 24 hours, the brown butter, vanilla, and sugars blend together into a rich, caramel-like flavor you can taste in every bite.
- Easier to handle: Cold dough is less sticky, making it easier to scoop and roll into evenly sized balls.
Pro tip: If you’re chilling the dough for 24 hours, cover it tightly with plastic wrap or transfer it to an airtight container so it doesn’t dry out. Let it sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before scooping so it’s easier to work with.
Choosing the Right Chocolate for Your Brown Butter Cookies
Chocolate isn’t just a mix-in here — it’s the star alongside the brown butter. The type you choose can dramatically influence both the flavor and texture of your cookies.
Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks: Semi-sweet chocolate adds a rich, slightly bitter edge that perfectly balances the cookie’s sweetness. Chopping a high-quality baking bar yourself (I love Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet) creates irregular pieces that melt into irresistible, gooey puddles. Always remember, chocolate bars are meant to melt, while chocolate chips are designed to hold their shape. That’s why you get those dreamy pools with bars and more structured bites with chips.
Milk Chocolate Chips: Milk chocolate brings a creamy sweetness that pairs beautifully with the nutty notes of brown butter. Its smooth, mellow flavor contrasts with the depth of semi-sweet chocolate for a more complex bite.
Pro tip: Use a combination of both. The mix of creamy milk chocolate and melty, bittersweet pools of semi-sweet makes every bite a little different — and a lot more indulgent.
Don’t Forget the Sea Salt
There’s something incredibly satisfying about finishing a cookie with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. It might seem like a small step, but it makes a huge difference. The salt enhances the sweetness of the cookie and elevates the flavor of the chocolate. Plus, it adds a delightful crunch that contrasts beautifully with the soft, chewy cookie.
I personally love making my own Homemade Vanilla Bean Salt! It’s just 2 ingredients and really elevates these cookies.
Troubleshooting: Common Cookie Problems and Solutions
Baking cookies might seem straightforward, but a few small missteps can lead to disappointing results. Here are some common cookie issues and how to fix them:
- Problem: Flat Cookies
- Solution: If your cookies are spreading too much, it could be due to a few reasons. First, make sure your dough is properly chilled before baking. Warm dough will spread more easily. Also, double-check your measurements, especially for the flour. Too little flour will lead to overly flat cookies. Lastly, be sure your baking soda is fresh – old baking soda won’t provide enough lift.
- Problem: Dry Cookies
- Solution: Overbaking is the most common cause of dry cookies. Keep an eye on your cookies and pull them out of the oven when the edges are golden, but the centers still look slightly underbaked. They’ll continue to cook on the baking sheet as they cool. Also, be sure not to overmix the dough, as that can lead to tough, dry cookies.
- Problem: Cookies Aren’t Sweet Enough
- Solution: The sweetness level of cookies can vary depending on the type of chocolate you use. If you prefer sweeter cookies, you can use all milk chocolate instead of a mix of milk and semi-sweet. If you prefer less sweet cookies, you can also use dark chocolate! Have fun and experiment.
- Problem: Dense or Tough Texture
- Solution: Dense cookies are often caused by cold ingredients. Using room temperature butter and eggs helps the dough mix evenly and creates a lighter texture. Here’s how to bring them to room temp quickly.
How to Store and Freeze Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Once you’ve baked your cookies, you’ll want to store them properly to maintain their delicious flavor and texture.
- Storing Cookies: These cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 week. To keep them extra fresh, you can place a slice of bread in the container. The cookies will absorb moisture from the bread, keeping them soft longer.
- Freezing Dough: To freeze cookie dough, scoop it into balls and place them on a baking sheet. Freeze them for about an hour until they’re solid, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. When you’re ready to bake, there’s no need to thaw the dough – just add a minute or two to the baking time.
- Freezing Baked Cookies: If you want to freeze baked cookies, let them cool completely, then store them in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat, just let them thaw at room temperature or pop them in the microwave for a few seconds to warm them up.
Frequently Asked Questions About Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
1. Do I have to use both semi-sweet and milk chocolate? No, but using a combination of both adds complexity to the flavor. If you prefer all semi-sweet or all milk chocolate, feel free to adjust the recipe to your taste. However, I do recommend using a mix of chopped chocolate bars and chocolate chips. Chocolate chips aren’t designed to melt as much, so the chopped chocolate creates luxurious pools of melted chocolate.
2. Can I skip the step of browning the butter? While you could skip this step and use melted butter instead, you’d miss out on the nutty, caramel-like flavor that makes these cookies stand out. Browning the butter is an extra step, but it’s worth it for the flavor payoff. If you’re still hesitant, feel free to check out my Chewy and Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe.
3. How important is it to chill the dough? Chilling the dough is crucial for achieving the right texture and flavor. It helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much and allows the flavors to develop. If you’re short on time, chill the dough for at least 1 hour, but for the best results, aim for 24 hours.
4. Can I make these cookies ahead of time? Yes! The dough can be refrigerated for up to 48 hours. Just let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before scooping.
5. Can I make these cookies gluten-free? I haven’t tried this recipe, but try our Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe! They are super easy, gooey, and slightly crispy. It’s one of my favorite cookies, and I’m not even allergic to gluten.
Get to Baking!
These brown butter chocolate chip cookies are the ultimate indulgence. The combination of nutty brown butter, rich dark and milk chocolate, and the perfect sprinkle of sea salt creates a cookie that’s truly irresistible. Whether you’re baking them for a special occasion or just a regular weekday treat, these cookies are guaranteed to impress.
So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to brown some butter and get baking!
Don’t forget to leave a review and tag me on social media @everythingjustbaked! I love seeing what you create!
Want More Cookie Recipes? Try my……
- Classic Chewy and Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Snoop Dogg’s Rolls-Royce Cookies
- Cinnamon Roll Cookies
- Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Brown Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies
Ingredients
- 3/4 Cup salted butter (unsalted butter will work too)
- 1 Cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons granulated white sugar
- 1 Large egg + 1 egg yolk at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 Cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate bar chopped
- 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
- Flaky sea salt for sprinkling
Instructions
- Brown the Butter: In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, stirring constantly until it turns golden brown and gives off a nutty aroma. This should take about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool for about 10-15 minutes until it reaches room temperature.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment to beat the browned butter and both sugars together on medium speed until fluffy and well combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, mixing until fully incorporated.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. The dough will be thick.
- Add Chocolate: Gently fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chunks and milk chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
- Form the Cookies and Chill: Scoop about 3–4 oz of dough per cookie (or adjust to your preferred size) and place the dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet or tray. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill for at least 24 hours for the best flavor (1 hour minimum if short on time). Chilling the pre-scooped dough helps the flavors develop and prevents overspreading while keeping portioning easy.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Arrange the chilled dough balls a few inches apart on the prepared sheet. If the dough has been chilled for more than an hour, let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before baking.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for about 8-11 minutes, or until the edges are just turning golden. The exact time will vary depending on the size of your cookies. The centers should look soft and underbaked, as they’ll continue to cook as they cool.
- Sea Salt Finish: After removing from the oven, immediately sprinkle flaky sea salt on top of each cookie. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
- Enjoy: Serve warm or at room temperature, and enjoy the nutty, rich flavors of the brown butter with melty chocolate chunks!
Video
Notes
- Chilling the Dough: Chilling the dough for 24 hours deepens the flavor and prevents spreading in the oven, resulting in a thicker, chewier cookie. If you’re in a hurry, chill for at least 1 hour; the cookies may spread more, but they’re still delicious.
- Cookie Size Flexibility:
- This recipe is flexible on cookie size. If you like large cookies, portion the dough accordingly; feel free to make them smaller if you prefer. Remember, larger cookies may need an extra 1-2 minutes in the oven, while smaller cookies may need less.
- Pull the cookies out when the edges are just starting to turn golden. They will look soft, but they’ll firm up as they cool. Do NOT overbake, as this keeps them chewy and soft inside.
So good!!
I have a question, why do you use more egg told in your recipe instead of using the whole egg?
It creates a chewier richer cookie!
This is my go-to recipe, I love it, my kids love it!
These are the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had in my entire existence!! Thank you
Super easy to follow!!! And the recipe is absolutely amazing, this was my first attempt at a cookie recipe and after these amazing cookies I’m so much more confident to keep baking and cannot wait to try more of your recipes!!!! 100/10!!!
Baked this last weekend and I overbaked 😬 talk about trusting the process! I was skeptical of doing it over but I was motivated to get it better the next time. I followed the recipe again with a slight change and DID NOT OVERBAKE. After it settled, it came out soon good!!!! Excited to share with my students!!
5/5 delicious!!
It was my first time making cookies and they came out delicious! Definitely recommend.
Best chocolate chip cookie I’ve made yet !!!.. you know your stuff!!
This recipe is absolutely delicious! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Made these cookies twice, they really come out of the oven in an almost liquid state, do not freak out they will firm up and stay chewy.
My first batch:
I added “1 teaspoon Kosher salt” cause I love a salty choccy chip, and I’ve been using Ghirardelli 72% cacao dark chocolate chips, about 3/4th of the entire bag. (a little over a cup.) Let it sit for an hour, they came out amazing!
My second batch:
Instead of using chocolate chips I cut up a few Halloween candies (twix, snickers, m&ms, peanut m&ms, baby ruth, crunch, butterfinger and 100 grand) with some of the Ghirardelli chips, until it was a little over a cup over all.
I also ran out of brown sugar in this batch, I had 7 tablespoons of brown sugar so instead of “2 tablespoons of white granulated sugar,” I added 6 tablespoons of white sugar with 1 teaspoon of molasses and the integrity of the cookie was unharmed! it spread a lot less because I let them sit in the fridge for 3 or 4 hours. gooey, crispy, salty, crazy, delicious <3
My go to cookie recipe. My kids love it and i shared with my friends, they love it too. I’ve tried a few of your recipes and its always a hit at our house. Thanks for sharing!
First time making these and I’m not sure if I did it correctly. I follow the steps but my cookie dough came out crumbly. Outcome of the cookie was delicious
Mine did the same.
My dough came out super crumbly as well…
Im baking them now. We’ll see gow they turn out…
Hi! Just wanted to check in on how the cookies went! A crumbly dough is fairly normal after it was chilled.
Made this cookie recipe last night. My family could not get enough! I had to 3x the recipe. I accidentally messed up on a couple of steps, but I don’t think they affected the overall flavor and texture of the cookie. 100000/10. Highly recommended.
P.S. I do not have a mixer; I hand-mixed everything.
This is one of the simplest and easy recipes to execute. The cookies were delicious, and I have made this twice and it was enjoyed by all.
Best cookies ever they were gone in a day!
This recipe is so good. I have been baking for years, and this is the BEST!!! Plus I love Justin’s videos. He is darling!!
Aw! Thank you so much!!
Omg, everybody loved the cookies! I made it with white chocolade and dark chocolade chips. The kids and grown ups loved it with a glass of Milk!
The were so easy, wil make it for the school christmas party!
Thank you Justin and love watching you, because of youre jokes en easy to follow recepies.
Greetings from Holland
Ya’ll these cookies might not make it to Thanksgiving dinner. This is my first time making homemade cookies & they turned out amazing. Read all of the tips provided & you’ll bake amazing cookies 🩷
Flavor excellent actually the only problem Was left overnight in fridge and couldn’t scoop it out next day – waited an hour for it to soften up – never did – literally was rock hard like the brown butter turned solid! What happened???? Followed every step!
hi!!! dont stress, you didnt do anything wrong, this is normal. The dough is just cold and stiffer. It can take some arm strength to scoop out, but next time I suggest scooping then refrigerating if its too hard to handle this way. I just updated the recipe to help future bakers. Thanks for bringing to my attention.
How many cookies does this recipe yield?
About 7 large cookies!
I have made these 3 different times and each time they’re absolutely incredible! My husband has asked me to add dried cherries and walnuts to them. I make tablespoon sized servings and it makes a bunch of cookies. Made these and your brownies as holiday gifts for the staff at my daughter’s school. After I prep the dough I place it in plastic wrap and lay it in the fridge. It comes to room temperature nicely. We absolutely love these cookies!!!
Delicious 😋 I will only make Brown Butter Cookies for the rest of my life!!!
I’ve made these twice and they are just absolutely phenomenal. My husband’s family are cookie snobs around Christmastime and these were a HIT. I wasn’t even able to take any home so I’m making another batch right now!
Hi Justin, I’m making this now (1st time) and the house smells delicious! I’m putting them in a 6” heart shaped tin for Valentine’s Day. 1) Do I still need to chill for 24 hours since I’ll spread in the mold and 2) bake the same amount of time? The batter tastes delicious.
In your case the chilling would just help develop flavor. You dont have to wait the full 24 hours though, feel free to bake after an hour 🙂
These are the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever made! All the other recipes I tried before always came out way too sweet and tasted horrible. But, these tasted delicious, tasting just like bakery style cookies. Salted butter really is better.
I think my sticks of butter are lying to me. I cut the measurements for “3/4 cup” melted it and when I looked in the measuring cup it was almost 1/4 shy but had foam on top so I proceeded anyway 🤣. Unfortunately the cookies didn’t set right, but the flavor is really good.
3/4 cup should be 1 and 1/2 sticks of butter, is that what you used?
I did exactly that. Next time I’ll just throw two full sticks (cubed) into the pan for melting. This is the second time I’ve used this recipe and the second time my butter was still a little short of 3/4 cup. They still taste great. Especially after sitting over night before baking.
I have never made chocolate chip cookies that turned out good… until now! I chose the brown butter chocolate chip recipe! Absolutely perfect! Chewy gooey but with crispy edges! Man this is good!
AMAZING!! Made these for my dad to celebrate two weeks post abdominal surgery….for all of us🤠. This recipe is a keeper!!💕 I adore you, your teaching and your recipes. I have learned so much from you. Keep up the good work.
Tracy
These are amazing!! I’m curious, if I wanted to make a bunch of these and freeze them, what would it look like for cook time? And should I let them sit out before cooking?
Just an extra 1-2 minutes or so. If you can wait I suggest, letting them sit out for 15 mins just to soften slightly. This will help them spread more.
Question
Can you use an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or will it effect the dough because in the picture you use a hand help whisk
I would use the paddle attachment if you have it!
Omg! These cookies were AMAZING! The absolute best chocolate chip cookie I’ve ever made! I made them smaller and it made 15 good-sized cookies! I froze 6 of them. I was wondering if I should leave them to sit out awhile before I bake them? About how long?
I would let them sit out for just 15 minutes then bake! you may need to add an extra minute or 2 to the bake time.
Two questions
1. Are you supposed to measure the butter AFTER browning? I’ve been measuring it before.
2. Can I use brown butter in your peanut butter cookie recipe?
BTW, these turned out amazing and I’ve made them multiple times already.
Hands down the best brown butter cookies!!! Love it and the kids can’t stop eating it!! Thank you so much. With love from: australia. Xo
Made these cookies and they came out absolutely delicious! Did bake a little bit longer and once cooled they came out soft in the inside and crunchy in the outside. Definitely give this receipe a try
Made the recipe for brown butter, chocolate chip cookies, followed it to a T they turned out awesome.
I’m 46 years old and I’ve been baking for most of my life. These are the BEST chocolate chip cookies I have ever made!! I took them to work and they were a huge hit! I ended up sharing the link to the recipe with several co-workers! I have tried several of his recipes and every single one has been amazing! I can’t wait to buy his cookbook!
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