Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies are the queen of all cookies! Browning the butter takes mere minutes and adds incredible depth of flavor to these cookies, with caramely, nutty notes. Bonus – these cookies are practically effortless, with no chill time and no mixer needed! With crisp exteriors, gooey insides, and puddles of melty chocolate – it’s guaranteed love at first bite.
Be prepared to taste the best chocolate chip cookies you’ll ever have. I know, I know – every recipe claims that. But can you beat the flavor of brown butter, combined with no need to use a mixer, combined with no chill time? I don’t think you can! Let’s dive right in.
Why you’ll love these Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies:
- No Mixer Recipe – We’re starting this cookie recipe off with melted brown butter, so there’s no mixer involved! Just a whisk.
- Deeply Flavored Brown Butter – For the best cookies, use browned butter! It takes just 5 minutes and adds incredible depth of flavor to any recipe.
- Quick Chill/No Chill Recipe – These cookies require no chill time – just a short rest on the counter.
- Loaded with Chocolate – Be sure to load up that cookie dough with plenty of chocolate chips or chunks!
Ingredient Overview:
As always, the full recipe with measurements & directions can be found at the bottom of this post.
- Butter – I always use salted buter for the best flavor, but feel free to use unsalted butter if you prefer. Be sure to let it come to room temperature before baking – creaming cold butter is not easy.
- All-purpose flour – Spoon your flour into the measuring cup, then level it with a flat utensil for best results, or use a scale. Scooping the measuring cup directly into your flour will lead to too much flour, and a potentially dry bake.
- Eggs – Use large eggs.
- Chocolate Chips – Use chocolate chips, chopped chocolate bars, chocolate chunks, or something like Guittard’s super cookie chips.
- Vanilla extract – Use real vanilla extract for best results.
Ingredient Substitutions:
- Dairy-free – Use your favorite, trusted dairy-free butter and chocolate to make this recipe dairy-free.
- Gluten-free – I have not tested a gluten-free version of this recipe. Let me know if you do!
How to Make this Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Step-by-Step:
Step 1: Brown the Butter. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, then continue cooking, stirring lazily, for 5 minutes or so, until foamy and golden brown. This simple step intensifies the flavor of the butter and adds caramely, nutty notes. Pour the brown butter into a mixing bowl, and let cool for a few minutes, just so it’s not piping hot, while you pull together the other ingredients.
Step 2: Make the Cookie Dough. Whisk the brown sugar and granulated sugar into the butter. Whisk in the egg and vanilla next.
Then, stir in the dry ingredients – flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the chocolate last.
Step 3: Rest the Dough & Roll into Balls. Let the dough rest on the counter for 20 minutes. During this time, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a few baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Scoop the rested dough into cookie dough balls 100 grams in size.
Step 4: Bake Cookies. Place 5-6 cookies on each cookie sheet, and bake one at a time for an even bake. Bake as directed in the recipe card below. When the cookies come out of the oven, press extra chocolate into any bare spots, and use a round cutter to gently nudge the cookies into perfect circles.
Serving + Storing this Recipe:
Let the baked cookies cool on the baking sheet on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes, then dig in once they’re cooled just enough that you won’t burn your hands or mouth. These are best warm from the oven! Cold chocolate chip cookies are just wrong.
Expert Success Tips:
- Oven Thermometer – An oven thermometer will tell you if your oven is actually running at the temperature you set it to. Your oven may not be accurate. Accurate oven temperature is crucial for most bakes, so I leave an oven thermometer in at all times to keep an eye on my oven’s calibration.
- Kitchen Scale – A food scale is the best way to make sure your flour is at the proper weight, since amounts will vary SO widely based on how you measure it, as well as the measuring cup you use, as they are not standardized.
What is Brown Butter?
Browned butter is butter that has been heated, or cooked, in a skillet on the stovetop for a few minutes. This process toasts the milk solids in butter, giving the butter a caramely, nutty flavor that is absolutely delicious in almost any recipe. When browning butter, it’s important to note that you will lose a bit of volume as some of the water in the butter will evaporate. I’ve noted this in the recipe notes in the recipe card below. You generally want to add 1 tbsp of butter for each 1/2 cup before browning, to make up for the bit that is lost. You may also want to measure the butter after browning and see how much you have left, as various recipes may call for different amounts of brown butter. If you’re short after the browning process, add a bit of water to make up the difference.
FAQs:
You sure can! You’ll just need quite a large mixing bowl if doubling it.
If you absolutely must, I suppose. You’ll need to use 206 grams or 14.5 tbsp of melted butter.
You absolutely can! See some ideas & amounts in the recipe variations found directly below this box.
Yes! Freeze dough balls on a lined baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag or container and keep in the freezer for 1-2 months. Bake from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes. They will hardly spread at all, but the edges should appear and feel set when done.
Yes. Scoop dough into balls and store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, baking off cookies as desired. They will hardly spread, and you may need to add 1 minute to the bake time. They’re done when the edges appear and feel just set.
Recipe Variations:
- Nuts – Try adding 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans if you prefer nuts in your cookies.
- Chocolate Variations – Use half semi-sweet and half dark chocolate, or half milk and half semi-sweet chocolate. It’s completely up to your preference!
- Other Mix-Ins – Swap out 1/2 cup chocolate for 1/2 cup of toffee bits, butterscotch chips, or m&ms. Have fun with your mix-ins!
Special Tools:
Affiliate links.
- Baking Sheets – These are my favorite cookie sheets!
- Silicone Baking Mat – This is my favorite silicone baking mat. It reduces waste because it’s washable!
- Round Cutters – Use round cutters to round out your cookies! Place it around your cookie and swirl the cookie inside it. Don’t actually cut off the edges with it.
- Flaky Sea Salt – I love topping my cookies with this flaky sea salt!
More Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes to Love:
- Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Jumbo Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp salted butter Start with 254 grams. You'll want 206 grams left after browning. See note below.
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed you can use light or dark brown sugar! 163 grams
- 3/4 cup granulated or cane sugar 156 grams
- 2 large eggs
- 1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled 390 grams
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate chunks or chips
- flaked sea salt for topping
Instructions
- Brown the Butter: Add butter to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Melt the butter, stirring occasionally. Once it's melted, turn the heat to medium-low, and continue cooking the butter, stirring frequently. The butter will get foamy and bubbly, then turn a deep golden shade with a nutty, caramely aroma. (This will take about 4-6 minutes once the butter has melted.) Pour into a large bowl, making sure to scrape in the brown bits from the bottom of the pan, and allow to cool while you gather the other ingredients. (See note about butter below.)
- Make Cookie Dough: Add the sugars to the mixing bowl of butter, and whisk to combine. Add the eggs and vanilla, and whisk until smooth and combined, about 30-45 seconds. Stir in the dry ingredients, then the chocolate chips or chunks last. Let the dough rest on your counter for about 20 minutes. Pre-heat your oven to 400℉ (yes, that's correct) and line a few cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats while you wait.
- Scoop Dough Balls: Scoop the dough into balls that are 100 grams in size. This is about the size a large cookie scoop or an ice cream scoop will give you, or about 4.5 tbsp each.
- Bake: Place 5-6 cookies on each baking sheet, and bake one at a time. Bake for 4 minutes at 400℉, then turn the temp down and bake at 350℉ for 4 to 5 minutes, for a total of 9 minutes. This will give you a nice crisp exterior, while keeping the cookies soft and gooey on the inside.
- Serve & Store: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes, or until cooled just enough to handle. Dig in while they're warm and gooey! Sprinkle with flaked sea salt if desired. Store cooled, leftover cookies in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freezing Cookie Dough & Make-Ahead Tips: Cookie dough can be balled, frozen on a sheet pan until solid, then transferred to a freezer bag or airtight container. Freeze for 1-2 months. Bake from frozen, adding 1-2 mins to the bake time. The cookies will hardly spread, but will be done when the edges appear and feel just set. Same goes if you refrigerate the dough balls (they keep 3-4 days in the fridge). Add 1 min or so to the bake time. They will not spread out of the fridge either.
Notes
Nutrition
ally says
forgot to give a rating before! great job again!
Stephanie Simmons says
Haha, thanks Ally! ?
Ally says
So yummy!!! And easy to follow! Thanks for sharing!
Stephanie Simmons says
Yay!! Thanks Ally! ❤️
Zoe says
These are the prettiest cookies i’ve ever seen! I will definitely have to try this recipe.
bluebowl says
Thank you so much! I hope you like them 🙂
Jenna Urben says
Your photography is beautiful and these cookies are mouthwatering!
bluebowl says
You are too kind! Thank you so much!