These brown butter chocolate chip cookies take a familiar favorite and elevate it with rich, nutty brown butter. Browning the butter adds deep caramel-like notes that pair perfectly with melty chocolate chips and soft, chewy centers. Note that this recipe requires 2 chill times, but I promise these cookies are worth the wait!
I originally shared this recipe in 2014, and I’ve updated it with new photos, clearer instructions, and more success tips. One minor but helpful change: shape the cookie dough balls before chilling instead of after, which makes the process easier and helps the cookies bake up evenly.
These brown butter chocolate chip cookies take my fan-favorite chewy chocolate chip cookies and elevate them with rich, nutty depth. Browning the butter transforms the flavor like magic, adding subtle caramel-like, toffee notes that pair perfectly with melty chocolate chips. The result? Thick, chewy cookies with soft centers, golden edges, and irresistible depth in every bite.
One reader, Mackenzie, commented: “These cookies are amazing! Well worth the effort to brown the butter, and they’ve become my go-to cookie recipe. ★★★★★”
Another reader, Amie, commented: “I’ve been looking for that ooey-gooey delicious bakery recipe for years—FOUND IT! If you want a warm, soft chocolatey cookie that has that professional bakery flavor—this is it. This is now my ONLY chocolate chip recipe!!!! ★★★★★”
Why These Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Work
These aren’t just regular chocolate chip cookies with browned butter swapped in. The entire dough is built to support it. Here’s what makes them stand out:
- Cornstarch: Adding cornstarch helps make the texture extra soft and tender. Use it in my shortbread cookies and brown butter marshmallow crispy cookies, too.
- Milk: Browning butter reduces moisture, so adding a splash of milk brings that balance back without weighing down the dough.
- Sugars: Use more brown sugar than white for a chewier, softer cookie.
- Egg + Egg Yolk: An extra egg yolk equals a richer-tasting cookie.
- Quality Chocolate Chips: I love using Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips and Callebaut chocolate morsels, or a mix of both. The latter is definitely a splurge, but the flavor and melt are incredible if you’re feeling fancy.
- Flaky Sea Salt: An optional topping, this adds the most incredible salty-sweet flavor combo that works wonders with the toffee-like notes of brown butter!
What Is Brown Butter?
Browning butter simply means melting it and continuing to cook it until the milk solids toast. As it cooks, moisture evaporates, the milk solids sink to the bottom of the pan and turn golden brown, and the butter develops a deep amber color. This small extra step completely transforms the flavor, creating a beautifully complex, nutty richness with subtle caramel-like notes that regular melted butter just doesn’t have. It’s a simple technique with a big payoff. If you’d like a detailed walkthrough, I wrote an entire tutorial on how to brown butter.
Try it in recipes like brown butter apple blondies, brown butter pound cake, brown butter cream cheese frosting, and brown butter pecan pie bars.
How to Brown Butter
The first step in this recipe is, you guessed it, browning the butter.
Cut the butter into uniform pieces and place it in a light-colored pan over medium heat (this helps you monitor the color). Stir as it melts, then continue cooking. The butter will foam as the water evaporates and the milk solids toast on the bottom of the pan.
Watch and listen closely as you stir. The butter will turn deep golden amber in color, smell a little nutty, and the sizzling will quiet down. Immediately remove from heat and pour into a heatproof bowl. Don’t leave behind any of the browned bits… they’re packed with flavor!
Brown Butter & Moisture Loss
Browning butter can turn a good cookie into a great one, but you can’t simply swap it into any recipe without adjustments.
Why? Moisture loss. During browning, butter loses about 20–35% of its water content. That’s a significant amount, and if you don’t account for it, your cookie dough may be crumbly and/or the cookies may spread too much. Adding extra butter won’t fix the issue either—you’d just be increasing the fat.
The solution is simple: add a little liquid to the dough. Browning butter delivers unbeatable flavor, but the dough needs moisture added back intentionally. In my brown butter pumpkin oatmeal cookies, the moisture-rich pumpkin does the job.
In this recipe, 2 Tablespoons of milk restores that balance without weighing the cookies down.
The Butter and Dough Need to Chill
This recipe requires a little planning ahead—there are two chill times, and both matter.
Chill the browned butter: After browning, pour it into a bowl or shallow dish and refrigerate until solid, about 90 minutes. Once firm, cream it with the sugars just as you would softened butter.
This is solidified browned butter:
Here is the creamed browned butter and sugars:
Chill the dough balls: Scoop the dough into 45g (about 2 Tablespoons) portions, roll/shape, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before baking.
Chilling prevents the cookies from spreading into greasy puddles and intensifies the flavor as the brown butter settles into the dough. The result? Thick cookies with soft, buttery centers and lightly crisp edges—well worth the wait!!
Once you’ve browned your butter and chilled both it and your dough, these cookies bake into beautifully thick rounds with soft, buttery interiors and edges that crisp ever so slightly. Over the years, we’ve found that baking these at 375°F (191°C), slightly warmer than usual, helps set the shape quickly so the cookies stay thicker.
Make-Ahead Tip: This is an excellent freezer-friendly dough. Freeze the shaped cookie dough balls and bake straight from frozen (add 1 extra minute). Fresh brown butter chocolate chip cookies whenever the craving hits? Yes, please! 🙂 See how to freeze cookie dough.
Looking For The Right Chocolate Chip Cookie?
- Want a classic, no-brown-butter version? Try my Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies.
- Looking for extra buttery brown butter and toffee flavors? Try my Brown Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies.
- In the mood for oatmeal cookies? Try my Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies.
- Want pure brown butter flavor in a thick, chewy cookie? You’re in the right place.
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 13 minutes
- Total Time: 5 hours (includes chilling)
- Yield: 26-28 cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These brown butter chocolate chip cookies are thick, soft, and chewy with deep caramel-like flavor from toasted butter. The dough includes an extra egg yolk for richness and a touch of milk to replace lost moisture. Plan ahead for two chill times—your patience is rewarded with bakery-style cookies every time.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 and 1/2 cups (313g) all-purpose flour (do not scoop; weigh or spoon & level)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) milk, warmed or at room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 cups (270g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- optional: flaky sea salt, for topping
Instructions
- Brown the butter: Slice the butter into pieces and place in a light-colored skillet. The light colored helps you determine when the butter begins browning. Melt the butter over medium heat and stir or whisk constantly. Once melted, the butter will begin to foam. Keep stirring/whisking. After 5–7 minutes, the butter will begin browning and you’ll notice lightly browned specks begin to form at the bottom of the pan, which are the milk solids toasting. Cook until it is golden in color. Once browned, remove from heat immediately and pour into a heatproof bowl, including all of the browned bits (flavor!). Let cool for 10 minutes, then place in the refrigerator and chill until solid, about 90 minutes. After about 30 minutes, tightly cover the bowl.
- Remove the solidified brown butter from the refrigerator and spoon it into a large bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer). Using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat on high speed for 1–2 minutes until smooth and creamy. It may look slightly grainy at first—keep beating and it will come together. If the butter is too firm to cream, let it sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes. You can also microwave it for 5–8 seconds to slightly soften it, but do not melt it; it should remain solid, just softened enough to beat smoothly.
- Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat on medium-high speed until lightened in color and combined, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. With the mixer running on low, drizzle in the milk and mix until incorporated. The cookie dough will be thick and soft. Add the chocolate chips and mix until evenly distributed.
- Scoop and roll the dough into balls, about 2 Tablespoons or 45g each. Shape them taller rather than wide—almost like a cylinder. This helps the cookies bake up thicker. Place the dough balls on a lined baking sheet or plate, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (191°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside. Arrange 8 dough balls per baking sheet, spacing them about 3 inches apart. Sprinkle sea salt, if using, on top of the dough balls.
- Bake for 12–14 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown. The centers will look soft when you remove them from the oven. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. During this time, you can press a few extra chocolate chips into the tops (just for looks!). The cookies will slightly deflate as they cool. After 5 minutes, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw. Read my tips and tricks on how to freeze cookie dough.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Light-Colored Skillet or Stainless Steel Skillet | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Baking Sheet | Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper | Medium Cookie Scoop | Cooling Rack | Flaky Sea Salt
- Why Do I Solidify the Browned Butter? Solidifying the browned butter allows you to cream it with the sugars, which creates structure and gives the cookies a thicker texture. Using melted brown butter will produce a thinner, denser, and possibly greasy cookie.
- Extra Egg Yolk: The extra yolk adds richness and chewiness without making the cookies cakey; do not skip.
- Why Add Cornstarch? Cornstarch helps create a softer, thicker cookie by tenderizing the crumb. If needed, you can leave it out.
- Milk: Browning butter reduces moisture, so adding a splash of milk brings that balance back without weighing down the dough. I recommend reduced-fat milk, though whole milk and nondairy milks work in a pinch.
- Oven Temperature Update: Over the years, we’ve found that baking these at 375°F (191°C), slightly warmer than usual, helps set the shape quickly so the cookies stay thicker.
- Be sure to check out my top 5 cookie baking success tips AND these are my 10 must-have cookie baking tools.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I hope someone has told you that you got a major shoutout for this recipe on the recent “Cookies! Cookies! Cookies!” episode of the Stuff You Should Know podcast! I had seen this recipe before but now, with the Josh’s (SYSK host) added endorsement, I HAVE to try!!
Josh brought me here also.
Me too! I just listened, & am making this today!
I’m here on Josh’s recommendation as well!
The first batch of these cookies that I made turned out very dark and also spread *a lot* in the oven (they were still delicious!!). Do you have any recommendations for how I might achieve a less flat, less dark cookie on future attempts (or why this might have happened)?
Thank you!
Hi Zoe! Here’s our best tips to keep cookies from spreading. If the cookies browned a lot, the issue may be an overly-hot oven. We always suggest using an in-oven thermometer for most accurate baking results, but you can try turning your oven down a bit next time as well. And always keep an eye on them as they bake!
Yes! I hope you love them!
I tried this recipe substituting 1:1 Gluten Free Flour from Bob’s Red Mill and it was a total hit! I’m going to make them again (with crushed mini eggs) for an Easter gathering this weekend because they are so loved! Thanks for the great tips. 🙂
Hi Sally! Is it normal for the cookies to not spread at all?
How i scoop it is the same shape after baking it 🙁 Am i doing something wrong?
Hi B, it sounds like there is too much flour soaking up the wet ingredients, preventing the cookies from spreading. This post on 5 tips to improve your next batch of cookies (see “What to do if my cookies AREN’T spreading?) will be helpful for more troubleshooting. Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try!
This recipe is “the bomb.”
It Is a bit time consuming, but the end result is so worth it. The layers of flavors really knock this chocolate chip cookie right out of the park.Thank you for sharing the recipe and the little “tricks” you added. Breaking the dropped scoop- pushing back together. Adding the extra chips after baking for a really pretty cookie.
Also here because of SYSK, I had to go back and figure out which recipe it was
My mother and I have been using this recipe and it is the most requested in our house
My cookies are completely flat! I followed the instructions. I chilled them over night and let them come to room temp. Not sure what went wrong! I can never get thick soft cookies
Hi Sherri! I understand the frustration – our post with tips to keep cookies from spreading should be a helpful resource for you!
Hi! love this recipe! Can I use heavy cream or half and half instead of milk?
Hi Rasheda, half and half should be OK for such a small amount.
Flavour was great but mine were so flat! Definitely needed more flour next time. I followed the recipe exactly including refrigerating the browned butter and the dough for 3 hours. Not good enough to give away but my husband will eat them.
What can I substitute for the milk? Non dairy or cream?
Hi Mary, non dairy milk will work here!
Thanks for your help.
Oh my gosh! These are delicious! Last time I made them I used 1 cup chocolate chips and half a cup caramel chips because I didn’t have enough chocolate chips. It was next level good!
hey I tried the recipe and followed the instructions about chilling the butter and the dough, but the cookies came out flat and had multiple folds on the side. How come they flattened? how can I avoid this? (p.s. the taste was great thought!)
Hi Liz, For help troubleshooting cookies that spread, visit the post 10 Guaranteed Tips to Prevent Cookies from Spreading.
Chocolate Chip Cookies have got to be my favorite sweet treat, hands down. This recipe delivered! The brown butter supplies an interesting flavor and the extra step is worth it. This will be my new go-to recipe, for sure. Thank you, Sally!
Delicious cookies! Great change up if you want chocolate chip cookies with a little something extra.
Love this recipe, it’s So good and not overly sweet. But I gotta ask- my cookies always turned out cracked around the edges even though I clearly saw it perfectly round in the oven. Did I put it in too long? Or is my temperature wrong because I do it in celcius and it converts to 176.67deg so usually I’ll preheat to 180 and bring it down to 175.
Hi Gen, a little cracking around the edges is normal (you can see it in our photos), but you can also try baking for a minute or two less next time. Glad you enjoy the cookies!
I tried baking for a minute less and even after resting it became a gooey mess! Then I found out the problem, when I baked on wax/baking paper instead of my silicon mat, it held its shape perfectly and was really round. Just an FYI for anyone who encountered the same problem as me 😀 Thanks for the advise tho!
Can I substitute half a cup of ground oatmeal for a half a cup of the flour?
Hi Laurie, you can certainly try, but we fear that may dry the cookies out too much. For best results, we recommend using all-purpose flour. Let us know what you try!
I just did a chocolate chip cookie challenge with my family for the second year in a row. I made six different cookie recipes over the past couple weeks. I reheated samples of all of the cookies in the oven, and had everyone try each one while blindfolded. They then ranked them in order. (Yes, I’m a baking nerd.) Last year’s votes were all over the place, but this year your recipe was the clear winner! Now I probably won’t make chocolate chip cookies for a loooong time.
So many chocolate chip cookies! Thank you for giving this recipe a try, Megan. We’re glad they were a hit!
Yes, it was time to stop after six recipes. I’m running out of freezer space!
Woah! Brown butter is LEGIT!! I have been converting all the butter in other recipes to brown butter, and have heard no complains from the fam 😉
Delicious, browning the butter gives it a more complex flavor. Texture is nice also, thx!
I love this recipe!
This week I made two batches of brown butter at once, to have it on hand (500g of butter), but now don’t know the right weight of butter to use for this recipe.
Do you know about how many grams 230g of butter becomes once browned? 200g maybe?
Hi Christine! We’re unsure of the exact weight after browning as it can vary – your guess sounds close. If you don’t have a kitchen scale to measure it, you could melt it again to measure, and let it come to room temperate to use for baking. Hope this helps!
I’ve made these cookies before, loved them. Today I am going to use butter that I browned and froze last month. I use unsalted Kerrygold butter for baking, that’s what I used to make the browned butter I froze. I made two batches following your “how to brown butter” recipe, each with 115g butter. Both batches (and others I’ve made) weighed 93g after browning. If nothing else, I am consistent! We’ll see if 186g browned butter works for this recipe today!
I’ve made this recipe 5 times in the last 2 months. People just keep asking for it!!
So inevitably, I’d like to double by 1.5. My only question is, what should I do about the eggs? 2 full eggs + 1 yolk?
Thanks!!
Hi Eliraz! Our general rule for halving an egg is to crack it open, beat the yolk and white together with a fork, measure the volume (should be a few Tbsp), then use half.
Thanks!
So then I shouldn’t add an extra yolk on top of the beaten half egg?
Hi Eliraz, I should have been more clear. Yes, you can still add the extra yolk on top of the egg and a half to make a 1.5x batch of the recipe. Hope that makes sense. You could also make a double batch and freeze the extra cookie dough for later for later. Let us know how they go!
WOW. Outstanding cookie. Made as a thank you gift for my in-laws. Didn’t want to give them up after tasting. I may have kept half the batch.
Hi, what could I use instead of cornstarch? (I live in the UK)
You can leave out the cornstarch without any other changes, Lilly. Enjoy!
Hi Lilly, we do have cornstarch in the UK – it’s just called cornflour 🙂
Would I be able to substitute AP flour for bread flour in this recipe?
Hi Annika, we’d strongly recommend using AP flour for this recipe. Bread flour isn’t ideal because of how dense and chewy the cookies would become. Best to stick with AP flour here!
What do you think about adding crushed pecans to the recipe?
Hi Barbara, that would be delicious. We recommend replacing some of the chocolate chips with the crushed pecans — keep the total amount of add-ins to 1 1/2 cups. Enjoy!
This is the best chocolate chip cookie I have ever made! Will not go back to any of my old recipes. Thank you so much for sharing it!
I really like the flavor, but wow, too much butter! They do not remind me of cookies as much as toffee. I think I would like to try about half the butter and maybe more egg.
These are our “special treat” cookie. They take time and prep, but man are they worth it! This is my go to chocolate chip cookie recipe to recommend to others.
How long can we keep the cookie dough in the refrigerator ?
You can chill the cookie dough for up to 3 days.
This is without a doubt the best chocolate chip cookie recipe i have ever made. SO delicious. I usually add 1 full tsp of kosher salt because we love the sweet and salty combo, and use jumbo chocolate chips for the recipe (just slightly larger than regular chocolate chips). But using browned butter for chocolate chip cookies? Genius. Thank you for this!
So this is what all the fuss with “browned butter” is about. The aroma while making them and then the taste is worth all the extra effort. I split the dough in two. Rolled them into logs. Wrapped in plastic wrap…chilled for 3 hours. Then sliced them about 1.5 inches wide. Since I put them right in the oven when they were super cold I increased the back time to 15-16 minutes at 350. Now if I just kept chilled browned butter on hand in the fridge I’d always be ready 😉
This recipe got me baking after years of not baking, and I’ve made them 8-9 times during COVID quarantine. I’ve also gained 20 pounds….thanks Sally! I’ve also baked a cherry pie using Sally’s recipe (not the crust, but the filling, I wanted an all-butter crust) and I’ll be making two recipes of pie filling to freeze for cherry pie in January, and one to make a second pie with lattice crust.
I have a bunch of hippy urban farmers coming over to shoot some video of them working in my garden, so Ima make a cherry pie and a batch of these here cookies. My only change will be to add some toasted pecans and subbing this gorgeous dark Muscovado sugar I found at HOFU for the brown sugar.
If this turns out well, I think I’m gonna try doing a butterscotch chip batch for friends that don’t like chocolate (GASP!).
This recipe turned out perfectly and is our new #1 chocolate chips cookie recipe. Thank you for including weights for flour.
What would the outcome be if I don’t chill the butter or dough? My family likes flat chewy cookies that spread so I’m trying to achieve that result. Any suggestions? Thank you!
Hi Olivia, You need to chill the butter until it’s solid so that you can properly cream it. You can certainly try chilling the cookie dough for less time, maybe 1 hour instead of 2-3, so that they spread more. Without chilling the dough at all your cookie sheet would likely turn into one giant greasy puddle!
I used your brown butter technique in a different cookie recipe and it was AMAZING. Wonderful tips — thank you. I am tempted to keep a cup of browned butter in my fridge at all times — imagine what it could do for toast or pancakes, or anything else…
That’s a great idea for the browned butter, Love! Thanks for that.