Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: These cookies are bursting with nutty, toasty brown butter flavor without going too sweet.
Texture: This recipe nails that bakery-style contrast — a perfectly chewy center with crispy edges.
Ease: Browning the butter is an extra step, but otherwise, they’re super simple. You won’t even need a mixer!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe: These cookies are the perfect combo of gooey centers, crisp, golden edges, and a rich, brown butter flavor.
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My Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies are chewy in the middle, crisp at the edges, and full of rich, nutty flavor. The secret is browning the butter, a simple step that makes a big difference in taste and texture.
I’ll guide you through these step-by-step, but they’re pretty easy to master. You don’t even need a mixer to make these incredible cookies!
Reader Love
These are sooooo good, I’ve been baking for many years and this is the best chocolate chip cookie recipe I have tried. I chilled them for two days and the flavor was outstanding, I would recommend not skipping that part. Can’t wait to make them over the holidays!
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Ingredient Notes
Every ingredient in the perfect chocolate chip cookie plays a role in that chewy, gooey, bakery-style texture. Here’s why they matter in this brown butter chocolate chip cookie recipe so that you can bake with confidence:
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- Brown Butter: This is the star of the show! Browning the butter transforms its flavor, creating nutty, caramelized notes that give these cookies depth and complexity.
- Bread Flour + All-Purpose Flour: Bread flour has more protein, which results in a chewier, thicker cookie. If you only have all-purpose flour, you can use it for the full amount, but you’ll lose some chewiness.
- Dark Brown Sugar: This sugar adds rich flavor and moisture to keep your cookies soft and chewy. You can use light brown sugar (1:1 ratio), but your cookies will lose a little richness.
- Granulated Sugar: White sugar gives your cookies structure and just enough crispness for that perfect texture contrast. I strongly recommend that you don’t reduce the sugar in these cookies. Sugar doesn’t just sweeten, and cutting it out will change the texture of your cookies!
- Chocolate: This recipe combines chocolate chips and chocolate baking wafers (or fèves). The chips hold their shape, while the wafers melt into irresistible chocolate puddles.
- Sea Salt: This is optional, but you can add a sprinkling of flaky sea salt after pulling your cookies out of the oven.
Sprinkle of Science
Step-By-Step: Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
I tested and tweaked this recipe until every batch had the perfect balance. These have gooey centers, chewy middles, and just-crisp edges. Here are my tips for cookies that are picture-perfect, taste great, but are totally doable at home.
1. Brown the Butter
I have hundreds of cookie recipes on my site, but there’s just something magical about brown butter cookies.
How do you brown butter for cookies? Start by melting butter, and then cook until the milk solids in the butter become toasted. The result is a deeply nutty, caramelized, butterscotch flavor that perfectly enhances chocolate chip cookies.
Brown butter is super simple to make. Just be sure not to walk away from it, as it can burn quickly. Scrape all the brown bits into the mixing bowl, too, as they’re the most flavorful.
Love the flavor of browned butter? Try these next: Brown Butter Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, Browned Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Butterscotch Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.
2. Mix & Cool the Butter Base
After browning the butter, mix in the sugars and let the mixture cool completely before adding the eggs. This keeps the eggs from scrambling in the warm butter and helps the dough come together. Cool butter also thickens slightly as it sits, giving the cookies a chewier texture.
3. Build the Dough
Mixing the wet and dry ingredients separately is one of the easiest ways to get perfect cookies every time. Whisking the flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together first ensures even distribution of ingredients, so every cookie spreads and rises the same way.
When you gently stir the dry ingredients into the wet, you’re also less likely to overmix, keeping your cookies from getting too dense or dry.
4. Chill for Flavor & Structure
I know it’s annoying to have to wait to enjoy cookies, but I promise you it’s SO worth it. The dough improves in taste and texture as it chills. If you don’t want to wait for your cookies, feel free to bake a few after chilling for at least two hours, just to satisfy the craving. Bake the rest after 24 hours!
Freezing doesn’t work the same as chilling, so there are no shortcuts here. To fully develop the flavor and texture, it requires a minimum of 24 hours (and up to 72 hours) in the fridge.
5. Scoop, Size, and Bake
If my fridge space is more limited, I’ll refrigerate the entire mass of dough. If you do the same, you need to allow plenty of time for the dough to come to room temp before portioning. Don’t scoop cold dough. You’ll break your scoop!
I’ve found that this brown butter cookie dough is best as big cookies using a large 3-tablespoon cookie scoop. To make smaller cookies, use a medium 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop and reduce the baking time to about 10 minutes. Note that the texture will be affected with a smaller scoop of dough.
The easiest option is to scoop and then chill. However, there’s a bit more risk that your dough will dry out in the fridge this way, so store the cookie dough balls in an airtight container or good-quality zip-top bag to prevent them from drying out.
Baking Tips for Best Results
From measuring your flour accurately to knowing exactly when to remove the cookies from the oven, a few minor tweaks can transform your results from “good” to “I can’t stop eating these.”
- Measure correctly. I use a digital kitchen scale to weigh my ingredients, especially flour. Incorrectly measured flour can lead to cookies that are tough, crumbly, dry, too thick, or just blah. If you don’t have one, use the spoon and level method.
- Check your oven temperature. Most ovens run a little hot or cold, which can throw off baking times. I use an oven thermometer to ensure baking accuracy.
- Choose the right pan. For best results, use a quality light-colored baking pan or cookie sheet and line it with parchment paper. The pan you bake on has a huge impact on your cookies. I have a guide to baking pans with side-by-side testing!
- Use fresh leavening agents. Make sure your baking soda and baking powder are fresh and active to ensure your cookies spread and rise perfectly. My guide explains these two leaveners and how to test for freshness.
- Don’t overbake. Bake these cookies just until the edges set and turn a golden brown. The middles may still look a little “wet,” and that’s OK! The pan’s residual heat will continue to cook them through to perfection.
- Chill the dough. I know I’ve already mentioned this, but don’t skip the chill period. Chilling gives the flavors time to deepen, resulting in thicker, chewier cookies.
Storage & Freezing Notes
When stored in an airtight container, these cookies stay soft and chewy for 2-3 days at room temperature. For longer storage, chill the dough for 24-72 hours first.
I like to portion out the dough and place it on a baking sheet, then freeze just until solid. Transfer the frozen dough balls to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 6 weeks. This way, you can bake off small batches of fresh cookies whenever you like!
FAQs
What makes this chocolate chip cookie recipe especially easy?
Even though these cookies look and taste bakery-worthy, the process is very approachable. No mixer is needed. Everything you need is easy to find at the grocery store, and browning the butter is easy to master.
How does browning the butter affect the flavor and texture of chocolate chip cookies?
Browning the butter transforms the flavor of your cookies in the best way. It develops rich, nutty, almost caramel-like notes that deepen the overall flavor, giving your cookies a more complex taste.
On the texture side, the dough has slightly less moisture, which helps create thicker, chewier cookies with crisp, golden edges. It’s a small extra step with a huge payoff in both taste and texture.
More Cookie Recipes to Try
Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Ingredients
- 2 sticks (227 grams) unsalted butter
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 ¼ cups (250 grams) lightly packed dark brown sugar
- 1 ½ cups (190 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (127 grams) bread flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups (255 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup (140 grams) semisweet chocolate baking wafers (from Guittard or Valrhona)*
- flaky sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- In a small saucepan set over medium heat, melt the butter. Swirling the pan occasionally, continue to cook the butter. It should become foamy with audible cracking and popping noises.
- Once the crackling stops, continue to swirl the pan until the butter develops a nutty aroma and brown bits start to form at the bottom. When the bits are amber in color, about 2 to 3 minutes after the popping stops, remove from heat and pour into a mixing bowl.
- Add in the sugars, stir, then set aside to cool completely.
- In a medium or large bowl, combine the flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla to the browned butter mixture, and stir with a rubber spatula until combined. Slowly stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and wafers.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours but no more than 72 hours. Let the dough sit at room temperature until just soft enough to scoop.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350ºF. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Divide the dough into 3-tablespoon sized balls using a cookie scoop and drop onto prepared baking sheets, leaving about 3 inches between each piece of dough to spread.
- Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, or until golden brown. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
Recipe Notes
The Ultimate Cookie Handbook
Learn the sweet SCIENCE of cookie baking in a fun, visual way to customize your own recipes frustration-free. Plus, my best 50+ homemade cookies!
This post was originally published in 2015 and recently updated with recipe improvements and new photos. Photos by Ashley McLaughlin.
Esta es la primera vez que probé una receta de galletas con choclate chips. Nos encantó
I followed the exact measurement using a scale, but when I baked it my cookies were completely flattened. It seems like this recipe was too much fat/sugar and not enough flour for the cookie to hold its shape.
It is possible that you may have not browned your butter well enough to cook out the additional water or you may have used a butter that has a higher water content. I recommend using unsalted kerry gold butter. Also you may want to check your expiration dates on your baking soda and baking powder because if they are out of date that can affect things as well. I have made this recipe about a dozen times and I get the thickest cookies when I pre-roll them before I chill them in the fridge (just make sure they are well covered). When I set the cookie dough to get room temperature before scooping, I do notice that they flatten more.
I browned my butter pretty well since I’ve made brown butter cookies before using different recipes. It always turned out brown and smell delicious. I used unsalted tillamook butter. Everything was brand new I recently bought to make some cookies. It wasn’t expired. I’m just not sure why it melted so fast in the oven. The fat melted first. I even baked the dough after freezing it for 24 hours. Even after cooling, the cookie was still flat and soft. It was just pure butter and sugar. There wasn’t enough flour to hold the cookie to its shape.
Hi Neva, thank you so much for sharing your experience! I’m sorry to hear the cookies didn’t turn out as expected. While it’s tough to pinpoint the exact cause without baking alongside you, here are a few tips that might help:
1. Butter temperature: If the butter-sugar mixture wasn’t fully cooled before adding the other ingredients, it could cause the cookies to spread more. Chilling the dough definitely helps, but it won’t completely fix this if the butter was too warm.
2. Flour: Another factor could be the protein content in the brand of flour you used or extra moisture in the cookies. Depending on your climate (especially in humid areas), adding an extra tablespoon or two of flour could help. Some flour brands have a lower percentage of protein, which can also impact the final result. For reference, our team uses Gold Medal bleached all-purpose flour and King Arthur unbleached bread flour.
3. Oven temperature: Lastly, an oven thermometer is worth looking into if you don’t have one already. Even a slight discrepancy in temperature can affect how cookies bake. If your oven runs cooler than it reads, the butter may melt before the cookies have a chance to set. For example, when my oven beeps to say it’s preheated, it’s actually 10°F lower! I always have to wait an additional 10-15 minutes before my oven reaches the correct temp.
Have you made any of our other cookies before? I’d love to know if this is one-time issue, or something you’ve noticed with similar recipes. Hopefully this troubleshooting helps! I’m more than happy to help further if needed, and I hope you give our recipe another try. Let us know how it goes!
What is the reason baking soda , there’s assid in the recipe ! 🤔 Why not use baking powder only ?
Hi Scott! Both baking soda and baking powder work together in this recipe to help create the ideal texture and flavor. The baking soda helps with browning and spreading, giving the cookies that rich, slightly crispy edge, which the baking powder provides lift and ensures the cookies don’t spread too much. It’s the balance of both that creates the perfect cookie 🙂 You can learn more about both leaveners and how they impact baking here.
The most delicious recipe!
I already have browned butter on hand. Is there a measurement in grams for the browned butter?
Hi Kelly! We haven’t measured the butter once it’s browned in this recipe; however, typically a couple of tablespoons of water is removed during the browning process. I’d start with removing that much, which would equate to about 198 grams. Let us know how they turn out!
My 12 year old son made these with my supervision for Christmas and they were amazing! I told him to find a recipe and he found this one. He even asked if we had a food scale which we do. He weighed his ingredients and set a timer to let the dough sit for at least 24 hours. He made a batch Christmas Day while we were hosting family and they were immediately gone. He made a second batch right after and those were gone before we went to bed. I definitely recommend this recipe and it is now our go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe.
Amazing cookies! We loved them!
I made these exactly. One person at my xmas party said she’d push over a pregnant woman to get to them! Definitely a great recipe, but don’t skip the details.
My cookies basically melted into one huge blob. They never set up and the chips all clumped in the middle of the blobs. Idk where I went wrong.
You need to have everything at room temp before mixing, then refrigerated the dough before baking.
I made these and doubled the recipe. They taste soooo good!! I didnt use bread flour and instead just used what i had which was AP flour. And i didnt let them sit. Maybe theyre suppose to sit to incorperate more flavour but it’s soooooo good even without the refrigeration!!! This is definatly going to be a repeat cookie recipe for me!
To be honest I started following this recipe thinking it was one that I had tried before, but upon browning the butter and then adding all of the sugars I realized it was double the amount I remembered and panicked. I generally find most cookie recipes to be too sweet and I was making this for a holiday party for school. I also thought it was a butter cookie recipe not chocolate chip cookies. Yes, I was a total scatterbrain. So I found the old recipe and compared the sugar content and realized it was comparable (this one is for double the batch of cookies compared to the other recipe). I followed the rest of the recipe except for adding the chocolate and it turned out great. I made about 40 cookies using a tablespoon These were a hit! These are the best cookies I’ve ever made according to the kids and the cookies didn’t even taste very sweet. They were just perfect. It honestly reminded me of the Linder butterscotch cookies I used to eat at school but even better. It smells and tastes amazing. I will be making this on repeat. Thanks for sharing!
These are the BEST chocolate chip cookies! Definitely read the separate article about how to brown butter if you haven’t done it before. Also, use the salt on top! Makes a huge difference!