Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Once you’ve tried browned butter chocolate chip cookies, you may never be able to go back to your regular cookie recipe again! Chewy and buttery with loads of chocolate and a slightly nutty flavor, they may just be the perfect cookie!

I am a huge fan of chewy cookies, and this is definitely a new favorite recipe! It took me a few tries to perfect the recipe, but it was totally worth it.

The flavor and texture of these cookies is out of this world! If you’ve never tried using browned butter in baked goods, you are in for a treat. Just the smell of it is enough to get your mouth watering. Don’t even get me started!

Browning butter is quite simple, but if you are nervous, you can watch this video, or see the video clip in the recipe card below.

Follow all my tips and tricks, and the end result will be the best brown butter chocolate chip cookies you have ever had the privilege of sinking your teeth into!

HOW TO MAKE BROWNED BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

1. BROWN BUTTER – Cook butter over medium heat in a heavy, light-colored saucepan until it foams, turns golden brown, and has a nutty aroma. Quickly scrape all of it into a large mixing bowl. Let cool for about 10 minutes.
   
2. WET INGREDIENTS – Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the cooled brown butter. Whisk together. Then whisk in the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and sour cream.
3. DRY INGREDIENTS – Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. If your flour is lumpy, sift it!
   
4. COMBINE – Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients with about a cup and a half of the chocolate chips. (Reserve about 1/2 cup of the chips for the tops of the cookies.) Stir the dough just until combined.
5. FORM – Scoop about two tablespoons of dough with a cookie scoop and roll into a ball. Flatten slightly and place on a cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough. It’s fine if they are very close together.
6. CHILL – Cover the cookie dough balls and chill for about 2 hours. I love this lid.
7. BAKE – Preheat your oven to 350°. Place cookie dough balls on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone liners. Bake at 350 degrees for 9-10 minutes. Immediately press a few of the extra chocolate chips on the top of each hot cookie.
8. COOL – Let cookies sit on the pan for 3-4 minutes, then transfer with a metal spatula to cooling racks to cool completely.

LARGE BAKERY STYLE COOKIES

If you want cookies like you buy at a cookie bakery, scoop 1/4 cup of dough and roll into balls. Press down slightly and chill for 2 hours. Place on silicone or parchment-lined cookie sheets.

Bake at 325° for 13-14 minutes. Press a few chocolate chips into the top of each cookie.

Cool for 5-6 minutes on the pan, then transfer to cooling racks. You will get 15 large cookies.

PRO TIPS:

• Watch the butter closely as it browns. It only takes a few seconds to go from perfectly browned butter to dark brown or black butter. After the butter starts to foam, stir constantly, and don’t take your eyes off it!
• Your butter will brown much more quickly if you let it come to room temperature first.
• You may be tempted to skip the sour cream. Don’t! It adds moisture that is lost when you brown the butter, and the acid reacts with the baking soda helping the cookies rise instead of flattening out.
• If you forget to let your browned butter cool, you will need to chill the dough even longer or the cookies will spread too much. Also, if it is really hot, the dough can be warm enough that the chocolate chips will start to melt as you stir them in.
• Make sure to let the dough chill before baking, or the cookies will spread too much and be flat and slightly greasy. It’s better to chill it too long than not enough.
• If you aren’t sure if your dough has chilled long enough, try baking a test cookie. If it’s too thin for your liking, chill the dough longer. If it doesn’t spread enough, let your dough sit at room temperature for a few minutes.

Leftover cookies will keep for up to a week at room temperature if you store them in an airtight container or ziplock bag.

You can also freeze the cookies. I recommend flash-freezing them in a single layer for an hour or two, then transferring them to heavy-duty ziplock bags. They will last 4-5 months in the freezer.

When ready to serve, you can either let the cookies thaw at room temperature or simply heat them in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds.

Can I freeze the cookie dough?

Absolutely! After you have chilled the cookie dough ball disks, simply transfer them to a freezer ziplock bag. They will last 2-3 months in the freezer.

Let them thaw at room temperature, then bake as directed.

VARIATIONS:

• Use dark brown sugar for an even richer, more caramel-flavored cookie.
• If you don’t have sour cream, you can use Greek yogurt, plain yogurt, or even buttermilk in a pinch.
• For a perfect balance of salty and sweet, try sprinkling the dough balls with flaky sea salt before baking. Delish!
• I like a combination of milk chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate chips. You can use any kind of chocolate you prefer. Chocolate chunks also work well.
• Adding a cup of Heath toffee bits makes these cookies even more addicting!
• Stir in a cup or two of toasted chopped pecans or walnuts with the chocolate chips.

MORE HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES:

Give this recipe a try! Browned butter really does make some of the best chocolate chip cookies ever!