Best Chewy Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
These BEST Chewy Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies feature a rich, nutty flavor from perfectly browned butter combined with a chewy texture. They bake to golden edges with a soft center and generous chunks of dark and semisweet chocolate, finished with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt for a gourmet touch.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes (including cooling brown butter and mixing)
- Cook Time: 8-10 minutes per batch
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes (including 1 hour minimum chilling time)
- Yield: 14 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Butter
- 10 tbsp (140g) salted butter
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (215g) all-purpose flour (measure accurately)
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
Sugars
- ⅔ cup (145g) packed light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup (65g) granulated sugar
Wet Ingredients
- 1 large egg (at room temperature)
- 1 tbsp (15ml) milk
- 1 tsp (5ml) pure vanilla extract
Chocolate
- 3 oz (85g) dark chocolate, chopped
- ½ cup (85g) semisweet chocolate chips
Finishing
- Flaky sea salt (optional, for topping)
Instructions
- Brown the Butter: Melt the butter in a 1-quart stainless steel saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently as it foams and turns golden with brown specks forming at the bottom. This process takes 8-10 minutes. Immediately pour the browned butter into a large mixing bowl and let it cool for 20-30 minutes until just warmer than room temperature, around 32-34°C (90-93°F).
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined to ensure consistent leavening and flavor.
- Combine Butter and Sugars: Add the cooled browned butter to the bowl with light brown sugar and granulated sugar. Mix gently with a spatula or use a mixer on medium speed for about 20 seconds until the mixture resembles thick wet sand.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Incorporate the egg, milk, and vanilla extract into the butter-sugar mixture. Mix until smooth and creamy, being careful not to overbeat especially if the mixture is cool, to avoid stiffening the butterfat.
- Add Flour and Chocolate: Fold or mix on low speed the flour mixture into the wet ingredients just until mostly combined. Stir in the chopped dark chocolate and semisweet chocolate chips evenly throughout the dough. Cover the dough and refrigerate for 1-4 hours, ideally for at least 2 hours for best texture.
- Prepare for Baking: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Portion Dough: Use a 1.35-oz cookie scoop (about 2 oz or 56g per cookie) to portion the dough into 14 equal balls. Roll each into smooth balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 3 inches apart. Press a few extra chocolate chunks on top if desired but do not flatten the balls.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, until the cookies are golden on top, browned at the edges, and still soft in the middle. Smaller cookies (~1¼ oz) can be made for shorter bake times.
- Cool and Finish: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring carefully to a wire rack to cool completely. Optionally, sprinkle with flaky sea salt just before serving to enhance the flavor contrast.
Notes
- Measuring flour accurately is crucial; spoon and level the flour to avoid excess that can make cookies dry or cause spreading.
- Baking soda can be slightly adjusted if you prefer taller cookies, but ¾ tsp works well for this recipe.
- Chilling the dough for at least 2 hours is recommended for optimal texture, but if short on time, 1 hour minimum will still work.
- The browned butter must be cooled but still warm before mixing to ensure the butterfat blends smoothly with sugars.
- Using a digital thermometer helps gauge the butter temperature for best results: 90-93°F is ideal to prevent stiff dough.
- Optional flaky sea salt on top elevates the flavor, balancing sweetness with a salty crunch.
