The Best Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Let’s flash back to around 2012 when I was off trying to perfect the absolute best chocolate chip cookie. I was living in Washington D.C. at the time and my entire world outside of work included baking my heart out. It took me months and months to find an accurate and delicious ratio between butter (it had to be browned), brown sugar (a higher ratio than white sugar) and of course, chocolate (two types of chips!)

I was tired of making homemade chocolate chip cookies that were overly crispy and flat, like the Tollhouse version that’s boring as hell. What I wanted was a chewy in the middle, delectable, melt-in-your-mouth center that sent me to heaven in just one bite. However, I also desired a slightly crispy edge that would hold together well upon dunking into a big glass of milk. You feel me? Cookie perfection ain’t easy, people.

Well, it’s been over 10 years since I created these brown butter chocolate chip cookies, and they’re still #1 on the internet and in everyone’s hearts. They’re truly my forever favorite, especially if you want to get a little wild and stuff them with nutella.

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The BEST cookies you’ll ever eat

These brown butter chocolate chip cookies aren’t just epic, but also life-changing. Several of my friends have baked them time and time again, only to tell me that they’ll never make another chocolate chip cookie recipe simply because this one is the best. If you look back through the old post, you’ll see that these cookies receive rave reviews. So basically what I’m saying is that I know you’ll love my go-to chocolate chip cookie too.

The magic of brown butter

The key ingredient here is, of course, brown butter! If you’ve never browned butter before you should know that it’s so easy and makes everything SO much more delicious. Get all of my tips & tricks for browning butter here, and check out all of my recipes using brown butter here! Get ready to fall in love.

Let’s talk ingredients

What makes these brown butter chocolate chip cookies so special? There are a few key ingredient ratios that truly make them one-of-a-kind. Here’s what you’ll need:

Flour: this recipe uses good old all purpose flour to get the perfect texture. I do NOT recommend swapping flours here.
Brown butter: the brown butter is what really makes them so unique. The flavor profile is nutty, sweet, toasty and reminiscent of a caramel hazelnut flavor.
Sugar: instead of doing a half-and-half ratio of regular granulated white sugar and brown sugar, I do mostly brown sugar and only a bit of white sugar. The brown sugar helps to keep the cookies softer and chewier in the middle, yet still allows for crispy, delicious edges. Normally I choose dark brown sugar because it has a tiny bit more molasses in the flavoring, which again, helps to achieve an out-of-this-world cookie. Don’t worry though, light brown sugar also works.
Egg + egg yolk: this recipe calls for 1 egg + an additional 1 egg yolk, which makes all the difference in creating a rich texture and the perfect consistency. Just trust me.
Greek yogurt: it sounds crazy, but a tiny bit of yogurt helps activate the baking soda so you get moist, lovely dough and amazing, crinkly tops. If you’re out of greek yogurt, try sour cream.
Chocolate chips: another thing that makes this recipe unique is the TWO types of chocolate chips, milk chocolate and semi-sweet. It really just creates more flavor profiles. If you like dark chocolate, then you can do that and semi-sweet. Totally up to you.
Baking staples: of course, don’t forget the baking soda, salt, and vanilla extract. Learn how to make your own vanilla here! I also like to sprinkle the cookies with fancy sea salt after baking.

Can I make them gluten free?

Unfortunately, I cannot recommend a good gluten free substitute that will yield the same amazing cookies. Feel free to try out any of my gluten free cookies here.

Tips for making perfect brown butter chocolate chip cookies

With these simple tips & tricks you’ll make the absolute best cookies every time:

Do not use substitutes. Unless I provide swaps (like sour cream for the greek yogurt) do not substitute other ingredients as the cookies will not turn out the same.
Use room temp ingredients. After browning your butter, make sure it’s cool enough to touch before adding it to your dough. I usually set it aside to cool for 10-15 minutes before making the recipe. Also, be sure to scrape every bit of brown butter from your pan. You’ll want to make sure your eggs are at room temp, too, so they don’t coagulate with the butter. Simply run the eggs under warm water for about a minute or place them in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes.
Measure your flour correctly. Do you know the best way to measure flour without a scale? Get my tips & tricks in this video!
Chill the dough. Yes, this recipe requires you to chill the dough, but I promise it’s worth it. Chilling cookie dough allows the cookies to create a smooth caramel flavor, with crispy brown edges, a chewy interior and crackly tops. This happens because the fat in the recipe (butter) is solid and the sugar also absorbs some of it. Trust me, it’s a game-changer.

How to freeze cookie dough

Freezing cookie dough is wonderful because it allows you to prep ahead when you have guests or are throwing a party. I LOVE freezing extra cookie dough because that way I can pop them in the oven whenever I want and it’s great when you want to bring something to a party or to a loved one’s house, but don’t feel like having a baking extravaganza. Here’s how to do it.

After the dough is done chilling in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, roll the cookie dough into balls and place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Chill the dough in the freezer for 30 minutes. This is known as a flash freeze.
Once the cookie dough balls firm up, you can transfer them to a reusable freezer-safe bag or container. Cookie dough will keep well for up to 3 months.
When ready to bake, simply bake cookies as directed in the recipe. You’ll likely just need to add a few extra minutes of baking time!

Watch me make brown butter chocolate chip cookies

Freeze baked cookies for later

If you want to freeze the already baked cookies for later, simply wait for them to cool completely, then transfer them to a reusable freezer-safe bag or container lined with wax or parchment paper. I like to place them in a single layer to avoid any cookies breaking. Cookies will keep well for up to 2 months. Once ready to eat, simply thaw out at room temperature and enjoy.

More cookie recipes you’ll love

Get all of my cookie recipes here!

I hope you enjoy these brown butter chocolate chip cookies as much as I love baking them. If you make them be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked them! Enjoy, xo!