The BEST Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies are soft, chewy, and loaded with chocolate chips and chunks. The nutty browned butter flavor takes this classic cookie to the next level! 

Do you love cookies as much as I do? Try my Super Soft Sugar Cookies, S’mores Cookies, Homemade Oreo Cookies, or Our Favorite M&M Cookies!

Freshly baked Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies on a cooling rack with a small bowl of chocolate chunks.

As much as I love my Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe, there’s something elevated and fancy about Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies. The small step of browning the butter adds so much flavor, and the high quality chocolate chunks are divine. They’re beloved whenever I make them, and it’s nearly impossible to eat just one.

How to make Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies:

Brown the butter: Place half the butter (1 stick) in a medium skillet. Melt the butter over medium heat, swirling it in the pan frequently. It will foam and froth and then it will start to smell nutty and start to crackle and pop. Once the butter turns a light golden/amber color, remove from heat and immediately pour it into a small bowl. Be careful not to let it burn!

Allow it to cool to room temperature.

A pan with browned butter.

Make Dough: Cream the remaining stick of butter and brown sugar together very well with beaters until it’s fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla extract, cooled brown butter, and granulated sugar. Mix for 2 minutes. Add the egg and egg yolk, and mix until smooth. Pour in flour, salt, and baking soda, mixing on low speed just until incorporated (don’t over-mix!).

A mixing bowl with butter and sugar creamed as a start to browned butter cookie dough.

Fold in Chocolate: Use a spatula to fold in the chocolate chunks and chips. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate the cookie dough for 20 minutes.

A mixing bowl filled with browned butter chocolate chip cookie dough, and chocolate chips and chunks poured on top.

Bake and Cool: Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie and roll gently into a ball. Place on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake at 350°F for 11 to 14 minutes or until just barely golden on the edges. Remove from the oven and rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire cooling wrack to cool completely.

Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies on a cooling rack with a small bowl of chocolate chips, and one cookie broken in half.

Storage and Freezing Instructions:

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days.

To Freeze: Place baked cookies in a freezer safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw on the counter, or place in the microwave for a few seconds.

Recipe Variations:

  • Toffee: For browned butter chocolate chip toffee cookies, substitute ½ of the chocolate chunks for toffee pieces.
  • Salt: Try sprinkling a little bit of sea salt on the top of each cookie before baking.

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Recipe

The best Browned Butter Chocolate Chip cookies recipe freshly baked on a piece of parchment paper, sprinkled with sea salt.
Prep 20 minutes
Cook 20 minutes
Cool 45 minutes
Total 40 minutes
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Ingredients
 
 

Instructions
 

  • Brown Butter: Place half the butter (1 stick) in a medium skillet. Melt the butter over medium heat, swirling it in the pan frequently. It will foam and froth as it cooks and then it will start to smell nutty and start to crackle and pop. Don't let it burn. Continue to swirl it in the pan frequently. Once the butter turns a light golden/amber color, remove from heat and immediately pour it into a small bowl. Allow it to cool to room temperature.
  • Make Cookie Dough: Add the remaining stick of butter to a mixing bowl. Add the brown sugar and cream together very well with beaters until it's very smooth, about 3-5 minutes. Add the vanilla extract, the cooled brown butter and the granulated sugar. Beat for 2 minutes. Add the egg and egg yolk then beat until smooth.
  • Add the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda, beating on low speed just until incorporated (don't over-mix!). Use a spatula to fold in the chocolate chunks.
  • Refrigerate: Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate dough for 20 minutes.
  • Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie and roll gently into a ball. 
  • Place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between the cookies. Bake for 11 to 14 minutes, or until just barely golden on the edges. 
  • Remove them from the oven, and allow them to rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire cooling wrack to cool completely. Sprinkle the tops with a little bit of cracked salt or finishing, if desired.

Notes

Toffee: For browned butter chocolate chip toffee cookies, substitute ½ of the chocolate chunks for toffee pieces.
Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days.
Freezing Instructions: Place baked cookies in a freezer safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow to defrost on the counter, or place in the microwave for a few seconds.
Recipe adapted from Joy the Baker.

Nutrition

Calories: 313kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 3gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 59mgSodium: 211mgPotassium: 129mgFiber: 2gSugar: 23gVitamin A: 366IUCalcium: 32mgIron: 2mg

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I originally shared this recipe June 2016. Updated July 2022.

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Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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Comments

  1. Typo? “1 cup ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips” Cup ounces?
    When do you add the baking powder? Not listed in the instructions.
    What type of chocolate does one use for the 1/2 cup chocolate chunks? What size should the chunks be?

    1. Thanks Terri. We’ve updated the recipe. You can purchase chocolate chunks in the store OR chop up your favorite good-quality chocolate. Size is a personal preference!

    1. There is no cream in this recipe. You “Cream” the butter and brown sugar together which is a technique that is mixing till the two are well blended, fluffy and pale yellow. Hope you love the recipe.

  2. 5 stars
    These are excellent! Browning the butter is an simple extra step that puts these over the top and is well worth it. Yum!

  3. These cookies look so delicious! I just made these and can’t wait to see if the kids love them – I already do!! Thanks for recipe!