I just perfected a Brown Butter Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe with crisp edges and a shockingly gooey center that will ruin every other cookie for you.
I’m obsessed with these chewy brown butter chocolate chip cookies. I swear the 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, browned and cooled slightly gives them that slightly nutty, caramel kick.
I call this The Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies and people roll their eyes until they bite. And the 2 cups (about 12 oz / 340 g) semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate means there’s chocolate in every messy bite.
Some days I call it my Brown Butter Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe because I go big on chocolate. Not delicate.
Just insanely craveable. I can’t resist seconds every time.
Ingredients
- Browned butter: nutty, toasty richness that makes cookies feel grown-up.
- Granulated sugar: gives crisp edges and quick, clean sweetness.
- Light brown sugar: molasses moisture that keeps cookies soft and chewy.
- Eggs: bind everything together and add a bit of richness.
- Vanilla extract: warm background flavor you’ll taste in every bite.
- All purpose flour: the backbone that gives cookies structure and chew.
- Basically cornstarch: optional trick for an extra-tender, pillowy center.
- Baking soda: helps spread and brown for those crinkly tops.
- Baking powder: adds gentle lift so cookies aren’t too dense.
- Fine sea salt: balances sweetness and brightens chocolate flavors.
- Chocolate chips: melty pockets of bittersweet, gooey happiness throughout.
- Plus a sprinkle of flaky salt: little pops of salty contrast.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, browned and cooled slightly
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups (280 g) all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional, for extra chew)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
- 2 cups (about 12 oz / 340 g) semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
How to Make this
1. Brown the butter: melt 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, swirling often, until foamy, then the milk solids turn golden brown and smell nutty, about 6 to 8 minutes; remove from heat and let cool until just warm, not hot.
2. Whisk sugars and butter: in a large bowl combine the cooled brown butter, 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup packed light brown sugar; whisk or beat until smooth and slightly glossy.
3. Add eggs and vanilla: beat in 2 large room temperature eggs one at a time, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; mixture might look a little loose and glossy, that’s okay.
4. Mix dry ingredients: in a separate bowl whisk together 2 1/4 cups (280 g) all purpose flour, 1 tablespoon cornstarch if using, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt.
5. Combine wet and dry: fold the dry ingredients into the wet in two additions, mixing just until no streaks of flour remain; avoid overmixing or the cookies will get tough.
6. Fold in chocolate: stir in 2 cups (about 12 oz / 340 g) semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate, saving a handful to press on top if you want pretty cookie tops.
7. Chill the dough: cover the bowl and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, up to 24 hours; chilling firms the dough and concentrates flavor, and makes the cookies thicker and chewier.
8. Preheat and portion: preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment or silicone. Scoop dough into 2 tablespoon to 3 tablespoon mounds, spaced 2 inches apart, and press a few reserved chocolate pieces on top.
9. Bake: bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack for 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are golden and centers still look slightly soft; for extra gooey centers pull at 10 minutes, for more set centers bake toward 12 minutes.
10. Cool and finish: let cookies cool on the sheet for 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Sprinkle a little flaky sea salt on top while still warm if you like sweet and salty contrast.
Equipment Needed
1. Light-colored saucepan for browning the butter, you want to see the milk solids turn brown.
2. Heatproof spatula or wooden spoon for swirling and scraping.
3. Large mixing bowl (for the dough) and one medium bowl for the dry ingredients.
4. Whisk and/or hand mixer, a whisk is fine but a mixer speeds things up.
5. Measuring cups and spoons plus a kitchen scale if you have one.
6. Cookie scoop or two tablespoon spoon for portioning dough.
7. Baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone mats.
8. Wire cooling rack for finishing the cookies, and flaky sea salt for sprinkling.
FAQ
Chewy Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Unsalted butter: replace with browned ghee or clarified butter, same cup for cup. Ghee gives the brown-butter flavor without water content, so cookies spread a bit less but stay chewy; if you only have salted butter, use it but drop added salt by about 1/4 tsp.
- Granulated + light brown sugar: swap for 1 3/4 cups packed dark brown sugar (use slightly less if you like less molasses). Dark brown keeps cookies extra moist and chewier, but they will be darker and a touch more caramel-y.
- Eggs: use 2 “flax eggs” for vegan or egg-free baking: mix 2 tbsp ground flaxseed with 6 tbsp warm water, let sit 5 minutes. Texture is slightly more cake-y and less airy, so add the optional cornstarch for chewiness.
- All purpose flour: you can use 1:1 whole wheat pastry flour for a nuttier flavor and similar texture. If using regular whole wheat flour, use 90% of the listed amount and add 1-2 tbsp extra liquid because it absorbs more.
Pro Tips
– Brown the butter then let it cool until just warm, not hot. If it’s too hot the eggs will scramble, and if its too cool you lose some of that nutty aroma that makes these cookies so good.
– Don’t skip chilling. Even 30 minutes helps, but overnight is better. It firms the dough so the cookies spread less and stay chewier in the middle, so plan ahead if you want thick, bakery style cookies.
– Use a mix of chopped chocolate and chips, and save some to press on top right before baking. Bigger chunks make gooey pockets, while chips hold shape so the cookies look nice. Also sprinkle a little flaky sea salt right after they come out for contrast.
– Watch the bake time closely because ovens vary a lot. Pull them when the edges are golden and centers still look a bit soft, they firm up as they cool. Overbake and they get dry, underbake and they might fall apart when you move them, so use a timer and check at 10 minutes.
Chewy Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
I just perfected a Brown Butter Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe with crisp edges and a shockingly gooey center that will ruin every other cookie for you.
24
servings
291
kcal
Equipment: 1. Light-colored saucepan for browning the butter, you want to see the milk solids turn brown.
2. Heatproof spatula or wooden spoon for swirling and scraping.
3. Large mixing bowl (for the dough) and one medium bowl for the dry ingredients.
4. Whisk and/or hand mixer, a whisk is fine but a mixer speeds things up.
5. Measuring cups and spoons plus a kitchen scale if you have one.
6. Cookie scoop or two tablespoon spoon for portioning dough.
7. Baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone mats.
8. Wire cooling rack for finishing the cookies, and flaky sea salt for sprinkling.
Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, browned and cooled slightly
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups (280 g) all purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional, for extra chew)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
2 cups (about 12 oz / 340 g) semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
Directions
- Brown the butter: melt 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, swirling often, until foamy, then the milk solids turn golden brown and smell nutty, about 6 to 8 minutes; remove from heat and let cool until just warm, not hot.
- Whisk sugars and butter: in a large bowl combine the cooled brown butter, 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup packed light brown sugar; whisk or beat until smooth and slightly glossy.
- Add eggs and vanilla: beat in 2 large room temperature eggs one at a time, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; mixture might look a little loose and glossy, that's okay.
- Mix dry ingredients: in a separate bowl whisk together 2 1/4 cups (280 g) all purpose flour, 1 tablespoon cornstarch if using, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt.
- Combine wet and dry: fold the dry ingredients into the wet in two additions, mixing just until no streaks of flour remain; avoid overmixing or the cookies will get tough.
- Fold in chocolate: stir in 2 cups (about 12 oz / 340 g) semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate, saving a handful to press on top if you want pretty cookie tops.
- Chill the dough: cover the bowl and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, up to 24 hours; chilling firms the dough and concentrates flavor, and makes the cookies thicker and chewier.
- Preheat and portion: preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment or silicone. Scoop dough into 2 tablespoon to 3 tablespoon mounds, spaced 2 inches apart, and press a few reserved chocolate pieces on top.
- Bake: bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack for 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are golden and centers still look slightly soft; for extra gooey centers pull at 10 minutes, for more set centers bake toward 12 minutes.
- Cool and finish: let cookies cool on the sheet for 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Sprinkle a little flaky sea salt on top while still warm if you like sweet and salty contrast.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 56g
- Total number of serves: 24
- Calories: 291kcal
- Fat: 12.7g
- Saturated Fat: 7.5g
- Trans Fat: 0.08g
- Polyunsaturated: 0.83g
- Monounsaturated: 4.33g
- Cholesterol: 36mg
- Sodium: 85mg
- Potassium: 50mg
- Carbohydrates: 33.2g
- Fiber: 0.8g
- Sugar: 13.8g
- Protein: 2.25g
- Vitamin A: 259IU
- Vitamin C: 0mg
- Calcium: 12mg
- Iron: 0.25mg
