The Best Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies You’ll Ever Eat

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. That’s why I included them in The Ambitious Kitchen Cookbook, for Day 4 of AK Cookie Week, AND for December’s Cookbook Club recipe!

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.

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.
• 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?

Yes, I finally found the perfect gluten-free substitute for these cookies! Simply swap the all-purpose flour with King Arthur’s gluten-free measure for measure flour.

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.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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

• Vanilla Brown Sugar Oatmeal Latte Cookies with Espresso Icing
• Italian Cherry Almond Cookies (dairy free & gluten free!)
• White Chocolate Macadamia Snickerdoodles
• Peanut Butter Cup S’mores Chocolate Cookies
• Death by Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

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!

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The Best Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies You'll Ever Eat

4.82 from 506 votes

byby :Monique Volz of AmbitiousKitchen.com

Leave A Review Print Recipe

Prep Time 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

ServesServes 24 cookies

World famous brown butter chocolate chip cookies made with dark brown sugar, two types of chocolate chips and a sprinkle of sea salt. These epic cookies are perfectly crispy on the outside, chewy in the middle, and are, in fact, the BEST cookies you will ever eat.

Ingredients

• Wet ingredients:
• 1 cup (226 grams) salted butter*, sliced
• 1 ½ cups (320 grams) packed dark brown sugar
• ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
• Dry ingredients:
• 2 ¼ cups (270 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¾ cup (135 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
• ¾ cup (135 grams) milk or dark chocolate chips or chunks
• Flaky sea salt (I like Maldon)

Instructions

• Line a large plate or baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Brown the butter: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, whisk constantly; the butter will begin to crackle, then foam. After a few minutes, the butter will begin to turn a golden amber color. As soon as the butter turns brown and gives off a nutty aroma, 5 to 8 minutes, remove from the heat and immediately transfer it to a medium bowl, scraping all the butter and brown bits from the pan. Set aside until cool enough to touch, about 15 minutes.
• Mix the wet ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the brown butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until well combined, about 1 minute. Beat in the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and yogurt until the mixture is smooth and creamy and similar in appearance to a caramel sauce, about 1 minute. (Alternatively, you can do this with a whisk; it will take roughly the same amount of time.)
• Prepare the dry ingredients: In another large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt until well combined. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined, about 1 minute. Add both types of chocolate chips and mix on low speed until just incorporated into the dough (don’t overmix!). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 10 minutes.
• Chill the dough: Use a medium cookie scoop or spoon to measure 2 heaping tablespoons of the dough, roll the dough into balls with your hands, and place onto the prepared plate or baking sheet. Repeat with all of the dough. Cover the balls with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours and a maximum of 24 hours. (Chilling the dough will allow the flavors to come together, the butter to solidify so that the cookies do not spread too much, and the sugar to concentrate into a deeper butterscotch flavor. Please note that the dough needs to chill to be perfect. Have patience, because the results are worth it!)
• When you are ready to bake, place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the dough from the fridge to allow them to soften for 15 minutes.
• Bake the cookies: Transfer the dough balls to the prepared baking sheet, placing them 2 inches apart. (Not all cookies will fit on the sheet for one batch.) Bake until the edges of the cookies just begin to turn golden brown, 9 to 11 minutes. (They will look a bit underdone in the middle but will continue to cook once out of the oven.)
• Cool the cookies on the sheet for 5 minutes to allow them to set, then sprinkle each cookie with flasky sea salt. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once the baking sheet has cooled, repeat with the remaining dough balls.
• To store: Keep cookies in an airtight container or reusable silicone bag at room temperature for up to 1 week, then transfer to the freezer for up to 3 months.

Recipe Notes

*Please note that the cookbook states to use unsalted butter -- typos happen! Use salted butter for a little more "oomph" in flavor.

Change Your Life Stuffed Cookies: These are SO good when the cookie dough balls are stuffed with a dollop of Nutella. Chill 1 small jar of Nutella in the fridge to solidify ahead of time. Flatten each dough ball and place 1 teaspoon of chilled Nutella in the middle and fold the dough around it; gently roll into a ball, making sure that the Nutella is not seeping out of the dough. Add more dough, if necessary. Chill dough as directed in step 5 and bake as directed.

Recipe by Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen| Photography by Sarah Fennel

This post was originally published on October 19th, 2016, republished on November 30th, 2019, republished on December 4th, 2022, and republished on December 3rd, 2024.