Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Name: Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter*; 2 tbsp (20 g) milk powder*; 3/4 cup (165 g) dark brown sugar; 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar; 2 large (100 g) eggs + 1 (18 g) egg yolk (room temperature); 1 tbsp (15 ml) vanilla extract; 1 tbsp + 1 tsp (20 ml) light corn syrup (optional, for added chew); 1/2 tsp baking soda; 1/2 tsp baking powder; 3/4 tsp fine sea salt; 1 cup + 3 tbsp (150 g) all-purpose flour; 1 1/4 cup (156 g) bread flour; 125-200 g chocolate of choice (mix of chopped chocolate, milk chocolate, and chocolate chips)

This Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe is perfectly balanced with crispy, thinner edges and a thick, chewy, molten center studded with pools of chocolate. The rich, nutty flavor of brown butter shines through, complementing the buttery, not-too-sweet dough. Perfect for those who love a cookie that’s flavorful, indulgent, and irresistibly textured!

brown butter chocolate chip cookies on parchment paper with fancy salt on top

Why You’ll Love This Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Ingredients and Substituions
How to Make Crispy and Chewy Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
VIDEO: Watch How to Make It
Baking Cookies at Two Temperatures
Lisa’s Recipe Tips
How to Store Leftovers
Recipe FAQ
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

I won’t claim this is the “best” brown butter chocolate chip cookie recipe since everyone’s ideal chocolate chip cookie is different, but it’s my absolute favorite. After testing it nine times over the holidays, I’ve created my perfect chocolate chip cookie that delivers:

Crispy and thin crust on the entire cookie
Exceptionally crispy on the edges, reaching crunchy territory
Soft, chewy and thick in the middle
Rich in nutty buttery toasty flavour
Not too sweet!!
Not too chocolate-y (but you can make it more chocolate-y if you like)
Perfect balance of salt

Ingredients and Substituions

Here’s what you’ll need to make these chocolate chip cookies with brown butter:

Unsalted butter: I recommend using a high quality European style butter for best flavour and texture. I don’t have access to Kerry Gold Cutter so I use GaryLea Bakers Gold or Lactantia European Style Butter.
Milk powder: Optional, but it really enhances the brown butter flavour but also helps add chewiness. You can substitute it with more bread flour.
Dark brown sugar
Granulated sugar
Eggs + egg yolk
Vanilla extract
Light corn syrup: Optional, but adds chewy soft texture. You can also substitute it for some honey!
Baking soda
Baking powder
Fine sea salt
All-purpose flour AND Bread flour: A combination of these two flours helps achieve that chewy texture.
Chocolate: I recommend using chocolate bars or a mix of chocolate chips and bars. Chocolate chips hold their shape when baking so it can help keep the cookies nice and thick. Chocolate bars tend to melt into puddles which makes a texturally fun cookie and helps spread them a bit more, especially if adding in the shards. I like to mix dark chocolate and milk chocolate but you can do all milk or all dark.

How to Make Crispy and Chewy Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Making these brown butter chocolate chunk cookies is simple with just a few steps that’ll fill your kitchen with amazing smells:

step by step creaming brown butter and making chocolate chip cookies

Make brown butter if you don’t have any on hand.
Chop the chocolate and separate from fine shards.
Cream brown butter, dark brown sugar, and granulated sugar (3-4 minutes).
Add eggs, egg yolk, vanilla, and corn syrup (if using). Beat until combined. Add the salt, baking powder and baking soda and mix for a few seconds.
Add the flour and mix on low speed until crumbles form.
Add the chocolate and mix until evenly distributed. Scoop dough into 75-80g portions. Roll into a tall ball if you want thick cookies. Top with extra chocolate, and refrigerate for 24-76 hours.
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets.
Bake dough balls at 350°F for 8 minutes, then increase to 375°F (190°C) for 10 more minutes or until edges are golden brown.

VIDEO: Watch How to Make It

Baking Cookies at Two Temperatures

To achieve the perfect cookie texture—thick and soft in the center with a crisp exterior and thin, crunchy edges—I found that a two-step baking method works best. Starting at a lower temperature allows the dough to spread, while finishing at a higher temperature develops a delicate crispness.

Baking only at 350°F keeps the cookies soft in the middle but lacks crispiness. On the other hand, baking solely at 375°F limits spread, resulting in a thicker, slightly underbaked center. If you prefer either of these textures, you can adjust the temperature accordingly! But for the best balance of chewiness and crunch, the two-step method is the way to go.

brown butter chocolate chip cookies cross section on a cooling rack

Lisa’s Recipe Tips

Use a Kitchen Scale: If theres any tip you follow, let it be this. This will ensure that the results are accurate to achieve really delicious chocolate chip cookies.
Brown the butter, deeply: Brown the butter past it’s golden state. We want deep flavours from browning it or else it gets lost in the chocolate. Brown until it looks like its about to burn but take it off the heat and immediately transfer to another bowl so that it doesn’t burnt. Timing is key, so watch it like a hawk.
Add the chocolate earlier: Since we’re using bread flour, we really don’t want to over-work the dough. By adding in the chocolate when the flour is only half mixed prevents over-mixing while still distributing the chocolate evenly.
Height of Cookie Dough: If you like a thick chewy centred cookie, roll the cookie dough into tall balls (photos 1 & 2). If you like a cookie with even thickness, use a cookie scoop (image 3 & 4).
Chill and Rest the Dough: Refrigerating the dough uncovered allows it to dry slightly, enhancing flavor and giving the cookies a better texture—crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. At the minimum, rest for 30 minutes to chill the dough but I recommend letting them sit overnight or up to 76 hours.
Choosing your chocolate: Use a mix of dark and milk chocolate chunks and chips. Chips hold their shape and prevent overspreading, while chunks melt into rich pools of chocolate.
Sift chopped chocolate: Use a colander with small holes to sift out any fine shards of chocolate. Below is a photo of this recipe using chopped chocolate without sifting out the fine shards. They spread more and I find they taste more like a chocolate cookie because they melt right into the dough.

brown butter chocolate chunk cookies on parchment paper with fancy salt on top — Cookies Portioned with Cookie Scoop

How to Store Leftovers

You can make a big batch of these cookies ahead of time store them effectively a couple of ways:

At Room Temperature

Store them in an airtight container with a slice of bread to help maintain moisture. Layering them with parchment paper prevents sticking, and keeping them in a cool, dry place preserves their texture. They stay soft and chewy for up to 3–5 days.

Freezing Dough Before Baking
You can freeze the dough for later baking. Scoop the dough into 75-80g portions and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze until solid, then transfer the dough balls to a vacuum-sealed bag or resealable freezer bag. When you’re ready to bake, remove from fridge and then preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the dough directly adding 1-3 minutes to the baking time, or until the edges are golden and the centers are slightly underdone.

Freezing After Baking
Once cooled completely, transfer them to a freezer safe bag and remove excess air with a straw or a vacuums sealer. Freeze them for up to 3 months.

Reheating
To reheat, microwave the cookies for 10-15 seconds for a warm and gooey center, or pop them in the air fryer at 300°F (150°C) for 2-3 minutes to revive their crispy edges. You can also enjoy the cookies just by thawing them out at room temperaturer.

Recipe FAQ

Do I have to refrigerate the dough?

No.. but yes. For the best flavor and texture, refrigerating the dough is key. It helps the flavors deepen and prevents the cookies from spreading too much while baking. You can get away with refrigerating the dough for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Can I make these cookies smaller?

Yes! To make smaller cookies, portion the dough into 1.5-2 tablespoon (25-30g) scoops. Reduce the baking time to 8-10 minutes, checking frequently to ensure they don’t overbake.

Can I make this recipe vegan?

This recipe is based off my vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe, which is my absolute favourite texture wise. I recommend following that recipe and substituting it with vegan butter that browns.

Can I bake these in a toaster oven?

Yes! You can bake brown butter chocolate chip cookies in a toaster oven, but keep an eye on the temperature, as toaster ovens can run hotter than standard ovens. Reduce the baking temperature by 25°F (17°C) and checking for golden edges and a soft center. To prevent uneven baking, use a small baking sheet and avoid overcrowding.

Can I air fry these cookies?

Yes, you can bake these cookies in an air fryer! They do get a little more crispy so reduce the temperature by 25°F (17°C) and bake for 2-3 minutes less or until golden and slightly crisp on the edges. Let them cool for a few minutes before enjoying!

brown butter chocolate chip cookies stacked with a bite taken out of it — Cookies Portioned with Cookie Scoop

Enjoy!! If you make this Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rating and if you decide to share it on socials, tag me on instagram @Okonomikitchen. I’d love to hear from you!