Chewy Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Rich brown butter chocolate chip cookies with golden edges, chewy centers, and pools of melted chocolate. A delicious twist on classic homemade cookies.
By RecipeLily Editorial Team · Published October 10, 2026 · Updated November 13, 2026
These Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies take the classic American cookie to another level with rich, nutty brown butter, soft chewy centers, and golden edges.
Browning the butter adds a wonderful toasted, caramel-like flavor that pairs beautifully with brown sugar, vanilla, and generous chunks of chocolate. Each cookie has a delicious balance of sweetness, buttery richness, and melted chocolate.
The dough is chilled before baking to help control spreading and develop flavor. Serve these cookies slightly warm with a cold glass of milk, enjoy them as an afternoon treat, or share them at holiday gatherings.
RecipeLily.com
Chewy Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Vegetarian
- Prep Time
- 20 mins
- Cook Time
- 20 mins
- Additional
- 1 hr 20 mins
- Total Time
- 2 hrs
- Servings
- 24
- Yield
- 24 cookies
Ingredients
Servings: 24
- For the Cookies
- Optional Topping
Directions
Step 1
Place the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Melt the butter, stirring occasionally, until it foams and the milk solids turn golden brown with a nutty aroma, approximately 5–8 minutes. Immediately transfer to a heatproof bowl to prevent burning.
Step 2
Allow the browned butter to cool until just warm, approximately 15–20 minutes.
Step 3
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled brown butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Whisk until smooth and well blended.
Step 4
Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and milk. Mix until the mixture becomes smooth and glossy.
Step 5
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Step 6
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Fold gently with a spatula until no dry flour remains. Avoid overmixing.
Step 7
Fold in the chocolate chips or chopped chocolate, distributing them evenly throughout the dough.
Step 8
Cover the cookie dough and refrigerate for approximately 1 hour to help the dough firm up.
Step 9
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 10
Scoop approximately 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie and arrange the portions on the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between them.
Step 11
Bake for approximately 10–12 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the centers appear set but still soft. Baking time may vary depending on cookie size.
Step 12
Remove the cookies from the oven. If desired, sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt while warm.
Step 13
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Serve warm or allow to cool completely.
Cook’s Notes
Use a light-colored saucepan when browning butter so you can easily monitor the golden color of the milk solids.
Let the browned butter cool before adding the eggs to prevent them from cooking prematurely.
Chilling the dough helps reduce spreading and allows the cookies to develop a richer flavor.
For beautiful pools of melted chocolate, use a combination of chocolate chips and chopped chocolate bars.
Avoid overbaking. The cookies should have golden edges and centers that are set but remain soft.
Do not eat raw cookie dough containing uncooked flour or eggs.
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for approximately 3–4 days, or freeze for longer storage.
Warm individual cookies briefly before serving for a softer texture and melted chocolate.
