Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Picture this: you’re in your kitchen, the air is filled with the irresistible aroma of nutty brown butter and melted chocolate, and you’re about to embark on a baking adventure that will redefine your cookie game forever. Welcome to my ultimate guide to crafting the dreamiest, gooey-centered chocolate chip cookies that will leave you wondering how you’ve ever lived without them.

The classic chocolate chip cookie becomes something really special when made with browned butter. Its nutty, caramel-like aroma infuses the very essence of the cookie.

Chocolate chips, you will find, are just as good melted along the edges of these cookies as they are in any cookie. They exist to be somewhat gooey, partly because these cookies are already, by design, really chewy.

And on top of that, they’re also very salty, as you can see from the generous sprinkle of Maldon salt in any proper half-baked (meaning half-cooked and half-raw, but actually cooked) chocolate chip cookie.

Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe Ingredients

• Unsalted Butter: Adds richness and a nutty, toasty flavor.
• Granulated Sugar: Provides sweetness and contributes to the cookie’s crispy texture.
• Light Brown Sugar: Adds moisture, imparts a caramel flavor, and enhances chewiness.
• Eggs: Bind the ingredients together, adding structure and richness.
• Vanilla Extract: Enhances the overall flavor and adds a fragrant aroma.
• All-Purpose Flour: Forms the structure of the cookies, providing carbohydrates and bulk.
• Semisweet Chocolate Chips: Melts into gooey pockets, adding sweetness and chocolatey richness.

Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe Ingredient Quantities

• 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 1 cup (220 g) packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups (320 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups (340 g) semisweet chocolate chips
• Optional: Flaky sea salt for topping

How to Make this Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

1. In a medium saucepan, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Keep cooking,

stirring at a steady pace,

until the butter has turned a golden brown shade and exudes a nutty scent. Take off the burner and allow to cool slightly.

2. In a big mixing bowl, combine the butter that has been browned, the granulated sugar, and the light brown sugar. Whisk everything together until it is smooth and creamy.

3. Incorporate the eggs, adding them one at a time, and beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract until it is fully integrated.

4. In another bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Slowly combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients, stirring until just mixed. Don’t be alarmed if you still see some lumps of flour in the batter; it’s better not to overmix.

5. Incorporate the semisweet chocolate chips, making sure they are distributed evenly throughout the dough.

6. Plastic wrap is placed over the dough, and into the refrigerator it goes for a minimum of 30 minutes. During this time, the diverse flavors will unite and become one, and the dough will be transformed from a soft, malleable state to one with slightly more structure.

7. Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking. Line your baking tray with either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

8. After the dough has been thoroughly chilled, use a spoon to scoop out tablespoon-sized dollops and drop them onto the prepared baking sheet, ensuring they are placed at least 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.

9. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers are set but still soft.

10. Take the cookies out of the oven and, if you wish, top with some flaky sea salt. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes before moving them to a wire rack. Let them cool completely (if you can wait that long!) and then devour.

Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe Equipment Needed

1. Medium saucepan
2. Mixing bowls (one large, one medium)
3. Whisk
4. Spatula or wooden spoon for stirring
5. Measuring cups and spoons
6. Plastic wrap
7. Baking tray
8. Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
9. Spoon or cookie scoop
10. Oven
11. Wire rack for cooling

FAQ

• What does browning butter do for cookies?Enhancing the flavor of butter by browning takes it to a whole new level, bringing a rich, nutty complexity that makes everything it’s added to (in this case, cookies) more fragrant and flavorful.
• How can I tell when the butter is browned?The butter will froth, and the hue will alter from yellow to a golden brown, giving off a nutty scent. This usually happens in about 5-7 minutes.
• Do I need to chill the dough?Indeed, allowing the dough to chill for a minimum of one hour makes certain that the cookies retain their just-out-of-the-oven shape, and that the taste is intensified.
• Can I use dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar?Indeed, it will yield a slightly more decadent result, with a flavor in the cookies that is a bit deeper and more akin to molasses.
• Is it important to use flaky sea salt on top?It is optional to use flaky sea salt; however, it adds a lovely contrast to the sweetness of the cookies.
• Can I substitute the semisweet chocolate chips with other types of chocolate?Certainly, using milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or even a combination of both can yield different flavor profiles altogether.
• How should these cookies be stored?Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for maximum freshness for up to a week. For longer storage, keep them in the freezer.

Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

If you would rather not use unsalted butter, you can use salted butter and reduce additonal salt in the recipe by half.
To achieve a molasses flavor that’s deeper, you can use dark brown sugar in place of light brown sugar.
Cane sugar can be used as a direct substitute if you have no granulated sugar.
You can use dark chocolate chunks or white chocolate chips instead of semisweet chocolate chips for a different flavor.
To make this recipe gluten-free, substitute regular flour with a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend.

Pro Tips

1. Brown Butter Mastery Ensure you stir constantly while browning the butter to prevent it from burning. As soon as it turns golden brown and emits a nutty aroma, promptly remove it from the heat to avoid overcooking.

2. Chill for Better Structure Consider chilling the dough longer than 30 minutes, up to overnight, for flavors to further develop and to promote thicker cookies that spread less while baking.

3. Room Temperature Eggs Bring your eggs to room temperature before mixing. This helps them combine more seamlessly with the butter and sugars, resulting in a smoother, more homogenous dough.

4. Salt on Top Enhance the flavor by lightly sprinkling flaky sea salt on top immediately after baking while the cookies are still warm. This adds a delightful contrast to the sweetness of the cookies.

5. Experiment with Texture For a varied texture, substitute part of the chocolate chips with chopped chocolate chunks. This creates pockets of molten chocolate within the cookies.