This is my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe. After years of tweaking, I finally have it just right: tender, soft, and chewy cookies with a deep flavor boost from browned butter—and lots of chocolate chips. Originally published November 7, 2016.
Table of Contents
- These browned butter chocolate chip cookies are my favorite!
- What you’ll need for browned butter chocolate chip cookies
- How to make brown butter chocolate chip cookies
- Recipe tips
- Storage
- FAQs
- More chocolate chip cookies
- Recipe card
We had a baby! Her name is Valentine.
Isn’t she so cute? I’m biased, but she’s perfect.
Charlotte is completely smitten. This is basically how she looks most of the time:
Poor Truman developed croup a few days after she arrived, so his early big-brother lessons have included: “Don’t cough on the baby!” and “No, don’t put your fingers in her mouth!” He’s being a good sport about it.
All the newborn highs and lows are back: the baby smell, the tiny toes and fingers, the crying, the exhausted nights—and the way your heart expands in a way you never expected. We feel incredibly lucky.
And my favorite part? Not being pregnant anymore. Amen to that.
These browned butter chocolate chip cookies are my favorite!
There’s a reason I make these all the time. Browning the butter adds a nutty, caramel-like depth that transforms a classic chocolate chip cookie into something more complex and irresistible. They still taste like buttery, chocolatey cookies—only better: softer, tender, chewier, and packed with flavor.
That browned butter is where the magic happens. If you haven’t tried it before, now is the time.
Featured Comment
“This is truly the best chocolate chip cookie recipe. I literally got a standing ovation when I walked into the after-work party at the restaurant next door…..don’t hesitate to try this recipe and definitely do not skip browning the butter.” – Pickleton
What you’ll need for browned butter chocolate chip cookies
Quick shopping list—see the recipe card below for exact amounts and full instructions.
- salted butter
- white sugar
- brown sugar
- eggs
- vanilla extract
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda
- semi-sweet chocolate chips
- kosher salt
How to make brown butter chocolate chip cookies
Brown the butter in a light-colored skillet or pot over medium heat, stirring every minute so you can watch it closely. It will foam, then settle and develop tiny brown specks with a nutty aroma—this is the signal to remove it from heat. Pour the browned butter into a large bowl.
Beat in the white and brown sugars until combined. With the mixer on, add the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.
Add about half the flour, but don’t mix immediately. First stir the baking soda and salt into that flour so the leavening and seasoning distribute evenly, then mix into the dough. Add the rest of the flour and mix gently—stop while the dough still looks slightly floury in spots.
Fold in the chocolate chips just until combined. Chill the dough for 1–2 hours (overnight is better) so it firms up. Because the butter starts hot, chilling is essential to prevent excessive spreading.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats. Use a 1/4-cup measure to portion the dough and shape each portion into an oval “egg” shape rather than a tight sphere—this helps maintain thickness. Space cookies a couple of inches apart.
Bake 11–14 minutes, until the edges are golden and the centers still look soft. Right out of the oven, press a few extra chocolate chips into the tops for a bakery-style finish. Let cookies rest on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
These are large, thick cookies—expect rich, chewy results. If you’re short on time, shape the dough and freeze portions for 30 minutes or more; you can bake cookies from frozen, adding a few minutes to the bake time.
Recipe tips
I rarely bake an entire batch at once. I’ll bake one sheet to enjoy immediately and freeze the rest of the shaped dough in zip-top bags. You can bake from frozen—no thawing required—just add 2–5 minutes to the bake time and you’ll have warm cookies whenever you want.
If you need a gluten-free option, a one-to-one gluten-free baking mix can work well; friends have had success with that substitution.
Storage
Store baked cookies at room temperature for up to 3 days. After that, freeze them to preserve flavor and texture. You can also freeze shaped dough balls and bake from frozen whenever you like.
Brown butter chocolate chip cookie FAQs
Browned butter adds nutty, caramel-like notes that deepen the cookie’s flavor without overpowering it. It enhances the existing buttery, chocolatey qualities.
It depends on the cookie. For chocolate chip cookies, browned butter pairs exceptionally well with chocolate and adds extra richness, making it a great choice.
Browned butter is ready when the foam subsides, tiny brown specks form on the pan’s bottom, and the aroma becomes nutty. Stir and tilt the pan to check for the color change beneath the foam.
Chill the dough before baking. Refrigerate the dough for 1–2 hours or freeze shaped portions for 30 minutes. A chilled dough holds its shape and yields thicker, chewier cookies.
Let me know if you try these—I hope you love them as much as I do.
More chocolate chip cookies
- Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies — a festive choice for the holidays
- Skinny Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies — lighter but still satisfying
- Texas Cowboy Cookies — a popular, hearty option
- Double Chocolate Chip Cookies — thick and fudgy for chocolate lovers
- My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies — the original version that inspired this one
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Best Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 & 1/2 cups salted butter (3 sticks)
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 & 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 4 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled*
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt**
- 2 & 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus more to top cookies
Instructions
- Add butter to a medium light-colored pot or skillet and melt over medium heat.
- Stir every 1–2 minutes. The butter will foam, then begin to brown and form tiny specks. When it smells nutty and looks silty on the bottom, it’s done.
- Immediately pour the browned butter into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Add white and brown sugars and beat until combined.
- With the mixer running, add the eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and stir.
- Add half the flour without mixing. Stir the baking soda and salt into that flour, then beat it into the dough.
- Add the remaining flour and mix gently—stop while a few streaks of flour remain visible.
- Fold in all the chocolate chips just until incorporated. Do not overmix.
- Chill the dough: cover and refrigerate for 1–2 hours (or up to 24 hours), or shape into 1/4-cup portions and freeze for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
- Shape dough with a 1/4-cup measuring cup into an oval “egg” shape and place on prepared sheets at least 2 inches apart.
- Bake 11–14 minutes, depending on chill time and oven. Remove when edges are golden and centers still look soft.
- Right after removing from the oven, press a few extra chocolate chips into the tops of each cookie for a bakery finish.
- Let cookies rest on the pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- Serve with milk and enjoy.
Notes
* Spoon and level the flour—do not pack—to avoid dry cookies. Use a spoon to fill the measuring cup, then level with a knife.
** If you only have table salt, use slightly less than the listed amount.
*** I often shape dough and store it in zip-top bags. Bake portions from frozen, adding 2–5 minutes to bake time as needed.
Storage
Store baked cookies at room temperature up to 3 days, then freeze to preserve texture and flavor. You can also freeze shaped dough balls and bake from frozen whenever you like.
Nutrition
| Calories: 390
| Carbohydrates: 50 g
| Protein: 4 g
| Fat: 19 g
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