Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
There are few things better in the world than soft, chocolate chip cookies… when they’re packed with chocolate chips and brown butter, chewy on the inside and crispy on the outside. Soooooooooo good. This is my tried and tested recipe, and it brings out the absolute best in cookies.
I figured it was time to post my official recipe, since they’re such a classic and I make them all the time. Because they’re so simple and so absolutely delicious, it is super important to focus on the ingredients. The best ingredients make the best cookies.
I start with brown butter. This is an optional step since you could just use melted and cooled butter, but it brings a great nuttiness to the cookies that is absolutely worth it. I mean, I’ll use brown butter literally whenever possible. Essentially, it’s when you cook the butter to the point where the water content evaporates and only the milk fats (the best parts) are left. Then, I mix white sugar and brown sugar before adding vanilla, salt, eggs, baking soda, and apple cider vinegar (sounds weird, but it actually works so well).
Then, add flour and chocolate chips and scoop the cookie dough before chilling. I like to scoop it first and then chill because it can be really tough to scoop cold cookie dough. Chill for as long as possible (up to 48 hours basically) then spread out the scoops on a baking sheet, flatten, press in extra chocolate chips and salt, and bake for 10 minutes. Honestly, you could probably do this without chilling but it does add depth of flavor.
Here are some other fun cookie recipes: double chocolate chunk cookies, lemon crinkle cookies, and buttery cinnamon roll cookies. Try them out when you’re done with this recipe!
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, browned
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar, dark or light
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 1 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (plus more)
- flaky salt
Instructions
- Brown the butter. In a medium saucepan, add the butter and cook it down on medium heat. You’re going to see it boil, which is when the water content evaporates. Then, it will calm down and start to foam up. Mix it constantly until little brown bits start coming off the bottom. Pour it into a bowl and let it cool for 20 minutes.
- Add white sugar and brown sugar and cream until lightened in color and fluffy. I usually do this by hand with a whisk. Add the eggs one at a time then add the vanilla extract, salt, baking soda, and vinegar.
- Add the flour and 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips and mix just until combined (don’t overmix!). Use a cookie scoop or a spoon to scoop cookies and place them next to each other on a baking sheet or plate. Cover in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for up to 48 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place scooped cookies about 2-3 inches apart. Flatten them with your fingers, press in extra chocolate chips, and sprinkle with flaky salt.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes and let them cool for at least 10 minutes on the tray, then transfer to a plate or rack to finish cooling. Enjoy immediately or store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can also freeze cookie dough and bake cookies on demand, but they may take an extra 1-2 minutes. Enjoy!
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown butter
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar light or dark
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips plus more
- flaky salt
Instructions
- Start by browning the butter. In a medium saucepan, add the butter and cook it over medium-low heat until brown bits start pulling away from the bottom. See above for more details. Make sure to mix constantly so it doesn't burn. Pour the browned butter into a bowl and let it cool for 20 minutes.
- Add the white and brown sugar and cream it with the whisk attachment until lightened and fluffy. Add the vanilla, eggs, salt, baking soda, and apple cider vinegar.
- Add the flour and 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips. Mix until combined. Use a cookie scoop or a spoon to scoop cookies and place them on a baking sheet or plate. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes and up to 48 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cover a baking sheet in parchment paper and place the chilled scoops about 2-3 inches apart on the sheet. Flatten them with your fingers, press in some chocolate chips, and sprinkle with flaky salt.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, then let them cool for at least 10 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring. Enjoy!