Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups AP flour
• 1/2 cup bread flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• 14 tbsp (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp dark rum (optional)
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 6 oz bittersweet chocolate (60-70% cacao), chopped
• 6 oz milk chocolate, chopped
• Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Brown the Butter and Mix Dry Ingredients

First, brown 10 tablespoons of the butter. Melt it in a light-colored skillet over medium heat. It will melt, then foam, then the foam will subside. Keep swirling the pan constantly. You’ll see brown specks form at the bottom and it will smell intensely nutty. Pour this into a large heatproof bowl immediately to stop the cooking.

Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of cold butter to the hot brown butter and stir until it’s completely melted.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the AP flour, bread flour, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt.

Build the Dough Base

To the bowl with the butter mixture, add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, and optional rum. Whisk until everything is fully combined and there are no lumps of sugar.

Add the egg and egg yolk and whisk for about 30 seconds until the mixture is smooth. Now, let the mixture stand for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, whisk again for 30 seconds. Repeat this stand-and-whisk process two more times. The final mixture will be thick, smooth, and glossy. This process helps dissolve the sugar and builds the structure for a chewy cookie with a crackly top.

Finish and Chill the Dough

Using a spatula, stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined. Don’t overmix; a few streaks of flour are fine. Fold in the chopped bittersweet and milk chocolate.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight. Chilling the dough is essential; it solidifies the butter, which prevents the cookies from spreading into thin discs, and it allows the flavors to deepen.

Shape and Bake

Preheat your oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Scoop the dough into balls, about 2-3 tablespoons each. Place them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a couple of inches between them. Sprinkle the top of each dough ball with a pinch of flaky sea salt.

Bake for ~12-15 minutes, until the edges are golden brown but the centers still look slightly soft and underdone.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack. They need this time to set up.

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Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

The process of browning the butter is what gives these cookies their characteristic nutty, deep caramel flavor. There’s also a specific whisking technique that helps create a shiny, crackly top. The sprinkle of sea salt at the end is not optional; it’s necessary to balance the sweetness and amplify the other flavors.

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Chill Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 35 minutes minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups AP flour
• 1/2 cup bread flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• 14 tbsp unsalted butter 1 3/4 sticks
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp dark rum optional
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 6 oz bittersweet chocolate 60-70% cacao, chopped
• 6 oz milk chocolate chopped
• Flaky sea salt for sprinkling

Method

• Brown 10 tbsp butter in light skillet over medium heat until nutty and speckled; transfer to large bowl.
• Add remaining 4 tbsp cold butter to hot brown butter, stir until melted.
• Whisk together flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in separate bowl.
• Mix sugars, vanilla, and rum (if using) into butter until smooth.
• Add egg and yolk, whisk 30 seconds. Let stand 3 minutes. Repeat whisking and standing twice more until thick and glossy.
• Fold in flour mixture until barely combined, then mix in both chocolates.
• Chill dough at least 1 hour.
• Heat oven to 375F. Line baking sheet with parchment.
• Scoop 2-3 tbsp dough balls onto sheet. Sprinkle with sea salt.
• Bake 12-15 minutes until edges golden but centers soft.
• Cool 5 minutes on sheet before transferring to rack.

Notes

Chilling dough prevents spreading and develops flavor.

Can chill up to overnight.