Fluffy Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
If you’ve never had a brown butter chocolate chip cookie, I urge you to reevaluate. There is, straight up, nothing like it. I remember the first time I had one for myself, and the impact it had on my life can’t be undersold... Not to be dramatic or anything.
When I was 20, my family took a weekend trip to the Lake of the Ozarks.
We decided it was a pizza for dinner kind of night, and hit up a local brick oven pizza joint. The pizza was great, but pizza isn’t quite what you’re here for. That night, it was the cookies that stole the show. The waiter brought out a plate of 12 brown butter chocolate chip cookies for dessert, each one filled with chocolate and sprinkled with sea salt. Needless to say, we wasted no time cleaning the plate for them.
Those darn cookies, ya’ll. They changed me. There’s just something about brown butter that can take a good experience and make it 5 stars. Since then, chocolate chip cookies just gotta have brown butter in them to be the best for me.
This recipe uses half brown butter, half regular melted butter. Brown butter is great for flavor, while the regular butter helps keep the good texture. Then add salt, and chocolate, and all the good cookie stuff, and you’ve got a winner.
These cookies are fluffy and cakey, though I’m sure I’ll do a classic soft and chewy version down the line. This particular day, I just wanted a “melt in your mouth” texture, and these delivered.
So, whip up a batch and watch your life change!
With love,
Your Baker- Hannah
Convinced it’s time for some homemade cookies? Here’s a grocery list of everything you’re gonna need!
Ingredients for Pumpkin Pie Shortbread Cookies:
Salted Butter
All-Purpose Flour
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
Salt
Brown Sugar
Granulated Sugar
Eggs
Vanilla Extract
Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Bars
Flaky Sea Salt
(To make it even easier, you can hit the “Get Ingredients” button inside the recipe, and these items will be added straight to your shopping cart at the grocery store of your choice.)
Substitute Ingredients:
Butter: Unsalted butter with an added pinch of salt or plant-based butter for a dairy-free option.
Brown Sugar: Replace with coconut sugar or use white sugar with molasses.
Ghirardelli Chocolate: Substitute with any semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks, or a mix of milk and dark chocolate.
What Tools Do You Need for Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies?
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Step-by-Step Summary for Baking Chocolate Chip Cookies:
First, brown one stick of butter on the stove until it is golden and nutty. Melt the second stick of butter separately. Mix both melted butters with the sugars, then add the eggs and vanilla.
In another bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt). Combine the dry and wet mixtures, then fold in chopped chocolate.
After chilling the dough, scoop it onto cookie sheets and bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt after baking.
FAQs About Baking Chocolate Chip Cookies:
Why Did My Cookies Spread Too Much? This can happen if the dough isn’t chilled long enough, or if there’s too much butter.
Can I Use Chocolate Chips Instead of Bars? Yes, chocolate chips are a great substitute and provide uniform pieces.
Why Are My Cookies Dry? Overbaking or not enough fat in the dough can lead to dry cookies.
Tips for Baking a Perfectly Fluffy Chocolate Chip Cookie:
Don’t skip chilling the dough—this helps the cookies retain their shape.
Cream the butter and sugar properly to create a fluffy texture.
Avoid overmixing once the dry ingredients are added, as it can make cookies dense.
How to Prevent Brown Butter from Burning:
Stir constantly, especially as the butter starts to foam.
Watch for a nutty aroma and a golden brown color—remove from heat immediately when these appear.
Use a light-colored pan to easily monitor the color change.
How to Freeze Unbaked Cookie Dough:
Scoop cookie dough into individual portions, place on a baking sheet, and freeze until solid.
Once frozen, transfer dough balls to an airtight container or zip-top bag, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To bake, add an extra minute or two to the baking time when using frozen dough.
Recipe for Fluffy Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies:
Fluffy Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Using a sharp knife, chop both chocolate bars into bite sized pieces. (They do not have to be uniform. A little difference in size between the pieces is encouraged.)
- In a small saucepan, take one stick of butter and place it over high heat until it beings to foam and obtain a nutty fragrance. Wait a few more seconds for the butter to start browning, and immediately remove it from the heat. (Brown butter can burn quickly. It is important to keep an eye on it. The butter should come out golden brown.)
- Take the remaining stick of butter, and melt it in the microwave.
- In a large mixing bowl, place granulated sugar, brown sugar, brown butter, and melted butter, and mix until well combined.
- To the mixture, add eggs and vanilla. Switch to an electric hand mixer, and mix the butter, sugar, vanilla and eggs until it gets slightly foamy. (You do not want to beat too much air into them, but you are looking for a slightly foamy layer to begin forming on the top.)
- In a separate bowl, mix all dry ingredients remaining (flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda). Add the dry ingredients to the eggs, sugar, and butter.
- Stir all ingredients until a dough begins to come together. Add all of the chocolate chunks, and continue stirring until a cookie dough is formed.
- Place dough in the fridge for 20-30 minutes to rest and chill.
- Once chilled, scoop 24 cookies onto 2 separate cookie sheets, and place in the pre-heated oven to bake until golden brown and puffy. Around 8-10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle each cookie with a pinch of sea salt. Allow to cool and enjoy!
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