These chewy brown butter chocolate chip cookies have everything a cookie lover could desire. Bread flour gives them an unbelievably chewy texture inside and a crispy exterior, while a hint of cream keeps them soft. Every bite is a rich, buttery delicacy!
“Hello! I made these exactly as the recipe calls for and they are DELICIOUS. Great recipe.”
Liz
If you’re a chocolate chip cookie lover like me, you’ve probably baked brown butter chocolate chip cookies before. These cookies have an insanely rich butter flavor.
I know there are tons of recipes out there, but let me throw mine into the mix. This one stands out because it uses slightly burnt browned butter (yes, the magic ingredient!) and bread flour instead of the usual all-purpose flour.
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The result? A chewy bite on the inside with a crispy crust on the outside. Trust me, this recipe gives you the ultimate buttery chocolate chip cookie experience.
If you love cookiesI urge you to give this brown butter cookie recipe a try. Check out my chocolate wheat germ cookies for a healthier option or try my NYT gochujang caramel cookies for another great cookie recipe.
What is Brown Butter?
Brown butter, known as “beurre noisette” in French, is butter that has been melted and cooked until the milk solids turn golden brown, giving it a nutty flavor and aroma. It adds a rich, complex taste to both sweet and savory dishes.
How to Brown Butter for Cookies
To brown butter, start by melting unsalted butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally as it bubbles and foams, letting the water evaporate.
Continue stirring until the butter turns golden brown and you see brown specks at the bottom of the pan. It will smell nutty and fragrant.
Remove it from the heat immediately to prevent burning, and pour it into a heatproof bowl to cool slightly before using in your cookie recipe. This will add a rich, nutty flavor to your cookies.
Special Ingredients for These Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Bread Flour: Unlike the typical all-purpose flour, this recipe uses bread flour. Its high protein content creates a wonderfully chewy texture inside and a crispy exterior. Just be careful not to overmix the dough, as this can make the cookies tough.
- Lemon: Adding a hint of citrus helps cut the gluten formation during mixing, resulting in a softer cookie. The lemon adds a subtle brightness that enhances the overall flavor.
- Cream or Milk: A tablespoon of cream or milk keeps the cookies soft and chewy inside. This little addition makes a big difference in texture. Each bite is perfectly balanced between chewy and crispy.
How to make chewy brown butter chocolate chip cookies
Combine Wet Ingredients: Pour the cooled brown butter into a mixing bowl. Add the sugars, egg, egg yolk, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and cream. Beat on medium speed until the mixture is creamy.
Mix Dry Ingredients and Add-ins: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until well combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and pecans.
Shape and Chill: Scoop the dough into 3-tablespoon balls. Place them on a baking sheet and chill in the refrigerator for 60 minutes or up to 2 days.
Bake and Cool: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and place the dough balls 2 inches apart. Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until the edges are slightly golden.
Let the cookies cool on the pan for 2 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy these chewy cookies with cold milk.
Helpful Tips
- Browning the Butter: Be patient when browning the butter. It can quickly go from light brown to burnt, so remove it from the heat as soon as it turns golden.
- Cookie Scoop Size: I used a 3-tablespoon cookie scoopwhich makes slightly larger cookies than usual. If you prefer even larger cookies, use a bigger scoop, but remember they will need a longer baking time.
- Chilling the Dough: You can bake the cookies immediately, but chilling the dough for at least 1 hour helps them hold their shape better and prevents spreading. Chilling for up to 2 days will result in crispier edges and a chewier texture inside.
- Freezing Cookie Dough: The dough freezes well. Freeze individual dough balls on a tray first, then transfer them to freezer bags. This way, you can easily bake as many cookies as you need later.
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Ultimate Chewy Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
These chewy brown butter chocolate chip cookies have it all. Bread flour makes them chewy inside and crispy outside, while a hint of cream keeps them soft. Every bite is a rich, buttery delight!
- 2-1/4 cup (315 g) bread flour
- 1 tsp (6g) baking soda
- 1 tsp (5g) salt
- 1 cup (226 g) butter
- 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
- 1 cup (200 g) brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tsp (5 ml) lemon juice
- 2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) heavy cream , or milk
- 1-1/2 cup (225 g) chocolate chips
- 1/2 to 1 cup (65-125 g) chopped pecan
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Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside
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To make brown butter, put butter in a light colored pan or skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter swirling occasionally. Butter will start to foam. Whisk occasionally as the butter starts to get darker. When the color turns to a deep amber brown, remove from the heat and pour into a heat proof bowl, scrape all the brown bits on the bottom of pan and put into the bowl as well. Let the brown butter cool.
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Pour the cooled butter into a mixing bowl and add sugars, egg, egg yolk, lemon juice, vanilla extract, cream and beat until creamy in medium speed.
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Add the dry ingredients and stir well. Stir-in the chocolate chips and pecans. Scoop the dough into 3 tbsp balls. Chill the dough for 1 hour or up to 2 days.
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Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Place the dough balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, 2-inch apart, bake them for 11-13 min or until the edges turn slightly gold. Cool in pan for 2 minuted and transfer to a cooling rack.
Calories: 147kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.001g, Cholesterol: 17mg, Sodium: 152mg, Potassium: 71mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 18g, Vitamin A: 49IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 30mg, Iron: 0.3mg
