Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies-The extra steps are worth it.

Whenever I have seen recipes that call for brown butter, I have always skipped them. Not thinking that the extra step of browning the butter was worth it. Boy, was I wrong. Recently, I tried making Sally McKenney's Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies from Sally's Baking Addiction, and they were the best chocolate chip cookies I have ever made. It is obvious why it is such a popular recipe and why it has earned a devoted following among home bakers.  With rich brown butter, chewy centers, crisp edges, and pools of melted chocolate, these cookies elevate a beloved classic into something unforgettable.

Browning the butter makes the magic. 

As butter cooks, the milk solids caramelize, developing a deep, nutty flavor that adds incredible complexity to the cookie dough. The result is a cookie with notes of toffee, caramel, and roasted nuts that perfectly complement rich chocolate and pure vanilla.

While the original recipe called for one teaspoon of cornstarch, I didn't have any in our pantry, so I skipped it, and the cookies still turned out great. Cornstarch makes a more tender crumb when you add it to cookie recipes. 

This recipe does call for patience. After you make the brown butter, it is recommended that you chill it before using it in the recipe, and after you make the dough, you chill the dough for two to three hours before baking the cookies. You know what they say, that good things come to those who wait, and it is totally true with this recipe. You will be rewarded with cookies that look like you got them from a bakery. 

All the extra steps were worth it. I am a brown butter believer.

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Inspired by Sally's Baking Addiction Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter

• 1 cup (200g) packed brown sugar

• ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar

• 1 large egg

• 1 large egg yolk

• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Bean Project Pure Vanilla Extract 

• 2½ cups (313g) all-purpose flour
  

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 1½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

• Flaky sea salt for finishing (optional)

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking until golden brown and fragrant, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and cool for 10–15 minutes. Once it is at room temperature, put it in the refrigerator to cool.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Add the cooled brown butter and mix until combined.

3. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.

6. Fold in the chocolate chips.

7. Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 2–3 hours, or overnight for even deeper flavor.

8. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

9. Scoop approximately 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie and place on prepared baking sheets.

10. Bake for 11–13 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden but the centers still look slightly soft.

11. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Yield

Approximately 24 cookies.