Ready to level up your baking game? Browning the butter is an easy technique that adds incredible depth to this Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. The toasted milk solids infuse the dough with a deep, caramelized, and nutty aroma, giving the final cookie a professional-level flavor. Follow these steps for the perfect balance of chewy, crispy, and irresistible chocolate indulgence.

TYPE DESSERT
SERVES 24 COOKIES
DIFFICULTY MEDIUM
PREP TIME 25 MINUTES
COOK TIME 10-12 MINUTES
A person in a striped shirt prepares cookies in a bright kitchen. A baking tray with cookies and a mixing bowl with dough are on the counter.A person in a striped shirt prepares cookies in a bright kitchen. A baking tray with cookies and a mixing bowl with dough are on the counter.

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 ¼ cup of All Purpose flour (280 grams)
  • 1 tsp of baking soda
  • ½ tsp of salt

Wet Ingredients

  • 1 cup of unsalted butter, browned
  • ¾ cup packed dark brown sugar (150 grams)
  • ½ cup of granulated sugar (100 grams)
  • 2 tsp of vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs room temperature

Add-ins

  • 1 ½ cups (255 grams) semisweet or dark chocolate chips or chunks
  • Optional: ½ cup of toasted pecans or walnuts
  • Flake sea salt (for topping, optional)

 

Directions

Brown the Butter:

  1. Using your All-Clad saucepan or skillet, melt the butter. Stir constantly.
  2. The butter will melt, then foam, then sizzle. Continue cooking and stirring.
  3. Once the sizzling quiets down, tiny golden-brown specks (toasted milk solids) will form at the bottom, and the butter will give off a rich, nutty, caramel-like aroma. This happens quickly, so watch it closely to prevent burning.
  4. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and pour the browned butter, along with all the brown specks, into a heatproof mixing bowl.
  5. Let the butter cool for 10–15 minutes until it is no longer hot to the touch.

Mix the Dough:

  1. To the cooled brown butter, whisk in the brown sugar and granulated sugar until the mixture is smooth.
  2. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
  4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring only until just combined and no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix or the cookies will be tough.
  5. Fold in the chocolate chips/chunks and any optional nuts.

Chill & Bake

  1. Chilling (Recommended): Cover the dough and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight. This deepens the flavor and controls the cookie spread.
  2. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. Scoop the dough into 2 tablespoon-sized balls and place them on the sheet, spaced about 2 inches apart.
  4. Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers are still slightly soft and puffed.
  5. Immediately upon removing the pan from the oven, sprinkle the cookies with flake sea salt, if desired.
  6. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Pro Tip

The whole point of this recipe is the nutty, toffee-like flavor of the brown butter. To make sure you get the most out of it, focus on the butter's temperature when you mix the dough.

The Tip: Don't Let the Brown Butter Get Too Hot or Too Cold.

  • Too Hot: If the browned butter is too warm (over 90∘F or 32∘C) when you mix it with the sugar, it will melt the sugar crystals. This leads to a thin, greasy dough and cookies that spread too much.
  • Too Cold: If the butter cools down too much and re-solidifies before you mix it, you won't be able to cream it with the sugars properly. This results in a crumbly dough texture.

The Sweet Spot:

The ideal temperature is cool but still liquid (around 75∘F to 85∘F or 24∘C to 29∘C). It should feel slightly warmer than room temperature, but definitely not warm to the touch.

If you rush the cooling process, you can place the bowl in a cold water bath (an ice bath is too quick) for a few minutes. If it accidentally solidifies, just microwave it for 5-10 seconds to loosen it up again, then mix!

 

Chef Derek, dressed in an apron, is positioned in a kitchen, highlighting his identity as an All-Clad home chef.Chef Derek, dressed in an apron, is positioned in a kitchen, highlighting his identity as an All-Clad home chef.

RECIPE BY

All-Clad Resident Chef Derek Finocchiaro

All-Clad’s Resident Chef Derek has been working with flavors and fragrance for his entire career. Finding a path from perfumery to food, Derek competed on numerous amateur cooking shows which led him to the All-Clad Test kitchen. Here he excels in creating new recipes, blogs, video demos, and food photography for our consumers.