Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies
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Updated: 01/12/2024
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My Brown Butter Cookies made with chocolate chunks (or you can use chocolate chips, but I highly recommend the chunks!) have a rich, caramel-like, nutty flavor. They’re made with generous pockets of semi sweet chocolate in the cookie and more melty chocolate goodness on top!
They are thin, but not too thin, super chewy and have this wonderful depth of flavor thanks to the brown butter.
If you don’t want to fuss with browning butter, you’ll love my classic Kroll’s Kookies, my 4-in-1 Sheet Pan Cookies, or my Single Serve Chocolate Chip Cookie.
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But the brown butter is really what helps make these cookies stand out. It only takes a few extra minutes to brown butter and the results truly create an exceptional and irresistible cookie.
What is brown butter?
Brown butter is simply taking a stick of regular butter and then melting and toasting it on the stove until the milk solids turn brown. The butter simply gets heated until the water content evaporates, and those milk solids in the butter caramelize! The end result is magical, nutty, heavenly brown butter. Once you start baking with brown butter you won’t be able to stop! More details down below on how to brown butter.
How to make brown butter
It may sound intimidating, but it’s really easy, only takes a few minutes and is the backbone of these cookies. The nutty flavor compliments the cookie beautifully and I love it’s culinary use in baking so much! Let’s do it:
- Use a stainless steel skillet. This is best to easily monitor the butter’s color and gauge when the butter has browned.
- Place the unsalted butter in the cold, stainless steel skillet. Unsalted is truly best because salted butter foams more.
- Melt the butter over medium heat. Swirl the pan occasionally to help the butter melt evenly. As the butter melts, it separates into butter fat and milk solids. The milk solids will naturally sink to the bottom of the pan and begin to brown as they heat up.
- You’ll notice the butter begin to foam. This is good! The foam will begin to subside.
- Use a heat resistant spatula to continually gently stir the butter. You’ll begin to see tiny specks at the bottom of the pan, constantly stir and scrape so these don’t stick. (These are the milk solids that give brown butter its yummy flavor.)
- As soon as the butter turns chestnut brown and omits a nutty aroma, remove the pan from the heat and scrape the brown butter and all of the yummy brown bits into a heat proof bowl. It’s important to remove to a bowl immediately so the residual heat from the pan doesn’t burn the butter.
- Depending on your heat setting, this process should only take less than 10 minutes.
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Why this recipe works
- Just a touch of milk in the cookie dough batter helps keep these cookies moist and hydrates the starches in the flour.
- No chill time required!
- The brown butter enhances the flavor profile and adds depth and complexity to the cookies. This helps make them more interesting and indulgent than other cookies!
- These cookies are a bit more dense thanks to the brown butter and super chewy!
Ingredient Notes
For the ingredient measurements and entire recipe, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the blog post where the recipe card is located.
- All-Purpose Flour: All Purpose Flour provides a delicious texture and gives the cookies the perfect chewiness you love.
- Semi sweet chocolate bars: I like to use Ghirardelli.
- Unsalted Butter: The biggest benefit of unsalted butter lets you control the overall flavor of your cookies, plus we’re really focusing on the nutty brown butter in these cookies.
- Brown Sugar: I use dark brown sugar, but you can easily substitute light brown sugar.
- Granulated Sugar: granulated sugar adds to the crispiness of the cookie, and makes for a lighter colored cookie.
- Vanilla: Vanilla is a must in cookies, it adds a complex and subtle spice, and I always recommend using real vanilla extract.
- Egg & 1 egg yolk: The protein in eggs adds to a chewy texture, so adding an extra yolk, gives the cookie the extra chewiness that makes these cookies perfect.
- Milk: like I mentioned above, just a touch of milk in the cookie dough batter helps keep these cookies moist and hydrates the starches in the flour.
Step by Step Directions
For the full recipe instructions, scroll down to the bottom of the blog post to the recipe card.
- Brown the butter then set aside in a bowl to cool slightly.
- Beat in the sugars then add the eggs, milk and vanilla.
- Sift in the dry ingredients and fold to combine.
- Add 3/4 cup of the chocolate chunks.
- Scoop into balls, add more chunks on top, and bake!
Tips to make brown butter
- Use Unsalted Butter: Start with unsalted butter to have control over the final saltiness of your dish. You can always add salt later to the cookie dough to taste.
- Choose a Light-Colored Pan: Opt for a light-colored or stainless steel pan to help you monitor the color of the butter as it browns. Avoid using a dark-colored pan, as it can make it challenging to gauge the color accurately.
- Cut Butter Uniformly: Cut the butter into evenly sized pieces. Smaller pieces melt and brown more evenly. I usually cut the butter in tablespoon sized pieces.
- Low to Medium Heat: Start with low to medium heat to melt the butter slowly. This gives you better control over the browning process and reduces the risk of burning.
- Stir Constantly: Stir the butter continuously with a heat-resistant spatula or whisk. This keeps the milk solids in motion, preventing them from sticking to the bottom of the pan and promoting even browning.
- Watch for Foam and Bubbles: As the butter melts, it will foam and bubble. Continue stirring as the foam subsides and you start to see golden specks at the bottom of the pan. These specks are the browned milk solids.
- Smell the Aroma: Pay attention to the scent of the butter. When it’s close to being browned, it will develop a nutty aroma. This is a good indicator of its progress.
- Remove from Heat Promptly: As soon as the butter reaches a rich golden brown color and has a nutty scent, remove it from the heat. The browning process can happen quickly, so be attentive to avoid burning.
- Transfer Immediately: To prevent carryover cooking (which can lead to over-browning or burning), transfer the browned butter to a heatproof bowl as soon as it’s ready. Leaving it in the hot pan can cause it to continue cooking.
Variations
- Toasted Nuts: Add toasted and chopped nuts like pecans, walnuts, or almonds to your cookie dough for added crunch and flavor.
- Coconut: Incorporate shredded coconut into the dough for a tropical twist. You can use sweetened or unsweetened, depending on your preference.
- Caramel Bits: Fold in caramel bits or pieces for a gooey caramel surprise in each bite.
- Dried Fruit: Mix in dried fruits like raisins, cranberries, or chopped apricots for a chewy and fruity addition.
- Spices: Add warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom to the dough for a cozy, spiced cookie.
- Chocolate Variety: Experiment with different types of chocolate chips or chunks, such as dark chocolate, white chocolate, butterscotch chips, or even chunks of your favorite chocolate bars.
- Citrus Zest: Add citrus zest, such as orange or lemon, to brighten up the flavors and complement the richness of the brown butter.
- Espresso Powder: Incorporate a small amount of espresso powder to intensify the chocolate flavor and add a hint of coffee.
Storage and Freezing
- Store these brown butter cookies in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To freeze the cookie dough, scoop the dough into 2 Tbsp. balls, press the chocolate pieces on top and freeze in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 3 months. You can bake the frozen cookie dough from frozen, just add an extra minute or so to your bake time. Ovens vary.
- Make Ahead: You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 days. Allow to come to room temperature then continue to bake as directed.
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My Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk cookies have the perfect balance of slightly crispy edges and super soft, tender, and chewy centers. I love how the brown butter contributes to the nutty caramel notes and gives the cookies a slight denseness, which makes the cookies have a satisfying, substantial texture. You've love the semi sweet chocolate chunks in each bite and how the flaky salt adds a delicate crunch and burst of saltiness.
Ingredients
- 12 Tbsp. unsalted butter (cut into pieces (this helps it melt evenly and brown better))
- 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed (light brown will be ok too)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 1 large egg yolk (room temperature)
- 2 Tbsp. whole milk
- 1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
- 2 2/3 cups all purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 2, 4 oz. bars semi sweet chocolate, chopped, divided
- flaky sea salt, for finishing
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Brown the butter: For a detailed tutorial, see this post on how to brown butter. Allow the butter to cool slightly, ~10-15 minutes.12 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- Beat in the sugars into the brown butter using a hand mixer.1 cup dark brown sugar, packed, 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- Add in eggs, milk and vanilla. Beat again.1 large egg, 1 large egg yolk, 2 Tbsp. whole milk, 1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
- Sift in the dry ingredients and fold just until combined. (Keep stirring, the cookie dough will come together!)2 2/3 cups all purpose flour, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- Fold in only 3/4 cup of the chocolate chunks (we will use the rest of the chunks to decorate the tops). Dough should feel like cookie dough, if it feels dry still add a splash more milk and stir to combine.2, 4 oz. bars semi sweet chocolate, chopped, divided
- Dunk a cookie dough ball in the remaining chopped chocolate so the pieces cover the tops of the cookie dough balls. Press chocolate into cookie slightly just to be sure it sticks. You can slightly flatten them to get a good surface so the chocolate sticks if thats easier! Repeat with remaining cookie dough balls and place 6 cookies on a baking sheet at a time. (Should yield ~22 cookies)
- Bake for 10-11 minutes (I like to go slightly underbaked for a delicious chewy cookie, the edges should be a light golden brown and centers still a little gooey looking, they will continue to bake on baking sheet when removed from oven). Swirl a cup around the edges of the cookies to give them a perfect circular look if needed.
- Rest on cookie sheet just 2-3 minutes then gently transfer to a cooling rack to cool and garnish with flaky sea salt if desired.
Notes
Storage: Store these brown butter cookies in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 177kcal (9%), Carbohydrates: 26g (9%), Protein: 2g (4%), Fat: 7g (11%), Saturated Fat: 4g (25%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 34mg (11%), Sodium: 168mg (7%), Potassium: 39mg (1%), Fiber: 0.4g (2%), Sugar: 14g (16%), Vitamin A: 227IU (5%), Calcium: 23mg (2%), Iron: 1mg (6%)
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
This is by far the best cookie recipe I’ve ever used! Every single time they turn out fantastic, I will never be using another chocolate chip cookie recipe. My whole family loves them!
omg amazing! I am so glad. I love these ones a lot too. thank you!
Seriously the best recipe I’ve ever used.
Ahhhh, so happy to hear this, Caroline!! 🥰
This has got to be one of the most stupid recipes I have ever encountered. First of all, to have the base number be for 44 cookies is just ridiculous. Secondly, this recipe is why type 2 diabetes exist, the amount of sugar used is obscene and the amount of vanilla extract is disgusting, it’s the only thing you can taste which is not what cookies should be tasting like.
Hi Rose,
Just a quick clarification that the recipe yields 22 cookies, not 44. This is intentionally a rich, bakery-style brown butter chocolate chip cookie. The sugar and vanilla levels are balanced to support the brown butter flavor, but personal taste preferences will always vary. Thanks for giving it a try.
Best,
Tawnie
I also had issues with very firm dough so I added an extra two tablespoons of milk after it chilled overnight. It was more workable after that but they definitely didn’t flatten out. I also tested one cookie at 3 tbsp and 1/3 cup size :D. They still turned out tasty though, next time I may try less flour. Thanks!
Hi! Thanks so much for making them! The dough may have been a bit too cold and needed to get closer to room temperature prior to baking to help them spread more. So sorry about that!
Since the recipe uses melted butter I rolled the dough into cookie sized balls and then chilled the dough in the fridge to re-firm the butter and I thought they turned out amazing!!
So glad they turned out well 🙂 thank you!!
My first batch last week was phenomenal. I made some today but they spread so much! I’m pretty sure I overmixed the dry ingredients into the wet, I’ll be more careful next time since I know the end result is delicious!
So glad you loved these, Delaney!! Hopefully your next batch will be as delicious as the first! ❤️
i think spreading might be a typical result of the browned butter, i tried to chill mine in the fridge for an hour or so before baking and I didn’t encounter spreading issues. It might mess with the total baking time by a bit, though!
These were amazing. Seriously so so so good
Awww thank you so much Ally!!
ABSOLUTELY THE BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE EVER!!!!
Aw I am so glad you like them! Thank you Shannon!
Just to say that I use this recipe ALL the time and it is always a hit. I make variations on the fillings based on who I’m baking for, and it always comes out perfectly! I’ll never use another cookie recipe again.
Hi Darcy! This makes me so happy. Really glad you enjoy these ones 🙂 thank you!!
Hiiii im curious why mine wont spread ;( idk what ive done wrong i followed the recipe as is
Hi! It looks like you used chocolate chips and hershey candy. Chocolate chips have stabilizers in them that may cause the cookies to spread less. The chocolate chunks from the chocolate bars I recommend don’t have any stabilizers in them so this encourages the cookies to spread more. You also may have used too much flour. I am so sorry!
This was a simple and delicious recipe. Highly recommend it!
Thank you Diana! So happy you enjoyed them, they’re one of my favorite cookies ever!
This was the first recipe I tried during a week of different ways to bake the same cookie. Needless to say at the end of the week I came back to this recipe as my ultimate favorite! It was perfection. Moist, sweet, everything you could hope for.
Wow thank you sooo so much! 🙂 I’m so glad!