Name: Classic Chewy Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 3 h 27 min
Yield: 16 large bakery cookies
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup (2 sticks; 227g) unsalted butter, cubed; 2 cups (312g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled; 1 teaspoon baking soda; ½ teaspoon kosher salt; 1 cup (200g) dark brown sugar, packed; ⅓ cup (67g) granulated sugar; 2 large eggs, room temperature; 1 teaspoon (15ml) milk; 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 8 ounces semi-sweet baking bars, roughly chopped, plus more for topping; 1 Flaky sea salt, for finishing; 1 Flour: For the most reliable results, weigh the flour. If measuring by volume, use the spoon-and-level method. This recipe also works well with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour.; 1 Brown Sugar: Dark brown sugar provides extra molasses, which contributes to the rich flavor and chewy texture. Light brown sugar can also be used, although the cookies will be slightly lighter in color and flavor.; 1 Chocolate: Roughly chopped semi-sweet baking bars create a combination of small chocolate pieces and larger melted chocolate pockets. Extra chocolate can be pressed onto the tops of the cookies before baking.

Classic Chewy Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Classic Chewy Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies are everything you want in a homemade cookie: crisp golden edges, soft and chewy centers, gooey pockets of melted chocolate, and an irresistible nutty flavor from browned butter. Chilling the dough helps develop a deeper flavor while keeping the cookies thick and chewy.

Why This Recipe Works

The secret to these chewy chocolate chip cookies is the combination of rich brown butter, dark brown sugar, and plenty of chopped semi-sweet chocolate. Browning the butter adds a deep caramelized, nutty flavor, while dark brown sugar helps keep the centers soft and chewy. Chilling the dough also allows the flavors to develop and prevents the cookies from spreading too quickly in the oven.

Tips to Make This Recipe

Weigh the flour: A kitchen scale gives the most consistent baking results. If using measuring cups, spoon the flour into the cup and level it with a knife.
Watch the butter closely: Brown butter can go from perfectly toasted to burnt quickly. Remove it from the heat as soon as the milk solids turn deep amber and smell nutty.
Use dark brown sugar: Its higher molasses content gives these cookies a deeper flavor and chewier texture.
Don't skip the chill time: Chilling the dough improves the flavor and helps the cookies maintain a thick, chewy center.
Use chopped chocolate: Roughly chopped baking bars create larger melted chocolate pockets throughout the cookies.
Don't overbake: The edges should be golden brown while the centers look just set. The cookies will continue to firm up as they cool.
Finish with flaky sea salt: A small sprinkle of flaky salt balances the sweetness and brings out the chocolate and brown butter flavors.
Gluten-free option: A good 1:1 gluten-free baking flour can be substituted for all-purpose flour.

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Chef's Tip

The biggest secret to bakery-style brown butter chocolate chip cookies is controlling the butter and the bake time. Keep stirring the butter as it browns and watch for deep amber milk solids and a toasted, nutty aroma. Once the butter reaches that stage, immediately remove it from the heat and transfer it to a bowl so it doesn't continue cooking in the hot saucepan. When baking, pull the cookies from the oven when the edges are golden but the centers are still slightly soft. Letting them rest on the hot baking sheet for a few minutes allows the centers to finish setting while keeping them deliciously chewy.