The Ultimate Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Get ready to experience cookie bliss with these Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies. These delightful treats are a cookie lover’s dream, boasting golden brown edges that provide a satisfying crunch while the centers remain irresistibly soft and chewy. With their generous size and luxurious texture, these cookies epitomize bakery perfection.

Welcome to the ultimate chocolate chip cookie extravaganza! Today, we’re diving into a culinary adventure that will forever change your perception of the humble chocolate chip cookie. These delightful treats will be your little “cookie monster’s” new obsession, offering a perfect combination of chewy, flavorful dough and rich, melty chocolate chips. You might have to hide a batch to ensure there’s some left for yourself.

Picture this: a cookie with a crispy golden-brown exterior that leads to a chewy and gooey center bursting with melty chocolate goodness. The best part? These brown butter chocolate chip cookies are incredibly easy to make. Using basic pantry ingredients and following a few simple steps, you’ll have a batch of these spectacular chocolate cookies ready to devour. You won’t believe how amazing they turned out!

A blend of brown sugar, white sugar, and brown butter creates a caramel-like flavor. Vanilla extract enhances the overall taste, while eggs produce a soft and tender texture. For those seeking an extra burst of chocolate goodness, a hint of espresso powder can be added to make the chocolate flavors shine.

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Ingredients:

To make the best-ever brown butter chocolate chip cookies, you’ll need these pantry staples.

Brown Butter – Brown butter is regular butter that has been melted and cooked until the milk solids caramelize, imparting a golden color and a toasted, nutty flavor. This French technique intensifies the buttery flavor and adds a delightful nutty aroma to the chocolate chip cookies, elevating their taste to an entirely different level.

Brown Sugar – Brown sugar is a key ingredient that adds moisture, sweetness, and caramel-like flavor to the cookies. Also, it contributes to chocolate chip cookies’ soft and chewy texture.

White Sugar – White sugar sweetens the cookies and balances the flavors. It also creates a crispy exterior while adding structure to the dough.

Vanilla Extract – Vanilla extract enhances the cookie flavor profile. It adds a sweet and aromatic essence that complements the chocolate and butter, resulting in a more complex and delicious cookie.

Eggs – Eggs are crucial to binding the ingredients together and providing structure to the cookies. They add moisture and richness to the dough, creating a soft and tender texture.

Espresso Powder (Optional) – If you want to intensify the rich chocolate flavor in your brown butter chocolate chip cookies, espresso powder is an excellent choice. It doesn’t make the cookies taste like coffee but enhances the chocolate’s richness and depth, making it more pronounced.

Baking Soda – Baking soda is a leavening agent that helps cookies rise and spread during baking. It creates a delicate lift and contributes to the overall texture by giving the cookies a slightly puffy and soft interior.

Cornstarch – Cornstarch is a secret ingredient that adds tenderness and softness to cookies. It helps retain moisture and prevents dry or crumbly skin. The result is a perfectly chewy and delightful texture.

Flour – All-purpose flour serves as the base ingredient, providing structure and stability to the dough. It contains the necessary proteins and starches to give the cookies their structure while maintaining their shape during baking.

Chocolate Chips – The star of the show! Chocolate chips create those heavenly pockets of melty chocolate goodness in every bite. Semi-sweet chocolate chips work best for cookies. You can use milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or even a combination of both.

How to make Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Mix the brown sugar, white sugar, and brown butter in a bowl. Be sure to incorporate all the brown bits from the butter, as they impart flavor.

Add the vanilla extract to the bowl, gently mix until combined and whisk in two room-temperature eggs, one at a time.

Optionally add espresso powder to intensify the chocolate flavor and add vanilla extract and cornstarch, mixing everything for a minute or two using a spatula. Take care not to overmix.

Gradually add the flour, one cup at a time, until the dough reaches a playdoh-like consistency.

Toss in your favorite chocolate chips and gently fold the chips into the dough.

Use a spatula to mix in the chocolate chips to avoid overmixing.

Portion the cookie dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper using an ice cream scoop.

It will help the cookies bake evenly and prevent sticking.

Once the dough is portioned onto a baking sheet, it’s time to let the oven work its magic.

Preheated to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, the cookies bake for 11-12 minutes. It ensures a golden-brown exterior while keeping the centers delightfully soft and slightly undercooked – the secret to that heavenly texture.

Whether you choose to relish them freshly baked or prefer to refrigerate them for later enjoyment, they will be delicious both ways.

Store any leftovers in an airtight container to maintain freshness and savor them whenever cookie cravings strike.

Pair these Chocolate Chip Cookies with a tall glass of cold milk for the ultimate classic combination. Or get creative and serve them alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an indulgent dessert. The possibilities are endless!

Recipe Tips and Variations

Additional Toppings – For a twist on the classic recipe, consider adding chopped nuts such as walnuts or pecans to your brown butter chocolate chip cookies.

Chill the Dough – If you have time, chill the cookie dough in the freezer for 15 minutes before baking. This step helps prevent excessive spreading and ensures a thicker, chewier cookie.

Make it Vegan – To make vegan chocolate chip cookies, substitute the eggs with flaxseed eggs or applesauce. Additionally, replace the brown butter with coconut oil or vegan margarine.

Make it Gluten-Free – For a gluten-free variation, use a gluten-free flour blend instead of the all-purpose flour. Ensure that the other ingredients, such as baking soda and chocolate chips, are also gluten-free.

FAQ’s

How do I make my brown butter chocolate chip cookies chewy?

To achieve chewy brown butter chocolate chip cookies, use a higher proportion of brown sugar, which adds moisture and softness. Melted butter contributes to a denser texture, while an extra egg yolk produces extra chewier chocolate chip cookies. Additionally, using bread flour instead of all-purpose flour results in a chewier cookie texture thanks to the high protein content of bread flour.

Can I freeze cookie dough for later use?

Freezing chocolate chip cookie dough is a fantastic way to enjoy freshly baked cookies in a pinch. To freeze chocolate chip cookie dough, portion it into individual cookie-sized balls, then freeze them on a baking sheet. Once firm, transfer the frozen dough balls to a freezer-safe bag or container. Label and date the container, and store the dough in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, place the frozen dough balls on a baking sheet and bake as directed. Add a few extra minutes to the baking time.

How do I store baked brown butter chocolate chip cookies?

If you have any leftovers (which is unlikely!), store them in an airtight container at room temperature. To keep them soft and chewy, you can add a slice of bread or a piece of apple to the container. The cookies will absorb moisture from the bread or apple, keeping them fresh.