Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (and I had a baby!)
This is my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe! I’ve been perfecting this recipe for years and finally have it exactly how I want it. Tender, soft, chewy cookies, with a huge flavor boost from browning the butter. Oh, and tons of chocolate chips. Duh.
We had a baby! Her name is Valentine!
Isn’t she so cute?? If you don’t think so, don’t tell me. Also, you’re wrong. She’s perfect!!
Charlotte thinks so too. I’ve never seen a kid more obsessed about anything. This is what she looks like pretty much all the time:
Poor Truman developed croup a few days after she was born, so his introduction to being a big brother has consisted of, “Don’t cough on the baby!” “No, it’s NOT okay to put your fingers in her mouth!” Poor kid. He’s being a good sport about it.
Eric and I announced that she was born on Facebook at about the same time, and when I got more “likes” then he did, he was like “psshh…it’s cause you did the black and white.”
All the ups and downs of having a newborn are quickly coming back to us. The baby smell. The crying. The tiny hands and toes. The lack of sleep. The impossible expansion of your heart. There’s really nothing quite like it. We are so lucky!
Also, can I just tell you my favorite part about having a baby: it’s not being pregnant anymore. Can I get an amen.
I could go on forever, but I promise I have a recipe for you today! It’s a classic. I’m embarrassed that it’s not on the blog, because I make these ALL the time. It’s slightly adapted from a recipe which years ago I called My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies. But now that’s a lie. This one is my new favorite. I mean how can you argue with browned butter?
This stuff is where the magic happens, guys. It just adds this incredible layer of flavor that you don’t get in normal chocolate chip cookies. It’s not a different flavor; they still taste like buttery chocolate chip cookies. They just taste like the best chocolate chip cookies you’ve ever had. So soft! So tender! So chocolate-y! So, so flavorful.
These are BIG cookies. I use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to shape the dough. I shape the dough as shown above. It’s an oval, not a sphere, meaning they don’t spread quite as much, and you get a perfectly thick and chewy cookie. Chilling the dough also helps them keep their shape in the oven. Since we start the recipe with hot butter, you will have a warm cookie dough. (It’s delicious and I eat the stuff with a spoon. No apologies.) But warm cookie dough can’t go straight into the oven; you have to chill it. You can either throw it in the fridge for a couple hours, or shape the dough and freeze for half an hour. Either way works great.
I almost never bake an entire batch of cookies. I make the dough, bake up a pan to eat right away, then shape the rest of the dough and freeze it in a ziplock. We almost always have frozen cookie dough in the freezer, shaped and ready to go. I don’t even thaw them before I bake, just throw them on the pan completely frozen and add 2-5 minutes to the normal bake time. It’s a dangerous habit, let me tell you. I’m always a 350 degree wait time away from warm chocolate chip cookies.
Let me know if you try these out! I hope you love them as much as I do. I’ll be back later this week with more Thanksgiving recipes! Have a great Monday everyone!
Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | Twitter
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (and I had a baby!)
Ingredients
- 1 & 1/2 cups salted butter, 3 sticks
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 & 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 4 & 1/2 cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled*
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, **
- 2 & 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus more to top cookies
Instructions
- Add the butter to a medium pot or skillet, preferably one that is light in color (so you can see the color of the butter). Turn the heat to medium.
- Cook, stirring every 1-2 minutes with a wooden spoon. After a couple minutes, the butter will start to foam. Keep watching it. Eventually the butter will turn brown and you will see tiny brown specks. The smell will turn nutty. You might not be able to see the color under the foam very well, which is part of the reason you need to stir. Once it is brown and it looks silty at the bottom, it is done.
- Immediately pour the browned butter into a large bowl or stand mixer. Add the white sugar and brown sugar and beat well.
- With the beaters on, add the eggs. (If you don't have enough hands for this, then wait a few minutes to let the butter mixture cool so you don't curdle your eggs. Or you could beat the eggs in a separate bowl and then add them all at once.)
- Add the vanilla and stir.
- Add half the flour, but don't stir. Use a small spoon to stir the baking soda and salt into the flour, then beat the flour into the dough.
- Add the remaining flour and stir, but stop when the dough is still dry and you can still see flour.
- Add all the chocolate chips. Stir together just until the flour is incorporated. Do not over beat.
- At this point you need to chill the dough. You can cover the bowl and throw it in the fridge for 1-2 hours. (or up to 24 hours!) Or you can shape the dough as described below and freeze for 30 minutes (or refrigerate for 30-45 minutes.) Shape the dough and place it right on the pan if you have room in your freezer, otherwise put them in ziplocks to freeze them.***
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with silpats or parchment paper.
- To shape the dough, use a 1/4 measuring cup. Form the dough into an egg shape (as opposed to a sphere). Place the dough on the prepared cookie sheets, with at least 2 inches between each cookie.
- Bake at 350 for about 11-14 minutes. Your bake time will depend on your method and length of chilling, so keep an eye on them so they don't get overdone.
- Take the cookies out when they are just barely starting to turn golden on top, and the centers are not shiny (or, if you like really soft cookies, a little shine is okay.)
- Immediately after taking them out of the oven, use your fingers to push several chocolate chips into the tops of each cookie.
- Let them set up on the pan for 5 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack.
- Eat these cookies with milk!!
Notes
Nutrition
Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies: << these are so perfect for Christmas!
Skinny Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies: << These are perfect for when you need to cut calories but need a chocolate fix!
Texas Cowboy Cookies: << These cookies have been so popular this fall! You will love them!
My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies << It’s a lie. Today’s recipe is my new favorite. The two are quite similar, but those few changes make a big difference!
Other chocolate chip cookies recipes to check out!
Mom’s Chocolate Chip Cookies from The Recipe Rebel
Vanilla Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies from Yummy Healthy Easy
Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies from Life Love and Sugar
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
This is truly the best chocolate chip cookie recipe. I made these for a Christmas party at work and had people coming from out of the wood work that I had never met before to get cookies because they heard about how amazing they were. I literally got a standing ovation when I walked in to the after work party at the restaurant next door. The first thing everyone says when they first pick up one of these cookies is “wow, that’s a heavy cookie” as they hold it in the palm of their hand and “weigh it” by moving their hand up and down. Haha 😄 I also got a lot of “that’s the best chocolate chip cookie I’ve ever had” and “do you sell these because you could sell these” Don’t hesitate to try this recipe and definitely do not skip browning the butter.
Haha!! I love this Pickleton! You could definitely sell these, sounds like you’ve already got a niche market ;) I’m so glad it was a success, thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review! That helps me out so much!
I love these cookies!!!! I’ll never make them without brown butter ever again!
yay! Brown butter for the win!
Since I found this recipe I only use this one for Chocolate chip cookies. I almost cried when I thought I lost it and couldn’t find it in my pinterest pins. I found it! So glad. Thanks for sharing this yummy recipe!
WHEW! What a relief Trish! Seriously there is nothing worse than losing a beloved recipe! It’s why I started my blog years ago, now I have them all in one place ;) Thanks for much for reviewing, glad you’re loving the cookies!
how long can these cookies last frozen? thinking of pre making these for a party! thanks!
Hey Jasmine! I’m not in the habit of freezing already baked cookies. What I would recommend doing is making the dough, shaping and then freezing in ziplocks bags until a couple hours before your party, then bake from frozen. It will take just a couple minutes longer bake time than the recipe says.
If that sounds like too much trouble, you can of course freeze the already baked cookies, I just don’t think they will taste quite as fresh. I hope you love the recipe!
whoops! so sorry. i meant if i were to pre make the dough. haha
Oh well perfect then! Then to answer your original question I would say they should last at least 3-6 months :)
I made these cookies yesterday for the first time. They turned out picture perfect!
My grandchildren loved the size of them!
I sprinkled them with raw sugar on the top….I don’t know why, i just like it..
Thanks so much for this recipe!
I loooove raw sugar on top of my cookies Stephanie, you’re not alone! I recently published another chocolate chip cookie that has raw sugar in the dough for a little bit of crunch, I bet you will love them: https://thefoodcharlatan.com/best-chocolate-chip-cookies/
I’m so glad the grandkids loved them! Thanks for commenting, so good to hear from you!
they look great have you make a cookie cake thanks
Hey Adela! I haven’t made this recipe into a cookie cake but I bet it would work fine. I would look up some other cookie cake recipes to get an idea of how long to bake it. Let me know how it goes!
Hi! What if I only have unsalted butter at hand? Will I keep the recipe as is or should I add salt? (Don’t want the cookies to be too sweet!)
Hey Terry! Yeah just add a little more salt. I would be conservative and add about 1/8 teaspoon salt per stick of butter. Up to 1/4 t if you love salt. Let me know how it goes!
I forgot to leave a suggestion about making these wonderful cookies (and everything else). Invest in a kitchen scale. You dirty less things and you can be sure you have the exact amount of flour (and other stuff) needed.
Amazing! I’m making them again today. If you have a dough scoop with a “20” on it, that’s a 1/4 cup. Quick and easy and I left them round. It’s my new favorite cookie recipe! Thank you, thank you. It’s all your fault if I get fat! 😉
Haha, I take all the blame Tinker! Hopefully we can all get enough cardio in that we won’t die of cookie-induced heart attacks. ;) Good tip, I need to find a cookie dough scoop with the twenty on it. And thanks for the tip about weighing ingredients, if only Americans baked that way!!!
What is the purpose of making it an egg shape??
Hey Kristin! “Tall” cookie dough balls make your cookies thicker. They don’t spread out and flatten as much in the oven. Hope this helps!
Congratulations on your new baby. I’m very disappointed that every time I try to print your recipe so I can try it tonight, on the number 2. Of instructions i get another advertisement printed across the directions. So i click it off and try to print the recipe again, but then it prints another different advertisement across the number 2. Directions instead. Ive now wasted lots of paper trying to print your recipe. Ive finally found that to avoid this i cannot use your print button on your site to print recipes. So what good is your print button on your site if it cannot be used to print a full and readable recipe???
Hey Darlene! That’s so frustrating. I’m not having any problems with the print button, there should be no ads on the print form. I’ll let me ad team know about it, thank you!
As everyone is always trying to find that perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe, this is it for me! The best recipe I’ve tried thus far! I will continue to make these. I used salted butter sticks so I don’t know if that’s why my butter didn’t brown or if I didn’t let it cook long enough, but that’s ok with me. Thanks for sharing and you have a beautiful family!
It’s like the American quest, right? Everyone has to find THEIR perfect CC cookie recipe. I’m glad we can share one! Thanks Martrisha!
I love trying new recipes, even when it’s a recipe on a classic like chocolate chip cookies. But I have to admit that I’m always a little nervous trying cookie recipes, because so many of them, especially chocolate chip, turn our terribly. They’re usually terribly flat and spread out, and look really unappealing. I went into this with low expectations. I was absolutely ecstatic when I pulled the first cookie sheet out of the oven, and saw beautifully-rounded, perfectly thick cookies! When I made these, I was rather busy in the kitchen that day, so I allowed the brown butter to cool in the fridge for probably 30 minutes. Once the dough was made, I allowed the dough to chill for 30 minutes, then I rolled them into the oval-ish balls, and then I chilled them in the fridge for a couple days. Also, I just used my 2-Tbsp cookie scoop to measure out equal portions (instead of making larger cookies), and I baked them for 11 minutes. It yielded a little more than 4 dozen. These taste delicious AND look beautiful. Definite keeper! I am happy!!
I’m so happy you liked the recipe Kristin! It’s true about never knowing if a cookie recipe is going to turn out. There are just SO many variables! But I’m glad this one worked out. Success!! Hooray! Thanks so much for coming back to comment :)
Congrats to you and your family. Happy Holidays!
Thank you so much Lori!!
Congratulations on the birth of your Cute baby girl and I Love her name!!!!!! All your children are beautiful! And the cookie recipe sounds delicious!!!!! You are truly Blessed!
Diane M.
Congrats she is beautiful and so are her siblings.
Congratulations! She is super adorbs Karen! I hear ya on bringing home a new baby and someone gets sick, it’s almost inevitable. And these cookies, gah!!!
Valentine is BEAUTIFUL! Congratulations on a healthy and beautiful baby girl!
Ahhhhh congratulations!!! She is so so precious!! And what better way to celebrate than with these awesomeeee looking cookies!
Congratulations!!! Welcoming a new baby with warm chocolate chip cookies seems really fitting- I’m sure your daughter will be eating tons of these as she grows up :)
EEEEEEEEEEKKKKK!!!!! She is absolutely positively without a doubt the most precious baby girl!! So excited for you and your entire family Karen!! I know it’ll take a while, but I really hope you’re able to get a little more sleep soon. :) And these cookies… I don’t know HOW you do it, but you always take the most gorgeous, oh so tempting photos of cookies! Your melty chips get me EVERY time!!
Your baby Valentine is perfect :) I can’t believe you posted right after you had a baby! But thanks for your sacrifice, because these cookies look BEYOND divine! I am totally making these! (And thanks for the tip about freezing them, too. Although I will have to find a deep, dark place in the freezer, or my husband will find them and eat them all frozen).
Valentine is really so appropriate for how darling and cute, she is!!!! Congrats all around!
Your kiddo’s look so pleased to see her too! Take it easy, if you can!
You are indeed so blessed this holiday season!!
Your cookies look amazing, Karen, as usual – if a person likes soft chewy cookies and not delicious amazing CRUNCHY cookies! When I come I will be making crunchy munchy cookies – just so you know. You have to take the good with the bad when your mother-in-law shows up to help with new babies.
Counting the days . . . .
She is beautiful!!
These cookies have ROLLS! I love it. It looks really similar to my favorite, but I haven’t tried it with browned butter yet. Lordy, that sounds dangerously good! Your sweet little one is adorable. Enjoy her and enjoy not being pregnant! WAHOO!
Congratulations! What a precious and beautiful little doll Valentine is!!
Congrats guys!! She is so precious and beautiful!! Love her name too! Thank you for the cookies and all you do for us. You are awesome Karen! Prayers, love and Hugs!
congratulations! and she IS adorable. like, factually. an unbiased stranger on the internet says so! because not that i would ever EVER say out loud (even to myself when no one was home) that someone’s baby wasn’t cute, i mean…remember that seinfeld episode about the baby that…wasn’t cute? nevermind. she’s adorable and i’m so happy you’re all safe and sound and happy!
and omg COOKIES.
Congrats on your new bundle of joy. She is absolutely gorgeous! Enjoy every second!
Ya, these cookies are gorgeous, and delicious, and amazing and all. BUT WHEN DO I GET TO HOLD VALENTINE???
Congratulations Karen and Eric. Beautiful pictures. And yes bonus points for the nice black and white photos.
All your children are beautiful! Congratulations!
Your baby girl is absolutely gorgeous!! Such a nice family. And I can’t WAIT to make these cookies, lol!! Thank you for sharing your life with us.
CONGRATULATIONS! What a beautiful, precious baby. Enjoy! And … the cookies look amazing too :)
Congrats on the new little bundle, such a beautiful family!!! And I am SOOO updating my chocolate chip cookie recipe to this :)
Congratulations!! Valentine is just beautiful!! Those cookies look so good, gonna have to try them even though browning butter scares me!!
How Wonderful!!! Baby Valentine is beautiful, but so is Charlotte and of course handsome Truman. Charlotte and Truman will be fantastic big sister and big brother. I have 4 (grown) children and 2 grandchildren. There is nothing more wonderful. The cookies look so delicious, I want to make them right now. It will happen sometime this week. Thank you so much for sharing. You’re not new at being a Mommy, but make sure you take time for you. That is a hard thing to do for Moms.
Your family is beautiful. And your new little precious lady is gorgeous! Enjoy and be happy. I love all your recipes and have tried many. All yummy!