Best Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies (Chewy & Nutty!)

What takes a classic chocolate chip cookie from simply good to absolutely unforgettable? Is it the perfect ratio of chewy center to crisp edge? The size of the chocolate pools? Or maybe, just maybe, it’s a secret ingredient that adds an incredible depth of nutty, caramelized flavor you just can’t quite place?

If you’re nodding along, then you need to try these Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies. The simple, magical step of browning the butter transforms it into liquid gold, infusing the dough with a rich, toffee-like aroma that elevates the humble cookie into a gourmet experience. Paired with generous chunks of semi-sweet chocolate and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, this recipe creates a cookie that is sophisticated, deeply flavorful, and utterly addictive.

Ingredients

The star of this recipe is the browned butter, complemented by dark brown sugar and hefty chocolate chunks. Using room temperature eggs and good quality chocolate makes a difference!

Ingredient	Amount/Quantity	Notes
Unsalted Butter, cut into pieces	12 Tbsp. (1.5 sticks)	Cutting helps it brown evenly
Dark Brown Sugar, packed	1 cup	Light brown sugar works too
Granulated Sugar	½ cup
Large Egg	1	Room temperature
Large Egg Yolk	1	Room temperature (adds richness & chewiness)
Whole Milk	2 Tbsp.	Room temperature
Pure Vanilla Extract	1 Tbsp.
All-Purpose Flour	2 ⅔ cups	Spooned into the cup & leveled, not scooped
Salt	1 tsp.	Balances sweetness
Baking Soda	1 tsp.	For leavening and spread
Baking Powder	½ tsp.	For extra lift
Semi-Sweet Chocolate Bars (4 oz each)	2 (8 oz total), coarsely chopped	Divided use (¾ cup in dough, rest for topping)
Flaky Sea Salt	For finishing (optional)	Enhances flavor, adds texture

Timing

While browning the butter adds a few extra minutes, the depth of flavor it provides is absolutely worth it. Note the slight cooling time for the butter.

• Preparation Time: 25 minutes (includes browning & cooling butter)
• Cooking Time: 10-11 minutes per batch
• Total Time: Approximately 45 minutes (plus cooling time for cookies)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps carefully, especially the butter browning, for the ultimate cookie experience.

Step 1: Preheat Oven and Prepare Pans

First, arrange your oven racks to the middle positions and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. This prevents sticking and promotes even baking.

Step 2: Brown the Butter (The Secret Weapon!)

Place the cut butter pieces into a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Melt the butter, then continue cooking, swirling the pan occasionally. The butter will foam, then subside, and you’ll see golden-brown milk solids forming at the bottom. Once it smells nutty and fragrant and is a deep amber color (about 5-8 minutes), immediately remove it from the heat and pour it into a heatproof bowl, scraping all those flavorful browned bits in too. Let the brown butter cool for about 10-15 minutes.

• Actionable Tip: Use a light-colored pan so you can easily monitor the color change. Watch it constantly – brown butter can turn into burnt butter very quickly!

Step 3: Mix Wet Ingredients

this now & bake later ❤️

Once the brown butter has cooled slightly (it should still be liquid but not piping hot), pour it into a large mixing bowl. Add the packed dark brown sugar and granulated sugar. Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the sugars into the butter until combined. Add the room temperature egg, egg yolk, milk, and vanilla extract. Beat again until the mixture is well incorporated and smooth.

• Actionable Tip: Room temperature eggs and milk incorporate much better into the warm butter mixture, creating a smoother, more stable dough.

Step 4: Combine Dry Ingredients and Mix Dough

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Add these dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the large bowl. Using a spatula or wooden spoon (or the mixer on low speed), fold or mix the ingredients just until combined. The dough will seem a bit crumbly at first, but keep mixing gently – it will come together.

• Actionable Tip: Do not overmix! Mix only until the last streaks of flour disappear. Overmixing develops gluten, leading to tough cookies instead of chewy ones. If the dough feels exceptionally dry after mixing, add one more splash (about 1 tsp) of milk.

Step 5: Add Chocolate Chunks

Coarsely chop your semi-sweet chocolate bars into various sized chunks. Add about ¾ cup of these chocolate chunks to the dough and gently fold them in until evenly distributed. Reserve the remaining chocolate chunks for topping the cookies.

• Actionable Tip: Using chopped chocolate bars instead of chips creates those irresistible pools of melted chocolate and gives the cookies a more rustic, gourmet look.

Step 6: Shape and Top the Cookies

Scoop the dough into balls, about 2-3 tablespoons each (a medium cookie scoop works well). Take one dough ball and gently dunk or press the top into the reserved chopped chocolate, ensuring plenty of chunks adhere to the surface. You might need to gently flatten the top slightly first. Place the topped cookie dough ball onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, placing about 6 cookies per sheet, leaving space for spreading. (This recipe should yield around 22 cookies).

• Actionable Tip: This step of adding extra chocolate on top guarantees those beautiful, bakery-style puddles of chocolate right on the surface. Don’t skip it!

Step 7: Bake to Chewy Perfection

Bake one sheet at a time for 10-11 minutes. The edges should be lightly golden brown, but the centers should still look slightly soft and underbaked (gooey-looking is good!). They will continue to bake and set up on the hot baking sheet after you remove them from the oven.

• Actionable Tip: For perfectly round cookies, as soon as they come out of the oven, take a round cookie cutter or the rim of a glass that’s slightly larger than the cookie and gently swirl it around the edges of each cookie to nudge them into a perfect circle. Work quickly while they are hot!

Step 8: Cool and Garnish

Let the Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies rest on the baking sheet for just 2-3 minutes. This allows them to firm up slightly. Then, carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. While they are still warm, sprinkle the tops lightly with flaky sea salt, if desired.

• Actionable Tip: The flaky sea salt is optional but highly recommended! It enhances the chocolate flavor, balances the sweetness, and adds a delightful little crunch.

Nutritional Information

Nutritional information is an estimate per cookie, assuming the recipe yields 22 cookies. Values can vary based on specific ingredients used.

• Calories: Approx. 250-280 kcal
• Protein: 2-3 g
• Carbohydrates: 30-35 g
• Fat: 12-15 g
• Saturated Fat: 7-9 g
• Sugar: 18-22 g

Healthier Alternatives

While these are indulgent cookies, here are a few potential modifications:

• Flour: Substitute up to 1 cup of the all-purpose flour with white whole wheat flour for added fiber (this may result in a slightly denser cookie).
• Sugar Reduction: You can slightly reduce the granulated sugar (by about ¼ cup), but significant reductions may affect the texture and spread.
• Chocolate Choice: Use a high-quality dark chocolate (70% cacao or higher) which typically contains less sugar than semi-sweet.

Serving Suggestions

These cookies are a treat all on their own but also pair wonderfully with beverages.

• Classic Comfort: Enjoy a warm cookie fresh from the oven with a tall glass of cold milk – unbeatable!
• Coffee Companion: The nutty brown butter and rich chocolate flavors are fantastic alongside a cup of coffee or espresso.
• Ice Cream Sandwiches: Sandwich a scoop of vanilla bean or coffee ice cream between two cooled cookies for an extra decadent dessert.
• Gift Giving: Package these beautiful cookies in a tin or box tied with a ribbon – they make a wonderful homemade gift!

Common Mistakes to Avoid

For the best brown butter cookie results, watch out for these common issues:

• Burning the Butter: Browned butter adds amazing flavor; burnt butter tastes bitter. Solution: Watch the butter constantly while it’s on the heat, swirl the pan, and remove it immediately once it smells nutty and reaches a deep amber color.
• Overmixing the Dough: Leads to tough cookies. Solution: Mix the dry ingredients in just until combined. Stop mixing when you still see a few small streaks of flour.
• Overbaking: Results in dry, hard cookies instead of chewy ones. Solution: Pull the cookies from the oven when the centers still look slightly soft and underdone. They will finish setting on the hot pan.
• Skipping Room Temperature Ingredients: Cold eggs or milk won’t incorporate smoothly into the warm butter mixture. Solution: Let eggs and milk sit out for about 30-60 minutes before starting.

Storing Tips

Proper storage keeps these cookies tasting fresh and chewy.

• Room Temperature: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will stay fresh and delicious for up to 5 days. Adding a slice of sandwich bread to the container can help keep them soft.
• Freezing Baked Cookies: Freeze cooled cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
• Freezing Dough: Scoop the dough balls (with the chocolate topping pressed on), freeze them solid on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag. You can bake directly from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the baking time.

Conclusion

These Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies are truly something special. That extra step of browning the butter transforms a simple cookie into a sophisticated treat with incredible depth of flavor. With their chewy centers, crisp edges, pools of melted chocolate, and hint of flaky salt, they are guaranteed to become your new go-to recipe for impressing guests or simply treating yourself. Give them a try – you won’t regret it!

Ready to experience the magic of brown butter? Bake a batch and let us know what you think in the comments below! We love hearing your feedback. Don’t forget to rate the recipe and subscribe for more irresistible cookie creations!

FAQs

Q1: Do I have to brown the butter?

While you could make these with just melted butter, you would miss out on the signature nutty, toffee-like flavor that makes these cookies exceptional. Browning the butter is highly recommended and is what sets this recipe apart.

Q2: Can I use chocolate chips instead of chopped chocolate bars?

Yes, you can substitute chocolate chips if that’s what you have. However, chopped chocolate bars melt differently, creating those desirable larger pools and pockets of melted chocolate throughout the cookie, which many people prefer for this style of cookie.

Q3: Do I need to chill the dough?

This specific recipe doesn’t require a long chilling time because the slightly cooled brown butter helps solidify the dough somewhat. However, if your dough feels extremely soft or sticky after mixing, you can chill it for 30 minutes before scooping to make it easier to handle.

Q4: Why use an extra egg yolk?

The additional egg yolk adds extra fat and richness to the dough. This contributes to a chewier texture and helps prevent the cookies from becoming dry or cakey.

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