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Best Cozy Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt

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These brown butter chocolate chip cookies with sea salt are the ultimate comfort food, featuring nutty, caramel-like flavor and a perfect balance of crispy edges and a soft, chewy center. A simple yet transformative recipe that will make you believe in homemade baking again.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (2 sticks or 226 grams) unsalted butter
  • 2 ¼ cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (200 grams, packed) light brown sugar
  • ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 cups (340 grams) chocolate chips or chunks (mix of semi-sweet and dark recommended)
  • Flaky sea salt (for topping, e.g., Maldon)

Instructions

  1. Brown the butter: Place 1 cup unsalted butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Melt completely, swirling occasionally. It will foam and crackle. When foam subsides and brown specks form at the bottom, and butter smells nutty and turns golden-amber, immediately remove from heat and pour into a large heatproof bowl (including brown bits). Let cool for 10-15 minutes.
  2. Mix the wet ingredients: To the cooled brown butter, add 1 cup packed light brown sugar and ½ cup granulated sugar. Whisk vigorously until smooth, thick, and glossy. Add 2 room-temperature eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Whisk until fully combined and smooth; mixture will lighten in color.
  3. Combine the dry ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon fine sea salt until no lumps remain.
  4. Make the dough: Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, fold gently until just combined (a few streaks of flour are okay). Do not overmix. Add 2 cups chocolate chips or chunks and fold until evenly distributed.
  5. Chill the dough: Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (1 hour is better). This solidifies the brown butter, prevents excessive spreading, and melds flavors.
  6. Preheat and prepare: About 15 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  7. Scoop and bake: Using a cookie scoop or two spoons, portion dough into balls (about 1.5 tablespoons each). Place 2-3 inches apart on prepared sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until edges are golden brown and centers still look slightly soft and puffy. Do not overbake.
  8. Finish with salt: Immediately after removing from oven, sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt over each warm cookie.
  9. Cool: Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes to set, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. (Or enjoy one warm!)

Notes

Do not skip chilling the dough; it prevents flat, greasy cookies. Use a light-colored pan for browning butter to see color change. Room temperature eggs mix more evenly. For consistent results, weigh flour. If using salted butter, reduce added fine sea salt to ¼ teaspoon. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend (texture will be more cakey). Dough can be refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen as dough balls for up to 3 months. Baked cookies store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days; freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: brown butter chocolate chip cookies, sea salt cookies, easy cookie recipe, homemade cookies, comfort food, chocolate chip cookies

Find it online: https://cookluma.com/best-cozy-brown-butter-chocolate-chip-cookies-with-sea-salt/