There are cookies… and then there are the cookies — the kind that stop conversations mid-sentence, make your kitchen smell like butter and vanilla heaven, and leave everyone asking for “just one more.”
This Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe is that cookie.
We’re talking chewy centers, crisp golden edges, pools of melty chocolate, and a deep, nutty flavor that comes only from browned butter. It’s classic and elevated all at once — the cookie that makes your friends text you for the recipe before they’ve even finished eating it.
I’ve baked thousands of cookies over the years (for my bakery, Sweet Magnolia, and for fun), and this is the recipe that finally made me stop experimenting. It’s everything a perfect chocolate chip cookie should be — and it’s surprisingly easy to master.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
This cookie recipe combines everything I love about baking — nostalgia, flavor, and a touch of craft. Here’s why you’ll fall in love with it too:
- Brown butter = flavor gold. Browning butter transforms its flavor into something rich, toasty, and almost caramel-like. It’s the secret to gourmet-level cookies.
- Soft and chewy inside, crisp edges outside. The holy grail of cookie texture.
- No stand mixer needed. All you need is a bowl, whisk, and spoon.
- Perfect make-ahead dough. Chill it for up to 48 hours — the flavor deepens beautifully.
- Customizable. Use milk or dark chocolate, chunks or chips, add a sprinkle of flaky salt — whatever your cookie heart desires.
- Guaranteed crowd-pleaser. These are the cookies that get requested again and again.
This truly is the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe because the browned butter brings bakery-style flavor to your own kitchen.
If you’ve ever tried my Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, this version takes all those cozy notes and adds a few refinements for extra depth and texture.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make the best chocolate chip cookies ever — rich, buttery, and perfectly balanced.
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 ¼ cups (280g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 226g) unsalted butter
- ¾ cup (150g) packed dark brown sugar
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk (room temperature)
Mix-ins:
- 1 ½ cups (270g) semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks
- Flaky sea salt for topping (optional, but highly recommended)
Optional Add-ins:
- ½ cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts (for extra crunch)
- ½ teaspoon espresso powder (for a deeper chocolate note)
Every ingredient in this Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe plays a role in creating that perfect texture — soft in the center, crisp on the edges
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Brown the butter
To start this Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe, brown your butter carefully. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue cooking, swirling occasionally, until the butter foams, turns golden, and gives off a nutty aroma — about 5–7 minutes. Watch closely; it can go from perfect to burnt fast.
Once browned, pour the butter (and the flavorful brown bits) into a heatproof bowl. Let it cool for about 15 minutes — you want it warm, not hot, before adding sugar.
Step 2: Mix the wet ingredients
Add both sugars to the browned butter and whisk until combined and glossy. Stir in the vanilla extract, egg, and extra yolk. The extra yolk gives richness and chewiness.
Step 3: Combine the dry ingredients
In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined. Don’t overmix — a few streaks of flour are fine.
Step 4: Add the chocolate
Fold in the chocolate chips or chunks. If you like gooey puddles of chocolate, use a mix of chopped bars and chips.
Step 5: Chill the dough
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 48 hours). Chilling helps the dough hydrate and develop flavor — and gives you thicker, chewier cookies.
Step 6: Scoop and bake
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie and roll into balls. Place them a few inches apart — these cookies spread slightly.
Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are golden and the centers still look soft. They’ll finish cooking on the pan.
Step 7: Finish with flair
Sprinkle with flaky sea salt immediately after baking for that sweet-salty finish. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely (if you can wait that long).
How to Serve the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Fresh from the oven, the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe tastes like a bakery treat — crisp edges, gooey middle, and that irresistible brown-butter aroma.
There’s nothing like biting into a cookie while the chocolate is still molten and the center slightly soft. For an indulgent dessert, sandwich two cookies around a scoop of vanilla ice cream or crumble them over a warm brownie sundae.
If you’re sharing, stack them in a glass jar or wrap them in parchment for a rustic bakery feel. They also make the perfect edible gift — thoughtful, homemade, and always appreciated.
Want to make a cookie platter? Pair them with Easy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies and Gluten-Free Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies for a trio that hits every flavor craving.
How to Store the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Freshly baked cookies will keep beautifully for up to 5 days at room temperature in an airtight container.
Here’s how to store and preserve that perfect texture:
- Room Temperature: Store cooled cookies in an airtight jar or tin with a piece of bread inside — it helps keep them soft.
- Freeze the Dough: Scoop dough balls onto a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to freezer bags. Bake directly from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the bake time.
- Freeze Baked Cookies: Let them cool completely before freezing. Reheat in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes to refresh them.
Pro tip: I often keep a stash of cookie dough balls in my freezer. A few minutes in the oven, and you have fresh, warm cookies anytime — the dream, right?
Tips to Make the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
After years of recipe testing, here are the little secrets that make this recipe foolproof:
- Brown your butter properly. Stop as soon as it smells nutty and turns golden — not dark brown.
- Cool before mixing. Hot butter can melt sugar unevenly, leading to greasy cookies.
- Use room-temperature eggs. They incorporate more smoothly for a uniform texture.
- Chill the dough. It’s the difference between good and exceptional cookies.
- Don’t overbake. Take them out when they still look soft in the middle — they’ll finish on the sheet.
- Weigh your flour. If possible, use a kitchen scale for accuracy (too much flour = dry cookies).
- Add salt on top. That flaky sprinkle balances sweetness and makes flavors pop.
Variations of the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Even if you tweak the mix-ins or chocolate type, this Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe still delivers flawless results
- Double Chocolate: Add 2 tablespoons cocoa powder and swap half the chips for dark chocolate chunks.
- Nutty Twist: Stir in ½ cup toasted pecans or walnuts for crunch.
- Espresso Boost: Add ½ teaspoon espresso powder to deepen the chocolate flavor.
- Sea Salt Caramel: Mix in soft caramel bits and sprinkle extra salt on top.
- Chunky Style: Use chopped chocolate bars for big molten pools of chocolate.
Each variation brings its own personality — but the browned butter base keeps them all equally irresistible.
FAQs
Why brown the butter instead of just melting it?
Browning butter is what sets the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe apart — it adds a rich, nutty flavor.
Can I make these without chilling the dough?
You can, but chilling is worth it! It enhances flavor and creates thicker, chewier cookies.
Can I use salted butter?
Yes — just skip the added salt in the recipe.
How do I get perfectly round cookies?
Use a large round cookie cutter to “scoot” cookies into shape while they’re still warm from the oven.
Final Thoughts About Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Every baker needs a go-to cookie recipe — the one you make when you need comfort, when friends drop by, or when the day just calls for something sweet.
This Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe is pure comfort in every bite — golden, chewy, and worthy of a bakery window.
When you bake a batch, your kitchen fills with the scent of caramelized butter and vanilla — and for a moment, everything feels right.
Follow me on Facebook and Pinterest where I share cozy, easy-to-make baking recipes just like this one.
Print
Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
- Total Time: 32 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These brown butter chocolate chip cookies are crisp on the edges, soft in the center, and filled with pools of melted chocolate. The browned butter adds a rich, nutty flavor that takes this classic to the next level. Perfect for gifting, sharing, or sneaking straight from the tray.
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups (280g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter
- ¾ cup (150g) packed dark brown sugar
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg + 1 extra yolk (room temperature)
- 1 ½ cups (270g) semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks
- Flaky sea salt for topping (optional)
Instructions
1. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue cooking, swirling occasionally, until golden brown and nutty (5–7 minutes). Pour into a bowl and cool 15 minutes.
2. Whisk the browned butter with both sugars until smooth and glossy. Add vanilla, egg, and yolk. Whisk until fully combined.
3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually mix into wet ingredients until just combined.
4. Fold in chocolate chips or chunks.
5. Cover and refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes (up to 48 hours for deeper flavor).
6. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
7. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie. Place 2 inches apart and bake 10–12 minutes, until edges are golden and centers soft.
8. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt immediately after baking. Cool 5 minutes on the sheet, then transfer to a rack to finish cooling.
Notes
For best flavor, brown the butter carefully—don’t rush it.
Chilling the dough helps achieve a thicker, chewier cookie.
Use a mix of chips and chopped chocolate bars for gooey texture.
Dough freezes perfectly—scoop, freeze solid, then bake straight from frozen adding 1–2 extra minutes.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 17g
- Sodium: 135mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg