Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 12 oz chopped bittersweet chocolate (60-70% cacao)
• Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Brown the Butter

First, melt the butter in a light-colored skillet over medium heat.

Keep swirling the pan. The butter will foam, then subside, then you’ll see golden-brown specks form at the bottom and it will smell nutty. Pull it off the heat immediately and pour it into a large heatproof bowl.

Build the Cookie Dough Base

To the bowl with the hot brown butter, add both sugars and the salt. Whisk until combined.

Let this mixture cool for ~10 minutes. You don’t want to scramble the eggs.

Use the Whisking Method for Texture

Once cooled slightly, add the egg and egg yolk. Whisk for 30 seconds.

Let the mixture stand for 3 minutes.

Repeat this process two more times: whisk for 30 seconds, then let it stand for 3 minutes. By the end, the mixture will be thick, smooth, and glossy. This helps create the crackly top.

After the final whisk, stir in the vanilla extract.

Finish and Chill the Dough

Add the flour and baking soda to the wet ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to fold until just a few streaks of flour remain.

Add the chopped chocolate and fold until evenly distributed.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour, but overnight is better. Chilling the dough prevents the cookies from spreading too much and deepens the flavor.

Bake the Cookies

Preheat your oven to 375F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Scoop the dough into balls, about 2 tablespoons each. Place them a few inches apart on the baking sheets.

Sprinkle the top of each dough ball with flaky sea salt.

Bake for ~10-12 minutes, until the edges are set and golden brown but the centers are still soft.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. They are fragile when hot.

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt

The brown butter is what separates these from standard chocolate chip cookies. It adds a caramel, nutty flavor that makes a huge difference. The other key is a specific whisking method for the eggs and sugar that creates a shiny, crackly top. Don't skip the final sprinkle of sea salt.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Active Time12 minutes mins

Cooling Time5 minutes mins

Total Time47 minutes mins

Pin Recipe Print

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 12 oz chopped bittersweet chocolate 60-70% cacao
• Flaky sea salt for sprinkling

Instructions

• Melt the butter in a light-colored skillet over medium heat, swirling until golden brown specks form and it smells nutty.
• Pour the browned butter into a large heatproof bowl.
• Add both sugars and the salt to the hot butter, whisk to combine.
• Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes.
• Add the egg and egg yolk, whisk for 30 seconds.
• Let stand for 3 minutes.
• Whisk again for 30 seconds, let stand for 3 minutes.
• Whisk a final time for 30 seconds, let stand for 3 minutes until mixture is thick and glossy.
• Stir in the vanilla extract.
• Fold in the flour and baking soda until a few streaks remain.
• Add the chopped chocolate and fold until evenly distributed.
• Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 375F and line two baking sheets with the parchment paper.
• Scoop 2 tablespoon balls of dough onto the prepared sheets, spacing them a few inches apart.
• Sprinkle each cookie with the flaky sea salt.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are golden but centers remain soft.
• Let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Notes

The brown butter and specific whisking method are key for achieving a caramel flavor and crackly top.

Don’t skip the sea salt finish.