Brown Butter Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies

Brown butter turns the classic American chocolate chip cookie deeper and nuttier, a simple skillet technique bakers love for extra toffee notes. Finished with flaky sea salt, these soft-centered cookies balance sweet chocolate with a savory crunch.

Serves 6 · 25 min prep · 20 min cook

Estimate for one serving

• 310 cal
• 4g protein
• 42g carbs
• 15g fat

Every recipe here is free to read.

Ingredients

• ¾ cup unsalted butter
• ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ¾ tsp fine sea salt
• 1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips
• for finishing flaky sea salt

Instructions

1. 1Place the butter in a light-colored skillet over medium heat and cook, swirling often, until it foams then turns deep golden with brown flecks and a nutty aroma, about 5 to 7 minutes. Immediately pour into a large mixing bowl and let cool 8 minutes so it is warm but not hot.
2. 2Add both sugars to the browned butter and whisk vigorously until the mixture looks glossy and mostly smooth.
3. 3Crack in the eggs one at a time, whisking fully after each addition, then stir in the vanilla until the batter is silky.
4. 4In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and fine sea salt. Tip the dry mixture into the butter bowl and fold with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain; do not overmix.
5. 5Fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed. Cover the bowl and chill the dough 20 minutes so the cookies hold their shape.
6. 6Preheat the oven to 375°F and line two baking sheets with parchment. Scoop 3-tablespoon mounds of dough, spacing them 3 inches apart.
7. 7Bake one sheet at a time for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are deep golden and the centers still look slightly underdone and puffy.
8. 8Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle each cookie with flaky sea salt. Cool on the sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or fully cooled.