Kiersten Eats

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip & Toffee Cookies are rich, chewy, buttery, deeply caramelized, and wonderfully salty-sweet in the best possible way.

They’re a little more work than your average chocolate chip cookie (due to having to brown the butter) but I promise it’s worth the extra step for the warm, nutty flavor it provides here.

Then they’re packed with pools of melty dark chocolate and crunchy homemade toffee pieces … you know, the best stuff in the world 😉

These cookies took countless batches to perfect, but it was honestly worth every moment. They’re finally at the point where everyone asks me for the recipe! So here you go!

Make a batch of these cookies, my Peanut Butter & Jelly Cookies, and my Fudgy Double Chocolate Chip Cookies for the most crowd-pleasing cookie platter ever.

Why You’ll Love These Cookies

• Rich, nutty brown butter flavor
• Ultra-chewy centers with crisp edges
• Deep caramel notes thanks to the dark brown sugar
• Pools of chopped dark chocolate in every bite
• Crunchy, buttery toffee adding big butterscotch vibes
• Easy to make

And yes — these are actually worth browning the butter for. This isn’t one of those recipes where you spend extra time dirtying a pan just to feel something emotionally. The flavor difference here is huge, promise.

What Makes Brown Butter Chocolate Chip & Toffee So Good?

A lot of chocolate chip cookie recipes promise “the perfect cookie,” which is one bold statement, considering cookies are deeply personal (and some people willingly enjoy cakey cookies for reasons I cannot explain).

But these Brown Butter Chocolate Chip & Toffee Cookies work because every ingredient is doing a specific job.

1. Brown Butter = Flavor. When butter browns, the milk solids toast, developing deep nutty, caramel-like flavors, for warmth and complexity.
2. Dark Brown Sugar = SO much flavor. It contains more molasses than light brown sugar, for a softer, chewier texture with a wonderful depth of flavor.
3. Chopped Chocolate > Chocolate Chips. You can use chocolate chips if needed, but chopping your own chocolate makes for bigger melty puddles and a wonderful marbled swirl of chocolate throughout, for a true bakery-style experience.
4. Homemade Toffee. Worth the work! More on this below.

Ingredients You’ll Need Here:

• Unsalted butter: I prefer unsalted so I can control the saltiness here, but if you only have salted butter, skip the extra salt.
• Dark brown sugar + granulated sugar: This balance is great for chewy, perfectly-sweet, soft cookies with crisp edges. Don’t reduce the sugar!
• Eggs: Two large eggs + an extra yolk. Don’t skip the extra yolk. More on Eggs in Baking here.
• Vanilla extract: For perfect cookie flavor.
• All-purpose flour: For simplicity. Bread flour will add chewiness, but it’s such a negligible difference so I wanted to simplify the recipe – but if you have bread flour on hand, feel free to use half bread flour in place of all AP flour.
• Baking soda + baking powder: The perfect amount of each for a little spread without overdoing it. Both are necessary here.
• Salt: Just a little, to help balance the sweetness. I like to sprinkle a little flaky sea salt on top, too, but that’s optional.
• Chopped dark chocolate: You can use chocolate chips instead, or a mix of chopped + chips. Totally up to you!
• Homemade toffee pieces: For the best flavor and texture. More on this just below.

Do I Have to Make Homemade Toffee? Can I Use Store-Bought Toffee?

Store-bought toffee (like Heath brand) works in a pinch, but homemade toffee gives you buttery caramelized crunch that melts into the dough differently. Some pieces stay crispy and crunchy, while others partially dissolve into sticky caramel bits. I like to keep my toffee bits on the larger side, so you know you’re enjoying toffee when you bite in!

Baking Science Tips for Perfect Cookies

1. Don’t Skip Cooling the Brown Butter + Sugar. Once we brown the butter, we add the sugars – but then we’ll set it aside to cool, to avoid scrambling the eggs.
2. Measure Flour Correctly. Too much flour is the biggest reason cookies turn out dry or cakey. Use a digital kitchen scale for best results – but be sure to spoon and level your flour into your cups if needed while you wait for your scale to be delivered 😉
3. Chill the Dough. I know. I know – but it’s 100% necessary and worth the wait. More on this in the FAQs below.
4. Slightly Underbake The Cookies. They should look slightly underdone in the center when you remove them from the oven. Residual heat will continue baking them on the pan to perfection.

How to Make Brown Butter Chocolate Chip & Toffee Cookies

1. Brown the Butter. Cook until golden brown with a nutty aroma. Scrape into a large bowl, being sure to scrape all the browned bits in.
2. Mix the Sugars. Whisk the brown butter with the dark brown sugar and granulated sugar. Set aside to cool slightly.
3. Add Eggs & Vanilla. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla until fully combined and smooth.
4. Add Dry Ingredients. Fold in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt just almost combined.
5. Fold in Chocolate & Toffee. Add the chopped dark chocolate and toffee pieces, being careful not to overmix. Try not to eat too much dough 😉
6. Chill Overnight. Cover and chill the dough for at least 24 hours or preferably 48 hours.
7. Bake and Enjoy! Bake until the edges are golden but the centers still look slightly soft. Finish with extra chocolate, toffee pieces, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt for bakery-level perfection.

Tips for Bakery-Style Cookies

• Use a large 3-Tablespoon cookie scoop for evenly sized cookies that bake evenly
• Press extra chocolate chunks and toffee on top before baking
• Sprinkle with flaky sea salt for the perfect salty-sweet deliciousness
• Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before moving or serving

More Cookie Recipes You’ll Love:

• Easy Thick & Chewy S’mores Cookies
• Ultra-Thick Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Biscoff Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Nutella Stuffed Brown Butter Cookies
• Dubai Chocolate Chip Cookies

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip & Toffee Cookies

Kiersten K

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip & Toffee Cookies are thick, chewy, and utterly packed with butterscotch flavor. These cookies are easily my most highly-requested recipe, and after years of perfecting it, I'm thrilled to share the recipe with you!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Chill Time 1 day d

Total Time 1 day d 35 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 24 large cookies, approximately

Ingredients

• 226 grams (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cubed
• 200 grams (1 cup) dark brown sugar
• 100 grams (½ cup) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 341 grams (2.5 cups + 2 Tablespoons) all-purpose flour
• 1¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 280 grams (2 cups) chocolate, chopped (I usually use a combination of bittersweet and semi-sweet)
• 160 grams (1 cup) homemade toffee bits, recipe in Notes below – or use store-bought if needed
• Flaky sea salt, for finishing, optional

Instructions

 

• Note before starting: These cookies need to chill for at least 24 hours. This is vital to the thick, chewy texture and deep flavor of the cookies, and cannot be skipped or rushed by placing in the freezer. It's worth the wait, promise.
• Place butter in a medium stainless steel saucepan or skillet. Over a medium heat, melt the butter, and allow it to brown. This will take approximately 5-8 minutes. Stir occasionally. The butter will foam and become a bit hard to see the bottom – that's okay. Keep an eye on it until the butter is golden brown and there are noticeable deeply brown bits at the bottom.
• Remove from heat and transfer to a large heatproof mixing bowl, scraping in all the little brown bits at the bottom of the pan for maximum flavor.
• Add the granulated sugar and dark brown sugar to the hot butter. Whisk well to combine. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, prepare a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
• Add the eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla extract to the bowl. Whisk to combine.
• Add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl. Using a rubber spatula, mix until almost combined. Ensure you incorporate the very bottom of the bowl.
• Add the chopped chocolate and toffee. Stir until just combined, being careful not to over-mix.
• Use a large 3-Tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the cookie dough into balls. Place the cookie dough balls on the prepared baking pan. Cover well with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for at least 24 hours (I prefer to chill for 48 hours).
• When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375°F / 190°C. Line light-colored rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Bake cookies on prepared pans, spaced at least 2 inches apart, for 9 to 11 minutes, or until lightly golden brown at the edges and just slightly damp looking in the middle. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt (if desired).

Video

Notes

Storage: Store completely-cooled cookies inside an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 days.

Shaping: If you’re a perfectionist like me, straight out of the oven, run a round cookie cutter that’s slightly larger in size than the cookies around the edges of each hot cookie. This pulls their edges in slightly and makes uniform, perfectly round cookies. 

Homemade Toffee: Recipe as follows:

• 113 grams (1 stick) unsalted butter, cubed
• 200 grams (1 cup) light brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Prepare a rimmed baking pan with parchment paper and set on top of a stable, heatproof trivet. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the sugar and salt, and whisk gently to combine.

Stirring constantly, cook the mixture for about 8-10 minutes, until a digital instant-read thermometer registers 300°F / 150°C.

Pour the toffee on the prepared baking pan, smoothing out carefully. Set aside to cool completely.

Once cooled, use a mallet or large knife to carefully shatter the toffee into pieces a little larger than a typical chocolate chunk.

Store inside an airtight container at room temperature for about a week, or in the freezer for about 3 months. Thaw and bring to room temp before mixing into cookie dough. 

Recipe inspired by Handle the Heat.