These brown butter toffee chocolate chip cookies are a game-changer.
Imagine rich, nutty brown butter combined with dreamy chocolate and sweet toffee bits in every bite. They take the classic chocolate chip cookie to new heights of deliciousness!
The texture is out of this world, too! The crispy edges give way to soft, chewy centers that’ll have you reaching for another before you even finish the first.
Why You’ll Love These Brown Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
Gourmet Baking at Home: From the brown butter to the sea salt on top, these cookies look and taste gourmet – but they’re deceptively easy to make.
Customizable: Easily adapt the recipe by swapping chocolate varieties or adding mix-ins like nuts for your own signature twist.
Chocolate Heaven: Skip the chips and chop up high-quality chocolate for gooey pockets of decadence everyone will adore.
Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter: Browned to a nutty, toasty flavor that elevates the entire cookie.
- Granulated and Dark Brown Sugar: The perfect balance of neutral sweetness from white sugar and rich caramel notes from dark brown sugar.
- Large Egg + Egg Yolks: Bind the dough together and add richness, making the cookies chewy and tender.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances all the flavors in the cookie and adds a subtle floral aroma.
- All-Purpose Flour: The simple base of the cookie.
- Baking Soda: The leavening agent that gives the cookies lift.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and elevates the chocolate, toffee, and butter flavors.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks or Chips: Pools of melty chocolate throughout each cookie.
- Toffee Bits: Buttery, caramelized crunch in every bite that complements the brown butter.
- Flaky Sea Salt: A sprinkle on top enhances the sweetness and makes the flavors pop.
How to Make Brown Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
Are you ready to indulge in the most decadent, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate chip cookies you’ve ever tasted?
Great! They might be a labor of love, but they’re so worth it.
1. BROWN. Cut the butter into chunks and warm over medium-low heat. Stir until it’s brown and fragrant, then set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
2. MIX. Add the sugars and beat until creamy. Then, beat in the egg, yolks, and vanilla.
3. COMBINE. Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl before stirring gently into the wet.
4. STIR. Add the chocolate and toffee, then stir until thick and shiny.
5. PORTION. Scoop the dough into balls on a lined sheet, cover, and chill for 2 hours (or up to 3 days).
6. BAKE. Preheat the oven to 350°F, divide the dough between lined trays, sprinkle with sea salt, and bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool slightly on the trays, then move to a wire rack.
These cookies taste incredible when they’re still warm and gooey. But believe it or not, they taste even better after cooling.
Tips For the Best Brown Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
One bite of these heavenly treats, and you’ll be hooked for life. But before you start, check out these tips:
- How to brown butter. Melt the butter slowly, and do not let it boil. Instead, stir it while it foams gently until you see brown bits on the bottom. Be sure to scrape those bits off the pan and add them to the dough for maximum flavor!
- Chilling the dough. If you portion then chill it, you must wrap the tray tightly to keep the dough from drying out. Another option is to cover and chill the bowl, then portion later. But with this method, you’ll need to let it warm slightly before you can scoop it.
- How long to chill? The dough must chill so the butter can solidify and the flour can absorb the moisture. You can bake these after 2 hours, but I highly suggest letting the dough rest for at least 24 hours.
- Toffee bits. Look for Heath Bits ‘O Brickle Toffee Bits for the perfect caramel crunch. Or try homemade if you’re feeling adventurous!
- Make bigger cookies. Portion the dough into 3 tablespoonful balls, then chill before baking for 12-14 minutes.
- Baking time. To ensure a chewy texture, slightly underbake the cookies. Remove them from the oven when the edges are set, but the centers are still soft. Let them cool for a few minutes, then move them to a wire rack as soon as they’re stable enough to prevent overbaking.
- Optional mix-ins. To customize the cookies, feel free to add other mix-ins such as chopped nuts, dried fruit, pretzels, or different baking chips.
How to Store
Since these soft and chewy cookies are so insanely good, I suggest doubling the batch and saving some for later.
The good news? They freeze well, so you can always have some on hand!
To Store: Cooled cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, they can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.
To Freeze: Line a tray with unbaked cookie dough portions and bake until solid. Transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. To bake, place the frozen dough balls on lined baking sheets and add 2-3 minutes to the baking time.
Note: If freezing the unbaked dough, do so after it’s chilled in the fridge for 24 hours. That’ll give them the best taste and texture.
More Soft and Chewy Cookies We Love
Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
Lemon Raspberry Cookies
White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
Funfetti Cake Mix Cookies
Brown Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
24
servings20
minutes12
minutes245
kcalThese brown butter toffee chocolate chip cookies are rich and nutty, with gooey pockets of chocolate and crunchy toffee bits in every bite.
Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg + 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups (315g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chunks or chips
1 cup toffee bits
Flaky sea salt, for garnish
Instructions
- Brown the butter: Cut the butter into small chunks and transfer them to a medium saucepan. Warm over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the butter foams, smells nutty, and brown bits form on the bottom, about 5-7 minutes. Pour into a large heatproof bowl (with the brown bits) and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Make the cookie dough: Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the cooled butter and beat with an electric mixer until creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg, egg yolks, and vanilla until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, stopping when about halfway combined (there should be streaks of flour visible).
- Add the chocolate and toffee bits and stir until combined. It may seem crumbly, but keep stirring until it’s thick and shiny.
- Portion and rest: Portion the dough into 1-2 tablespoon balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roll between your hands to get them smooth, then wrap the tray tightly with plastic and chill the dough in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F and line a second baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Divide the cookies between the baking trays, leaving 2-3 inches between each ball. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are golden brown but the centers are still soft. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Optional: Press a few extra chocolate chunks and toffee pieces into the tops of the warm cookies just after baking.
- Serve warm or at room temperature, and enjoy!
Notes
- For the best flavor, use high-quality chocolate and toffee. Chop chocolate chunks from bars for pools of melty chocolate in every bite.
- Chilling the dough allows the flavors to meld and prevents the cookies from spreading too thin. 24 hours is best.