Brown Butter Sugar Cookies

What sets apart these brown butter sugar cookies is the balance between the brown sugar and brown butter within these soft and chewy cookies. The edges have an irresistible buttery crunch that will have you reaching for more. 

Why you'll love it

This is a delicious upgraded version of the classic sugar cookies from my cookbook Cookie School, also inspired by my chocolate chipless cookies which uses brown butter to create a delicious nutty and almost caramel flavor in every bite. It is very simple to make and a great beginner cookie while maintaining that high end cookie taste. They stay soft and chewy for days if left in an airtight container. Perfect for gifting, holiday and party cookie platters, and whenever you are craving a simple, but delicious cookie. 

• Drop style sugar cookie with no need for rolling pins, cookie cutters, or any artistic ability at all! 
• Brown butter adds a delicious nutty flavor
• Super easy to make and the perfect cookie for snacking or turning into sugar cookie ice cream sandwiches
• Great for gifts, cookie platters, and late night snacking

Ingredient overview

The ingredient list for these chewy brown butter sugar cookies is very simple and all of them are easily found in local grocery stores. 

• Butter - Usually, any unsalted butter works. I prefer using the highest quality you can afford because it plays such a big role in the flavor profile of the cookie. We will be making brown butter which I go into more detail below, or you can refer to my tutorial on how to make brown butter here.  
• Sugar - To enhance the flavor of the brown butter and give the cookies extra chewiness, I like to use both granulated sugar and brown sugar. If you don't have brown sugar, you can check out my tutorial on how to make brown sugar here. 
• Cornstarch - This ingredient plays an important role in getting these cookies puffy, soft, and chewy. It is, however, optional and you will still have a deliciously perfect cookie without it. 

Check out the recipe card below for exact measurements and full list of ingredients! 

How to make brown butter

Making brown butter is incredibly simple. The most important thing about the process is making sure you pay attention to the signs it is ready because it can burn quickly!

1. Heat a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan over medium heat. Cut your butter into tablespoon sized cubes and place in pan.
2. Stir frequently, scraping the bottom of the pan consistently. 
3. Continue to cook as the butter starts to melt, boil, and eventually start to froth.
4. Look for a caramel color and a rich nutty aroma as soon as the butter starts to froth. Once you notice these two signs, turn off the heat and remove the butter immediately. 
5. Allow the butter to cool until it is at room temperature and solidified again. You may store in the refrigerator to speed up the process. 

⭐Note! You should see a lot of brown specks at the bottom of your pot. That is the milk solids in the butter that have caramelized and browned. If they seem too dark - nearing black - the butter was cooked too long and is burnt which will result in a bitter flavor. 

Instructions

The process of making these brown butter cookies is incredibly simple! 

1. Start with browning the butter and leaving it to cool and solidify. 
2. Measure out your remaining ingredients and bring them all to room temperature.
3. Mix your dry ingredients together in a medium bowl and set aside. 
4. Add the brown butter, vanilla extract, and both sugars to the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl.
5. Beat on medium-high speed using the paddles attachment on the stand mixer or hand mixer until the butter is light and fluffy - about 3 - 5 minutes. 
6. Add the egg and beat well until fully incorporated - about another 2-3 minutes. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
7. Add in the dry ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula until there are no streaks of flour left. 
8. Cover your bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough overnight, up to three days for optimal flavor development. If you want to have them the same day, portion out the cookies doughs with a cookie scoop and leave on a baking sheet lines with parchment paper or silicone baking mat and chill for at least half an hour. 
9. Preheat the oven to 350F while the cookies chill. Roll out the cookie dough balls in sugar. Bake cookies until the cookies are golden brown. 
10. Leave on the cookie sheet for a minute before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Amanda's expert tips

This recipe was made to ensure you get crispy edges and a chewy center, but these tips are for anyone needing some extra help composing the most perfect cookie you'll ever eat. 

• The most important way to ensure you get the best results is to make sure you are correctly measuring your ingredients, particularly the all-purpose flour. You should fluff up the flour and then spoon it into your measuring cup then sweep of the excess. If you want to make sure you get consistent results, you can convert the recipe to metric and use a kitchen scale.
• It is important to use all room temperature ingredients because it helps everything to incorporate well together. You can quickly bring your eggs to room temperature by leaving them in very warm water for five minutes before cracking them. 
• Chilling the dough is important for flavor development and to get the perfect texture. It gives the flour more time to hydrate and soak up that delicious browned butter flavor. Allowing the flour to absorb the wet ingredients also prevents a greasy cookie.
• The use of both granulated and turbinado sugar to roll the cookies adds more texture and crunch. You can choose to use only one type of sugar. 

Variations

• Give these cookies an extra autumnal feel by adding ¼ tsp maple extract and ¾ cup chopped pecans
• Or you can add spices to the sugar you roll the cookies in, I recommend a pumpkin spice mix or chai spice mix
• Roll them in some colorful sprinkles instead of sugar to match any occasion

Storage

These chewy sugar cookies are incredibly easy to store as cookie dough or as a baked cookie. 

• Cookie dough balls - Portion out the cookie dough and place in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. You can also freeze them. First place them on a baking sheet and freeze for an hour before transferring to an airtight container. Freeze for up to a month. 
• Baked cookies - Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature. Freeze in an airtight container for up to a month. 

FAQs

Recipe Card