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These Salted Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk cookies are chewy, rich and bakery-style with crisp edges and melty chocolate chunks. This is an easy, from-scratch recipe you are going to love!
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Pin It NowSalted Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies (Chewy & Bakery-Style)
When it comes to chocolate chip cookies, I’m always willing to try a new recipe in search of the perfect one. Of course, the idea of a perfect chocolate chip cookie changes depending on the day. Am I craving something ooey-gooey and loaded with chocolate? Super. soft? Chewy? Crisp around the edges?
Everyone has their own definition of “perfect” and this one happens to be mine… for today! A chewy chocolate chunk cookie topped with just a little sprinkle of sea salt.
This recipe uses all the usual cookie staples — butter, brown sugar, flour, vanilla — but with two small upgrades that make a big difference.
- Brown butter – for extra flavor and depth
- Sprinkle of sea salt – brings everything together for the perfect sweet and salty bite.
These brown butter chocolate chunk cookies with sea salt are rich, chewy, and completely irresistible!
Let’s go make them!
❤️ Ashley
ingredients for salted brown butter chocolate chunk cookies
Only pantry staples are needed to make these homemade brown butter chocolate chunk cookies aside from flaky sea salt. It’s a pantry staple for me, but may not be for you. It’s not required for this recipe but definitely adds the perfect final touch to these cookies!
Chocolate chunks are found in the grocery store in the baking aisle, in the same section as the chocolate chips.
why brown butter makes cookies better
Brown butter takes a classic cookie recipe and makes it richer, deeper, and far more flavorful. When butter is gently cooked, the milk solids toast and turn bolden brown. This leaves you with a warm, slightly caramelized flavor that smells amazing!
In cookies, brown butter enhances the sweetness of the dough and pairs especially perfectly with chocolate chunks. It also helps create cookies with crisp, golden edges and soft, chewy centers which is the best of both words!
Once you try baking cookies with brown butter, it’s hard to go back. It’s such a small, easy upgrade that makes a big difference.
How to make Brown Butter
- Heat a large saucepan over medium heat.
- Melt the butter: Add the butter, allowing it to melt.
- Cook and stir: Once melted, the butter will start to foam and bubble. Keep stirring or whisking the butter every 30 seconds or so, so that it cooks evenly and doesn’t burn.
- Watch for browning: after a few minutes, the milk solids will begin to turn golden brown and the butter will smell nutty. This is your brown butter.
- Tip: The color can go from light brown to dark brown very quickly so don’t walk away, it can go from perfect to burn in seconds.
- Remove from heat: as soon as it turns golden brown with a nutty aroma, remove the pan from the heat.
- Cool completely
how to make brown butter chocolate chunk cookies
Here’s a brief overview of how to make brown butter chocolate chunk cookies. The full written instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Brown the butter: see above for the step by step process
- Mix the dough: whisk the browned butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth. Add egg, egg yolk and vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients until just combined, then fold in chocolate chunks.
- Scoop and bake: scoop dough onto a lined baking sheet, spacing evenly. Bake until the edges are set and lightly golden but the centers still look soft.
- Finish with sea salt: while the cookies are warm, sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
- Cool: Let cool slightly on racks so that they can firm up before serving.
tips for bakery-style brown butter chocolate chunk cookies
- Don’t overbake: pull the cookies when the centers look slightly under-done. They will set as they cool.
- Use brown sugar: it adds moisture and keeps the cookies chewy!
- Top with extra chocolate chunks: press a few extra chocolate chunks into the dough balls before baking for a bakery-style look.
- Don’t forget the sea salt!
An ooegy gooey, oh so chocolately cookie with a hint of saltiness that’ll make it hard to eat just one! After one cookie, you’ll realize that Salted Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies will forever reappear in the cookie jar for years to come! If you make these, let me know what you think! Enjoy!
Salted Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 sticks 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 ⅓ cups packed brown sugar light or dark
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon table salt
- 1 11.5-ounce bag chocolate chunks
- Flaky sea salt for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside
- Brown the butter: Add 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter to a large saucepan and melt over medium heat. Once melted, the butter will begin to foam. Whisk continuously as it cooks, watching closely until it turns golden brown and small brown bits form on the bottom of the pan.
- Immediately remove from heat and carefully pour the brown butter into a large mixing bowl. Allow it to cool completely.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and ¾ teaspoon table salt. Set aside.
- Combine butter and sugars: Once the brown butter has cooled, add 1 ⅓ cups packed brown sugar and ¼ cup granulated sugar to the bowl. Mix for several minutes, until fully combined and glossy.
- Add eggs and vanilla: Mix in 1 large egg, 1 egg yolk, and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract until smooth and well incorporated.
- Mix in 1 large egg, 1 egg yolk, and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract until smooth and well incorporated.
- Add dry ingredients: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Do not overmix.
- Fold in chocolate chunks: Gently fold in the 11.5-ounce bag of chocolate chunks until evenly distributed.
- Portion and bake: Scoop the dough using a heaping tablespoon and place cookies about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges are set and just beginning to turn golden.
- Finish with sea salt: Immediately sprinkle the warm cookies with flaky sea salt as soon as they come out of the oven.
- Cool and store: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then carefully transfer to wire racks to cool completely. The cookies will firm up as they cool.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
