Brown Butter Milk Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Browning the butter turns a familiar chocolate chunk cookie into something deeper and toastier without losing its casual, nostalgic appeal. The nutty milk solids balance the sweetness of milk chocolate, while a light shower of flaky salt keeps every bite lively.
Let the browned butter cool until it is warm rather than hot before mixing the dough. That brief pause protects the egg and gives the flour a chance to hydrate evenly. A 45-minute chill then firms the butter enough to prevent wide, thin cookies.
Chopped milk chocolate works especially well here because the uneven pieces create both generous melted pockets and fine chocolate flecks. Reserve a handful of chunks for the tops so the finished cookies look abundant and inviting.
Pull the cookies when their edges are golden but the centers still look slightly soft and puffed. They finish setting on the hot baking sheet, leaving crisp rims, chewy middles, and glossy pools of milk chocolate.
Nutrition (per serving)
Directions
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1
Melt the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring and scraping the bottom often, until the foaming subsides and the milk solids turn deep golden brown with a nutty aroma, 5 to 7 minutes.
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2
Immediately pour the brown butter and all the toasted bits into a large heatproof bowl. Let it cool for 15 minutes, until warm but no longer hot.
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3
Whisk the flour, baking soda, and fine sea salt together in a medium bowl.
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4
Whisk the brown sugar and granulated sugar into the cooled brown butter until glossy. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla, then whisk vigorously for about 30 seconds until smooth and slightly thickened.
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5
Fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture just until a few flour streaks remain. Fold in most of the chopped milk chocolate, reserving about 1/3 cup for topping. Cover and refrigerate the dough for 45 minutes.
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6
Heat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop the dough into 3-tablespoon portions, roll them gently into tall balls, and space them 3 inches apart on the prepared sheets.
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7
Press the reserved chocolate pieces onto the dough. Bake one sheet at a time for 11 to 12 minutes, until the edges are golden and set but the centers remain puffed and slightly underdone.
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8
Sprinkle the hot cookies lightly with flaky salt. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter:1 cup
- All-Purpose Flour:2 1/4 cups
- Baking Soda:1 teaspoon
- Fine Sea Salt:3/4 teaspoon
- Packed Dark Brown Sugar:1 cup
- Granulated Sugar:1/3 cup
- Large Egg:1
- Large Egg Yolk:1
- Vanilla Extract:2 teaspoons
- Milk Chocolate, Roughly Chopped:10 ounces
- Flaky Sea Salt:1 teaspoon
Tips & Notes
- Use a light-colored pan so you can see the butter solids change from pale gold to deep amber before they burn.
- If the chilled dough becomes too firm to scoop, leave it at room temperature for 5 minutes.
- Store cooled cookies airtight at room temperature for up to 4 days.
