Make these Brown Butter Sugar Cookies for an updated twist on this classic cookie recipe! This sugar cookie is perfectly chewy and so delicious!
30 minutes
Minimal prep
You’ll Learn: How to get chewy centers with crisp edges
Worth It: Great kitchen smell with even better cookie flavor
Bonus: Customization options
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Updated classic – I love this recipe because it’s just a small but delicious update on a classic sugar cookie. Swap plain butter for nutty browned butter and its like a totally new cookie!
- Minimal ingredients -You only need a few ingredients to make this cookie recipe! You probably already have all of them in your fridge and cabinet.
- Perfect for parties – These brown butter sugar cookies are a great option for your next party! They are like classic sugar cookies, but even better. With crispy edges, a soft center and the taste of nutty brown butter, they are one of my favorite cookie recipes!
Serving suggestions
I love making these brown butter cookies for the week and enjoying them as an afternoon pick me up with some iced shaken espresso. Add in some sugar cookie syrup to double up on the sweetness! Sometimes I’ll even make a little cookie sandwich with peanut butter in the middle.
If you are making these for party, I love serving them after a main course with some bright and fresh options, like a chopped BLT salad or a peach burrata salad. For your protein, make some grilled steak or grilled balsamic chicken.
For a dessert spread, serve these alongside fruit and chocolate dip and some brownie bites! You could even make a simple brown butter frosting by combining 1/2 a stick of browned butter with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until a fluffy frosting remains.
Ingredients
- Salted butter – I used eight tablespoons salted butter because I prefer it for brown butter. If you want to use unsalted butter, be sure to add another 1/4 tsp of kosher salt to the melted butter.
- Granulated sugar – the sugar is used in the cookies as well as on top of the cookies
- Large egg – this recipe uses both the egg yolk and egg white. Allow your egg to come to room temperature for the best results
- Vanilla extract – the vanilla enhances the flavor of the cookies
- All purpose flour – make sure to spoon the flour into a cup measure for the most accurate measurement
- Baking soda – a bit of baking soda helps the cookies rise slightly. I find this recipe does not need baking powder
- Kosher salt – I only used a 1/4 teaspoon salt because there is already some salt in the butter
Ingredient Substitutions
To make sure this recipe works properly, I would not deviate too far from the list of ingredients. You can use a one to one gluten free flour in place of the all purpose flour to make these gluten-free.
If you would like, you could add some mix-ins to your cookie or on top. Mix M&Ms or chocolate chips into the batter or rolled the cookie dough balls in festive sprinkles like red and green ones for Christmas prior to baking.
To make it a bit more like snickerdoodles, you could add cinnamon when you roll the cookie dough in sugar.
I find these cookies are delicious with the nutty aroma of the brown butter and the granulated sugar. You can cut down on the sugar and add that amount of light brown sugar or dark brown sugar if you would like brown butter brown sugar cookies. This will change the texture a bit to make it even more of a chewy cookie.
How to make
Step 1: Make Brown Butter
Brown butter in a small saucepan (Image 1) over low to medium heat. Stir and melt butter until it turns golden brown and has a nutty aroma.
There will be some foam and browned milk solids on the bottom of the pan – the browned milk solids look like little brown specks. For ideal brown butter flavor, be careful not to overcook the butter and burn it. Immediately remove from heat and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes in the fridge.
Pour cooled brown butter into a large mixing bowl. Make sure you get all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cream together the brown butter and granulated sugar (Image 2) until smooth with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer.
Mix in the egg and vanilla (Image 3). You can also do this in a bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. If you don’t have a mixer, whisk vigorously.
Step 2: Mix in Dry Ingredients and chill
In a separate bowl whisk flour, baking soda and salt together. Pour the dry ingredients into wet ingredients (Image 4) and use the electric mixer to combine (Image 5). Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed until it is fully combined.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Step 3: Roll in Sugar and Bake
While the dough chills, preheat oven to 325F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Use a spoon or cookie scoop to scoop out 2 tbsp of dough, roll into balls and roll in some granulated sugar (Image 6).
Place cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet and bake at 325F for 12 minutes. Allow to cool on a cooling rack before enjoying.
Storage and reheating
Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack, then transfer to an airtight container and store in on the counter or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
You can also keep these cookies in the freezer for up to three months. Feel free to store cookie dough balls in the freezer as well so you can make a fresh cookie the next time you are craving it.
Bake the frozen dough balls directly from frozen at 325F for 14 minutes. Baking from frozen results in the best cookies that have chewy centers with crisp edges.
Check out these other Cookie Recipes
You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!
You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!
Email Recipe for Later
Recipe
Brown Butter Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 stick salted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar plus more for rolling cookies
- 1 egg room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1.5 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Brown butter in a small saucepan and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes in the fridge.
- In a large mixing bowl mix together the brown butter and granulated sugar until smooth with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer. Mix in the egg and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Pour the dry ingredients into wet and use the electric mixer to combine.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 325F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop out 2 tbsp of dough, roll into balls and roll in some granulated sugar.
- Place dough balls on the prepared baking sheet and bake at 325F for 12 minutes. Allow to cool on a cooling rack before enjoying.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
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