Brown Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies — Crispy & Gooey

These toffee brown butter chocolate chip cookies are intensely flavorful with a soft, chewy center and crisp edges. Brown butter gives a nutty, butterscotch note, and the cookies are studded with toffee bits and chocolate chips. A touch of sea salt balances the sweetness for a truly decadent treat.

This recipe was updated September 16, 2025 with tweaks for chewier cookies, new photos and helpful tips.

A Note from Fiona

Why you’ll love these Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies!

If you want a bakery-style chocolate chip cookie with an elevated flavor profile, these toffee brown butter cookies deliver. The brown butter adds depth with nutty, caramelized notes while the toffee and semi-sweet chips give satisfying texture and pockets of sweetness. The centre stays chewy while the edges crisp slightly, and a light sprinkle of sea salt ties everything together.

Browning the butter takes a few extra minutes but it makes a noticeable difference in flavor—worth the small effort.

What is Brown Butter?

Brown butter is simply butter that has been melted and cooked until the milk solids toast and turn a light brown or amber color. As the water evaporates and the milk solids brown, the butter’s volume decreases and it releases a fragrant, nutty aroma with tiny brown flecks. That toasty, caramel-like flavor is what makes many baked goods taste richer.

Because browning reduces the butter’s volume, recipes developed with brown butter often differ from those using softened butter, so follow the recipe measurements for best results.

Ingredients Needed

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter (12 tablespoons)
• 1 cup dark brown sugar (packed) — dark sugar enhances the flavor
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar — helps prevent excessive browning
• 1 large egg, plus 1 additional egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract — important to round the flavors
• 1 tablespoon milk — adds moisture because some milk solids are lost when browning
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour — spoon and level to avoid a dry dough
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4–1/2 teaspoon sea salt or coarse salt, to taste
• 1 cup chocolate chips (about 180 g)
• 1/2 cup toffee bits (Heath or Skor work well)

Method – With Photos

1. Prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats. You can also make the dough ahead, chill overnight and bake later.
2. Brown the Butter. In a light-colored, heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, stirring gently. After melting it will simmer and then the milk solids will begin to brown. Once it reaches a light amber color and releases a nutty aroma, remove from heat. You’ll see brown flecks—those are toasted milk solids.
3. Strain & Cool. Optionally strain the butter through a fine mesh to remove large solids. Let the butter cool for at least 10 minutes so it’s warm but not hot.
4. Beat Butter and Sugars. Combine the slightly cooled brown butter with both sugars in a mixing bowl and beat until combined. The mixture won’t look creamed since the butter was melted.
5. Add Eggs, Milk and Vanilla. Mix in the whole egg, egg yolk, milk and vanilla until the batter becomes smoother and slightly glossy.
6. Mix Dry Ingredients. With the mixer off, add the flour, baking soda and salt. Start mixing on low and increase speed until just combined.
7. Fold in Chocolate and Toffee. Gently stir in the chocolate chips and toffee bits. The dough will be soft and slightly tacky—that’s normal.
8. Portion. Use a large cookie scoop or tablespoon to form dough balls of about 3 tablespoons each. Place them 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the prepared sheets.
9. Bake. Bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven for 10–12 minutes, until the tops look set but not overbaked.
10. Shape & Finish. For perfectly round cookies, use a mug or round cutter to gently press around each still-warm cookie to nudge it into shape. Add a few extra chocolate chips and a sprinkle of sea salt on top if desired. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Make Ahead and Freezing

You can refrigerate the dough (covered) for up to 48 hours before scooping and baking. For freezing, shape dough balls and flatten slightly, then store in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the bake time; do not thaw before baking.

These brown butter toffee chocolate chip cookies are thick, chewy and packed with flavor—the brown butter elevates them to a bakery-style treat. They keep well and also freeze nicely for quick baking later.

5 from 1 vote

Toffee Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

By: Fiona Dowling

These cookies combine nutty brown butter, toffee bits and chocolate chips for a thick, chewy cookie with crisp edges and a hint of sea salt to balance the sweetness.

Prep: 20 minutes mins

Cook: 10 minutes mins

Total: 45 minutes mins

Servings: 18 cookies

Pin Recipe
Rate Recipe
Print Recipe

Equipment

• Cookie Sheets

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter (168 grams)
• 1 cup brown sugar (210 grams), packed (I used dark)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar (50 grams)
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, room temperature (in addition to the whole egg)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (281 grams), spooned & leveled
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4–1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup toffee bits
• 1 cup chocolate chips (about 180 grams), plus extra for topping if desired

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
• Cut the butter into cubes. In a medium, light-colored saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and stir gently. Once small brown flecks form and the butter smells nutty and turns amber, remove from heat. Optionally strain through a sifter and cool for at least 10 minutes.
• Add the cooled brown butter to a large bowl with the sugars and beat until combined.
• Mix in the egg, egg yolk, milk and vanilla until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
• Turn off the mixer and add the flour, baking soda and salt. Start on low speed and increase until the dry ingredients are incorporated.
• Fold in the toffee bits and chocolate chips. The batter will be soft and slightly tacky—this is expected.
• Using a scoop or tablespoon, form dough balls of about 3 tablespoons each. Place on the prepared sheets about 2 inches apart.
• Bake one sheet at a time in the middle of the oven for 10–12 minutes, until the tops look set.
• Remove from the oven, press a few extra chocolate chips into the tops and sprinkle with sea salt if desired. Cool on the baking sheet for at least 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Notes

1. Freezing Cookie Dough: Dough balls can be frozen for up to 2 months and baked from frozen; add 1–2 minutes to the bake time.
2. Storage: Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freeze cooled cookies in layers separated by parchment for up to 2 months.
3. Nutrition: Nutrition facts are estimates per cookie assuming 18 equal cookies.

Nutrition

Calories: 278kcal, Carbohydrates: 38g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 13g

Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!