Brown Butter Chocolate Cookies
Nutty, rich, deeply chocolatey. Cut with your boldest shapes.
Browning the butter transforms these from nice chocolate cookies into something genuinely special — nutty, caramel-edged, with an intense cocoa hit. Use your boldest cutters: the dark dough makes every shape pop.
Method
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1
Brown the butter: melt in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until golden and nutty-smelling. Pour into a large bowl and cool for 15 minutes.
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2
Whisk the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda, and salt together in a separate bowl.
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3
Add both sugars to the cooled brown butter and whisk until smooth. Add the egg, yolk, and vanilla; whisk vigorously for 1 minute.
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4
Fold in the flour mixture, followed by the chocolate chips. The dough will be soft.
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5
Chill the dough for 45 minutes until firm enough to roll.
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6
Preheat your oven to 175°C (155°C fan). Line two baking trays.
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7
Roll the dough to about 7mm on a lightly cocoa-dusted surface. Cut shapes and place on the trays.
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8
Bake for 10–11 minutes. The centres will look slightly underdone — this is correct. Cool completely on the tray.
Baker's tips
- ✦ Brown butter is transformative — watch it carefully once it starts to foam and pull it off the heat the moment it smells nutty.
- ✦ These spread a little more than shortbread, so leave space on the tray.
- ✦ A pinch of flaky sea salt sprinkled on top before baking takes these over the edge.