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The Ultimate Brown Butter Sugar Cookies (Crispy Edges & Chewy Centers)

A stack of chewy brown butter sugar cookies topped with coarse sea salt, one cookie is broken open.
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These brown butter sugar cookies deliver the rich, nutty flavor you crave. We guide you to achieve bakery-style results with crispy edges and soft, chewy centers. This is an elevated sugar cookie recipe perfect for any occasion.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for browning
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, plus more for rolling
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Brown the butter: Place the 1 cup of butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Melt the butter completely, then continue cooking, swirling often. The butter will foam, then the milk solids will sink and turn golden brown, releasing a nutty aroma. Immediately pour the brown butter into a heatproof bowl, scraping in all the browned bits. Let it cool until it is firm but still slightly soft, about 30 minutes at room temperature, or 15 minutes in the refrigerator.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the cooled brown butter and 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  3. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until just combined.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
  5. Place about 1/2 cup of extra granulated sugar in a shallow dish. Scoop the dough into balls (about 1.5 tablespoons each) and roll each ball in the sugar to coat completely.
  6. Place the dough balls on baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Gently press down on the top of each ball with the bottom of a glass or measuring cup to flatten slightly.
  7. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 9 to 11 minutes. The edges should look set and golden, but the centers should still look slightly underbaked for a chewy texture.
  8. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps achieve those desired crispy edges.

Notes

  • Browning butter is key: Watch the milk solids carefully; once they turn amber brown, remove the pan from the heat immediately to prevent burning.
  • For extra chewy cookies, slightly underbake them; they will continue to set as they cool on the hot pan.
  • If you want a saltier flavor profile, add 1/4 teaspoon of flaky sea salt to the dough mixture.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://magazinemeal.com/brown-butter-sugar-cookies/