Brown Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies (2024)

Brown sugar: For chewy chocolate chip cookies and a delicious molasses and butterscotch flavor. Use dark brown sugar or light brown sugar.

Chocolate chips: For melty chocolate pools like in my pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, use a chopped chocolate bar. Try dark chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips, or a combination. White or milk chocolate chips can be used for a sweeter cookie.

Salted butter: The extra salt balances the sweetness of the toffee flavor, similar to miso cookies. Browning the butter elevates these toffee chocolate chip cookies to the next level!

Toffee pieces: Homemade toffee has a delicious caramel flavor that complements the chocolate. Store-bought toffee bits (like heath bars) can be used in substitution.

Vanilla bean paste: Substitute with vanilla extract if needed.

Step 1:Make the toffee bits.​ Vigorously whisk the brown butter into the melted butter. Cook until it has a runny peanut butter consistency and reads 295°F on a thermometer.

Pour the hot toffee onto a silpat-lined baking sheet. Once completely cool, smash into pieces!

Step 2:Brown the butter.In a pot, cook the butter over medium heat until you see brown bits of milk solids at the bottom of the pan.

Pour the browned butter into a glass measuring cup and set aside to cool for 20-30 minutes at room temperature.

Step 3:Whisk the wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the browned butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar for 1 minute. Then whisk in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla bean paste.

Step 4:Mix in the dry ingredients.Use a rubber spatula to fold in the flour, baking soda, salt, chocolate chips, and toffee pieces until just combined.

Step 5:Scoop and chill the cookie dough balls.Scoop the cookie dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill the tray in the freezer for a minimum of 3-4 hours, overnight is best!

Step 6:Bake!Bake the frozen cookies spaced 2-3 inches apart for 12-16 minutes, or After baking, top the toffee chocolate chip cookies with extra chocolate chunks and toffee pieces. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy!

– by Cambrea Gordon

Prep Time: 3 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Cook Time: 12 minutes mins

Total Time: 3 hours hrs 42 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 14 large cookies

For the Homemade Toffee

• ▢ 4 tbsp salted butter
• ▢ 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• ▢ 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste, or vanilla extract

For the Cookie Dough

• ▢ 14 tbsp salted butter, cold
• ▢ 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp light brown sugar, packed
• ▢ 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 whole egg
• ▢ 1 large egg yolk
• ▢ 2 tsp vanilla bean paste, or vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 2/3 cup + 1 tbsp all-purpose flour, *See notes below for measuring*
• ▢ 1 tsp baking soda
• ▢ 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• ▢ 3/4 cup chopped dark chocolate, 72%, or chocolate chips
• ▢ 1/2 cup homemade toffee pieces, *from recipe above* or store-bought heath bar

• Prepare the baking sheet: Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and set it aside.

• Make the homemade toffee: Over medium heat, melt the butter then whisk in the brown sugar and vanilla for 1 minute. Cook the sugar for 8-10 mins, whisking occasionally, until a thermometer reads 295°F/146°C and it has a melted peanut butter consistency. If at any point the toffee begins to separate, remove the pan from the heat and whisk vigorously until it comes back together. Then pour the toffee onto the prepared baking sheet. Set aside to cool.

  4 tbsp (56 g) salted butter, 1/2 cup (100 g) light brown sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste

• Smash the toffee into pieces: Once cool, (about the time it takes to brown and cool the butter for the cookie dough) use a meat mallet or heavy object to smash the toffee into pieces.

• Brown the butter: Cook the butter in a stainless steel pan over medium heat until it looks foamy, smells nutty, and has browned bits of milk solids. The butter will foam, crackle, and pop as it cooks- this is normal! Scrape into a large bowl and cool to room temperature (20-30 minutes). You should have about 3/4 cup (160 grams) of browned butter.

  14 tbsp (196 g) salted butter

• Whisk in the wet ingredients: Once cool, whisk in the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Then whisk in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until combined.

  1/2 cup + 2 tbsp (128 g) light brown sugar, 1/2 cup (108 g) granulated sugar, 1 (55 g) whole egg, 1 (18 g) large egg yolk, 2 tsp vanilla bean paste

• Mix in the dry ingredients: Fold in the flour, baking soda, salt, chocolate chips, and toffee pieces until just combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill it in the fridge for 30 minutes, this makes it easier to scoop!

  1 2/3 cup + 1 tbsp (215 g) all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, 3/4 cup (66 g) chopped dark chocolate, 72%, 1/2 cup (66 g) homemade toffee pieces

• Scoop and chill the cookie dough: Scoop the dough with a 3-tbsp scoop onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill the tray in the freezer for a minimum of 3-4 hours, overnight is best! They must be frozen when baking!

• Bake the cookies: When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Space the cookies 2-3 inches apart. You will need to bake them on two trays if baking the whole batch! Bake for 12-16 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown but the middle is puffy and underbaked.

• Straight out of the oven, sprinkle with extra toffee pieces, chocolate chips, and flaky sea salt if desired. Let cool completely on a wire rack then enjoy!

*Measure your flour properly. This is my #1 baking tip! Do not ever scoop a measuring cup into your flour as this always leads to using too much flour. Instead, use the spoon-level method. This means fluffing the flour first, then spooning it into your measuring cup/spoon. For the BEST results, use a kitchen scale!*

Don’t burn the butter! Browned butter should have amber-colored milk solids. If they are dark brown or black, it’s likely the butter is burnt and will taste burnt when mixed into the dough.

Don’t skip the chilling time!This step is important for flavor development, texture improvement, and reduced spreading. All of these contribute to a cookie that is tender and well-rounded in flavor!

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 322kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 349mg | Potassium: 28mg | Fiber: 0.003g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 858IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 0.2mg

The calorie information provided for the recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.