Brown Butter Sugar Cookies

Brown Butter Sugar Cookies Recipe – Rich nutty brown sugar cookies with an intense depth of flavor. These cookies are utterly addictive!

Brown Sugar Cookies for the Holidays

You guys… These cookies.

There are no words for just how intensely buttery and decadent they are.

Over the holidays I was talking with a friend about our shared love of Christmas cookie exchange parties. She told me she was part of an annual cookie exchange with a group of pastry chefs and restaurant owners. Out of all the elaborate cookies these women bring to the party each year, the favorite was a simple brown sugar cookie recipe.

The brown sugar cookies were so sought-after in fact, that each year the person who makes them is asked to bring the same cookie recipe again and again.

Brown Butter Cookies + Brown Sugar Cookies

Well, of course, I had to know what makes brown sugar cookies so great. After all, I’m pretty darn proud of my classic “white” sugar cookies. Hearing this story felt like a challenge.

So I set off to see if I could replicate them, based on her description.

It’s been a couple of months, but I finally have a recipe I consider a contender. These Brown Butter Brown Sugar Cookies are just about the best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth!

When testing recipes, I found that using my favorite sugar cookie recipe with brown sugar, instead of granulated sugar, created a similar style cookie with a slightly caramelized flavor. However, using brown sugar and brown butter created a richness and depth of flavor that is not usually found in a simple cookie recipe.

So What Is Brown Butter Exactly?

Brown butter is plain butter that has been simmered on the stovetop until brown. As the butter simmers, the milk protein particles separate and sink to the bottom of the pan. These particles are what are actually turning brown.

Allow the butter to simmer until the particles at the bottom are a deep teddy bear brown, then turn off the heat. The butter should smell rich and nutty, but not burnt.

Some people remove the protein particles for “clarified” brown butter, but I think leaving them in adds so much more flavor to any recipe. You will definitely notice the difference in flavor in browned butter cookies!

Ingredients You Need

• 3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter (3 sticks)
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar, packed (light or dark)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Brown Sugar Cookies Baking Tips

For these cookies to turn out perfectly, you must take the time to cool the brown butter so it solidifies again. This allows you to cream the butter and brown sugar together, giving the cookies a light, airy texture.

PS—If you don’t cream the butter and sugar together until the sugar granules are broken down into the butter, the cookies will lose their fluffiness and have a dense texture. This goes for all baked goods recipes that ask you to cream the butter and sugar. That means you need to beat them together in a stand mixer on high power for about 5 minutes.

Don’t ever skip this step in a recipe!

My last tip is to not overbake the cookies. If you want them to be soft and chewy, they should look slightly underbaked in the center when you take them out of the oven.

Cookies continue to cook as they cool. If they look completely done when you take them out, they are likely to be dry once they cool.

If you brown your butter, then cream the brown butter and brown sugar properly, you will end up with some of the most tantalizing cookies you’ve ever tasted.

How To Make Brown Sugar Cookies

Instructions…

1. Place the butter in a small sauce pot over medium heat. Watch the butter as it melts and simmers, stirring occasionally. Once the butter particles in the bottom of the pot have turned a dark teddy bear brown, and the butter is light brown, turn off the heat. It should smell nutty, not burnt. Place the butter in the refrigerator until it has solidified again.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Scrape the firm brown butter into the bowl of a stand mixer. Make sure to scrape in all the dark particles… They add a lot of flavor! Add the brown sugar and beat the mixture on high until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. It’s okay if there are a few brown sugar chunks left.
3. Scrape the bowl and set the mixer to low. Beat in the eggs, vanilla extract, baking powder, and salt. Once well combined, slowly add in the flour. Turn the mixer off when the mixture looks smooth.
4. Place the granulated sugar in a small bowl. Use a 1 1/2-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion out the cookie dough. Roll the scoops into balls, then roll each ball in the granulated sugar to coat.
5. Place the cookies two inches apart on the baking sheets. Use the bottom of a drinking glass to press to dough balls into flat 1/2-inch disks.
6. Bake for 8-10 minutes. The cookies should look golden around the edges, but a little under-baked in the center. Cool on the baking sheets.

This Brown Butter Sugar Cookie Recipe is utterly divine. Soft, tender, ultra-rich, undeniably addictive, and most definitely on the list for my cookie exchange next year.

They are so fabulous, in fact, I think they should grace my Easter and Mother’s Day table this year as well!

Get the Full (Printable) Brown Butter Cookie Recipe Below!

Tips & Tricks

• Keep an eye on the butter while browning it! The butter will turn brown very fast, so make sure you keep an eye on it and take it off once it starts to turn an amber color and smells nutty and caramel-y!
• If you don’t have a cookie scoop, use a spoon to ensure that you get cookie dough balls that are all very similar in size! This will ensure that the cookies are all done at the same time.
• For a little extra flavor, add cinnamon to the sugar before rolling the cookie dough balls in it!

Frequently Asked Questions

Light or Dark Brown Sugar?

Cookies with brown butter can be made with either light or dark brown sugar! The cookies in the photos were made with light brown sugar. However, we’ve made them with dark brown sugar for an even richer flavor. Your call!

How Long Do These Brown Butter Cookies Keep?

Keep in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Can I Freeze These Brown Sugar Cookies?

If you want to freeze these, I recommend freezing them as cookie dough balls. That way, you can bake them whenever you are ready! To freeze, store the cookie dough balls in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Let the cookie dough thaw for about 20 minutes, dip them in the granulated sugar, and bake according to the recipe instructions.

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Check out the printable recipe card below for the nutrition information including calories, carbohydrates, protein, cholesterol, sodium, potassium, fiber, vitamin, and calcium percentages.

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