Take the best chocolate chip cookies to the next level with brown butter and rich coffee flavors. This recipe for Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies with Espresso makes decadent, flavorful cookies that will surely become a favorite!
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I'm in love with the deep, nutty aromas and flavors that brown butter adds to savory dishes, so I've been developing more sweet dishes with brown butter. These Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies with Espresso are decadent, rich, chewy desserts that are sure to become a favorite!
Full measurements and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Be sure to read through these baking tips first for the best results.
Tools and equipment
To make these cookies, you'll need:
Stand mixer or hand mixer
2 baking sheets
Parchment paper
Mixing bowls
Whisk
Silicone spatula
Cooling rack
Ingredients
Butter - use unsalted butter. NOTE: If you are dairy-free, I have used my favorite vegan butter with this recipe and it was a success! You just need to watch the butter as it browns differently than full-dairy butter.
Eggs - use large eggs at room temperature. I usually take the eggs out about 30 minutes before I'm ready to start mixing the ingredients.
Light brown sugar - make sure you pack the light brown sugar into the measuring cup to get the correct measurement.
Flour - use all-purpose flour for this recipe.
Baking soda - this is the leavening agent I use for this recipe. If you don't have baking soda, you can substitute baking powder - but you need to use at least twice as much baking powder as the recipe measurement for baking soda.
Semi-sweet chocolate chips and Espresso chips - using these two types of chocolate chips together adds a beautiful depth of flavor to the cookies. You can substitute dark chocolate chips in place of espresso chips if you wish.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Start by browning the butter. Brown butter adds a depth of flavor and richness that makes these cookies over-the-top mouthwatering!
Here's how you do it:
In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the butter. Whisk the butter as it melts and continue to heat the butter as it starts to brown. The butter will start to boil and sizzle, and then as it starts to brown, the sizzling should slow down to a simmering boil.
The color will change from bright golden yellow to a darker amber. Once the butter turns color, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool for about 10 minutes.
Mix the dry ingredients. While the brown butter is cooling, in a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
Mix the wet ingredients. Once the butter is cool to the touch, add it to a large stand mixer, and beat together with the light brown sugar and granulated sugar until combined. Then beat in the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, sour cream, and instant espresso until combined.
Combine the ingredients. Gradually add in the dry flour mixture into the wet mixture just until combined.
Stir in the chips. Use a silicone spatula to gently fold in the chocolate chips and espresso chips.
At this point, you can either:
a) Shape the dough into a round flat disc shape, wrap in plastic wrap or parchment or wax paper, and refrigerate for at least two hours. OR
b) use a cookie scoop to scoop out the dough and then refrigerate for at least two hours.
I prefer to scoop the dough first, and refrigerate on smaller plates or quarter sheet baking sheets.
Once the dough has been refrigerated for at least two hours, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Remove from the refrigerator and then either:
a) if you shaped into a disc: use a medium scoop to scoop out the dough and form the dough into balls. Place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets to give them room to spread while baking.
b) If you scooped out the dough into balls before refrigerating: transfer the dough balls to a half sheet baking sheet about 2 inches apart from each other.
Bake at 350°F for 9 to 11 minutes, just until the edges are slightly browned but the centers are still slightly soft.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack and allow them to cool down completely.
Recipe FAQs
Bringing eggs to room temperature helps them mix better into the batter. While you don't have to do this, but it does make a difference in the batter. You can also warm them up a bit in your hands before adding them to the batter.
If you don't want or don't have instant espresso or instant coffee, you can either add an extra ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract to the existing amount the recipe calls for. Or, you can simply leave it out.
You can use dark chocolate chips or chocolate chunks. The espresso chips add another layer of flavor. So if you really don't want to include them, you can simply use all semi-sweet chocolate chips.
No. They may still taste great, but they will not be the cookies that were intended in this recipe. If you omit the instant espresso/coffee and the espresso chips, you basically have brown butter chocolate chip cookies. Still delicious! But not the same. If you decide to skip browning the butter, and just use softened room temperature butter, you also will have a completely different cookie. Again: it will likely taste great! But, it will not be the same cookie.
In general, you'll want to slightly increase the temperature and slightly decrease baking time. However, high altitude baking is a complex subject with a LOT of variables. If you have recently started baking at a location that is more than 3,000 ft above sea level, I highly recommend checking out the King Arthur High Altitude Baking Guide. They have a handy chart to help you!
More cookie recipes to try
- Chewy Chocolate Fudge Cookies
- Butterscotch Cookies
- Soft Ginger Molasses Cookies
- Chocolate-Dipped Peppermint Shortbread Cookies
- Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Espresso Cookies
Ingredients
- 2¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 1¼ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon sour cream
- 2 teaspoons instant espresso or instant coffee
- ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¾ cup espresso chips
Instructions
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the butter. Whisk the butter as it melts and continue to heat the butter as it starts to brown. The color will change from bright golden yellow to a darker amber. Once the butter turns color, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool for about 10 minutes.
- While the brown butter is cooling, in a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- Once the butter is cool to the touch, add it to a large stand mixer, and beat together with the light brown sugar and granulated sugar until combined. Then beat in the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, sour cream, and instant espresso until combined.
- Gradually add in the dry flour mixture into the wet mixture just until combined. Then use a silicone spatula to gently fold in the chocolate chips and espresso chips.
- Shape the dough into a round flat disc shape, wrap in plastic wrap or parchment or wax paper, and refrigerate for at least two hours.
- Once the dough has been refrigerated for at least two hours, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove from the refrigerator and use a medium scoop to scoop out the dough and form the dough into balls. Place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets to give them room to spread while baking.
- Bake at 350°F for 9 to 11 minutes, just until the edges are slightly browned but the centers are still slightly soft.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack until they have cooled completely.
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Liz says
Just when I thought chocolate chip cookies couldn't get any more delicious, I find these!! So yummy!!
Pam says
We love chocolate chips cookies, of course, but adding brown butter makes anything better and these are no exception!
Beth says
I can't wait to try these. I know my family is going to love them. I love brown butter skillet apples.
Kechi says
These cookies look so good! Am sure to eat more than required! I like the addition of espresso chips! YUM
Sara Welch says
Whipped up a batch of these this afternoon and they did not disappoint! So delicious and moist; exactly what I needed to cure my sweet tooth, indeed!