It’s no secret that I LOVE chocolate chip cookies. If I could, I’d make a fresh batch every single day. I really think I’m the happiest when I’m dipping a warm cookie into a cold glass of milk. Ok, maybe that’s a bit dramatic. But I mean, what’s not to love? CCCs are a top tier dessert.
This year I came to fully understand, accept, and appreciate the easiest secret behind the best textured chocolate chip cookies— a good ole 24-hour rest. I know, I know. Who can wait 24 hours? It sounds absolutely insane and up until February, I turned my nose up at the idea. But people change.
Hear me out. Resting the dough allows both the flour to fully hydrate and the butter to re-firm. This in turn results in perfectly chewy cookies that don’t spread wildly when baking and maintain their texture over days (as long as they’re stored correctly). If you love a chewy yet soft cookie that actually stays chewy and soft after a couple days, then you need to take my word and rest your cookie dough.
Nutty brown butter, a deep caramel-esque flavor from dark brown sugar, a combination of dark and semi-sweet chocolate, a little sprinkle of sea salt, and a 24-hour rest makes these cookies extra flavorful and chewy and oh-so perfect. The internet may not need another brown butter cookie recipe, but I know you’re going to want to sink your teeth into these.
As always, follow along for the step-by-step or skip to the bottom for the recipe.
Begin by browning the butter. Melt the butter in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Continue to cook the melted butter until the milk solids turn golden brown and fragrant.
Immediately transfer the brown butter to the bowl of a stand mixer. Set the butter aside for about 10 minutes until the bowl is slightly warm, but not hot, to the touch. I like to put my bowl under the range hood with the fan running on low.
Meanwhile, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a separate bowl.
Add the sugars to the butter and beat until combined and the sugars are visibly saturated.
Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth, lightened in color, and no sugar lumps remain.
Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined.
Add the chocolate chips/chunks and mix on low until the chocolate is evenly distributed.
I love using a combination of dark chocolate (1 cup) and semi-sweet chips (1/2 cup) here. I think the combination keeps the cookies from swinging too sweet or too bitter. However, you can 100% use all semi-sweet if you like a sweeter cookie or all dark chocolate if you like a less sweet cookie.
This next step is where I deviate from what most recipes call for. Scooping after the 24 hours tends to require a little bit more elbow grease and usually requires the dough to be chilled (either in the fridge or freezer) again to re-firm the butter. For this reason, I like to scoop my dough before the big rest.
Scoop the dough into 1 1/2 tablespoon portions and place on a small lined baking sheet. Tightly wrap the sheet of cookies with plastic wrap and allow the cookies to rest in the fridge for 24 hours.
While I prefer to scoop and then rest, you can of course rest and then scoop. Just pop the portions into the freezer for 5 minutes to firm up before baking.
After 24 hours, you can finally preheat the oven and line your baking sheets.
Place the cookies staggered on each lined baking sheet.
Bake the cookies at 350 degrees f until golden brown around the edges and just set in the center, about 10 minutes.
Immediately sprinkle each cookie with sea salt if desired. Allow the cookies to set on the baking sheets for 1 minute and then transfer to a rack to cool. Bake the remaining cookies.
Store the cookies in an airtight container or resealable bag for up to a week.
Directions for making the dough in advance can be found below.
24-hour Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yield: about 27 cookies
Ingredients
1 stick (113 grams or 1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cubed
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (220 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup (108 grams) packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (108 grams) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups (300 grams) dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks (see notes)
Sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)
Method
Line a small rimmed baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.
Melt the butter in a medium non-stick pan over medium-high heat and cook the melted butter until the milk solids turn golden brown, about 6 minutes from start to finish. Quickly transfer the brown butter to the bowl of a stand mixer. Set aside for about 10 minutes to cool, until the bowl is slightly warm, but not hot to the touch.
Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a separate medium bowl.
Add the sugars to the butter and beat on medium speed until combined and the sugars are visibly saturated. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat on medium speed until smooth, lightened in color, and no sugar lumps remain. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined. Add the chocolate chips/chunks and mix on low until the chocolate is evenly distributed.
Scoop the dough using a 1 3/4-inch scoop (about 1 1/2 tablespoon portions) and place on the small lined baking sheet. Tightly wrap the sheet of cookies with plastic wrap and allow the cookies to rest in the fridge for 24 hours.
After 24 hours, preheat the oven to 350 degrees f and line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
Place 9 cookies staggered on each lined baking sheet. Bake the cookies at 350 degrees f on the top and bottom thirds of the oven, rotating front to back and top to bottom halfway through baking, until the cookies are golden brown around the edges and just set in the center, about 10 minutes. Alternatively, bake one tray at a time on the middle rack, rotating halfway.
Immediately sprinkle each cookie with sea salt if desired. Allow the cookies to set on the baking sheets for 1 minute and then transfer to a rack to cool. Bake the remaining cookies.
Storing
Store the cookies in an airtight container or resealable bag for up to a week.
Notes
I like a combination of chocolate in the cookies (1 cup dark chocolate and 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate). If you prefer a sweeter cookie, use all semi-sweet chocolate. If you prefer a less sweet cookie, use all dark chocolate.
Make ahead
There are a few options here—
While this is technically a 24-hour rest dough, it can totally be held for up to 72 hours and baked as instructed.
OR
The dough can be made, refrigerated, and then portioned after resting. If you take this route, I do recommend popping the portions of dough into the freezer for 5 minutes to firm back up before baking.
OR
The dough can be made, portioned, and frozen for up to 3 months. The dough can be baked from frozen and may need to be baked for an extra minute or so. Alternatively, I like to let the portions of dough sit out at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes and then bake. This method usually means the cookies will bake closer to the original time in the instructions.
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