Brown Butter Walnut Cookies (with chocolate chips)

These brown butter walnut cookies are soft and thick in the centre, slightly crisp at the edges, packed with toasty walnuts, and loaded with rich chocolate. The secret? Brown butter. That one extra step transforms an ordinary cookie into something that tastes as if it came straight out of a fancy bakery. And the best part? No mixer needed. Just two bowls, a whisk, and about 15 minutes of active time.

I'll be honest, I was late to the brown butter party! 🙈 After my best chewy chocolate chip cookies went down a treat, Pinterest kept throwing brown butter cookies at me, and I kept thinking... isn't that just desi ghee? Spoiler: it is absolutely not. Clarified butter, ghee, and brown butter are three distinctly different things, and once you understand what brown butter actually does to a cookie, you'll wonder why you ever baked without it.

If you love a nerdy deep-dive, Epicurious has a fantastic breakdown of all three. But for now - let's make cookies.

Jump to:

• Key Ingredients
• What Is Brown Butter? (And Why It Makes Better Cookies)
• Quick Look: Instructions
• How to Freeze Cookie Dough (And Bake From Frozen)
• Variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• More Dessert Recipes
• 📖 Recipe Card
• 💬 Comments

This brown butter walnut cookies recipe is so yummy that I bet you can't stop with one unless you have the willpower of an athlete! Brown butter is truly liquid gold, and I urge you to try it at least once. Between F and I, I think I ate more cookies!😄

Key Ingredients

This recipe uses simple, everyday baking ingredients. Here's a list of key ingredients you'll need and why each one matters:

• Butter: Salted or unsalted both work. This gets browned, so it's the star of the show. Don't rush this step.
• Brown sugar: Light or dark brown sugar both work beautifully. Brown sugar adds moisture and that deep caramel flavour that pairs perfectly with browned butter.
• White granulated sugar: Balances the brown sugar and helps the cookies spread just right.
• Egg: Room temperature is best for a smooth, even dough.
• Milk: This compensates for the moisture lost during the browning process. Don't skip it.
• All-purpose flour: You may know it as plain flour or maida.
• Cornstarch: This is the trick for keeping the cookies soft and thick. Please don't leave it out!
• Baking soda: Not interchangeable with baking powder. They work differently, and the results will be different.
• Chocolate chips or chunks: You can use semi-sweet, dark or milk chocolate chips. You can also use chopped chocolate for more rustic, gooey pools of chocolate.
• Walnuts: Roughly chopped. Make sure they're fresh, as rancid walnuts will ruin the whole batch. When in doubt, give them a sniff and taste before adding.

Want to make white chocolate brown butter walnut cookies? The sweetness of white chocolate against the nutty depth of brown butter and the slight bitterness of walnuts is an incredible combination - and honestly, it might be even better than the original.

What Is Brown Butter? (And Why It Makes Better Cookies)

Brown butter, also known as browned butter or beurre noisette in French, is simply regular butter that's been cooked low and slow until the milk solids turn golden and the water evaporates completely. What's left is pure, concentrated butter fat with a deep, nutty, almost caramel-like aroma. The French use it as a sauce in both sweet and savoury dishes, and honestly, once you smell it, you'll understand why.

That evaporation of water is actually what makes it so powerful in baking. Less water in the fat means more concentrated flavour and a slightly different texture in the final cookie; chewier and richer.

How do I know when my brown butter is ready?

Watch for three things: the foam subsides, you see amber-coloured bits forming at the bottom of the pan, and you can smell a warm, nutty, almost hazelnut-like aroma. That's your cue to take it off the heat immediately. A light-coloured saucepan makes this much easier to judge.

If you love butter as the hero of a baked good, my Galettes Bretonnes are another must-try... crisp, golden French butter biscuits that are impossibly simple and completely addictive.

Quick Look: Instructions

1. The first step is to make the brown butter and let it cool. Making browned butter needs your full attention because, in a split second, you can go from brown butter to burnt butter!
2. Next, you will whisk the sugar and egg into the brown butter and then stir in the flour.
3. Lastly, fold in the chocolate chips and chopped walnuts. Your cookie dough is ready.
4. Reminder! Chilling the cookie dough is mandatory. You may chill for 30 minutes or overnight.
5. Baking time! Preheat your oven and line the baking tray. Scoop the cookie dough and place it on a lined baking tray, leaving a gap between each. You may shape the dough into neat balls and then bake until golden brown edges - approx 13 minutes.
6. Make sure to remove the tray from the oven and let it cool, as the cookies will continue to cook while cooling. So, it is better to remove them at 13 minutes for chewy cookies.

Refer to the Recipe Card for detailed recipe instructions.

Can I bake these cookies on foil instead of parchment paper?

Yes, you can! I have tried baking a batch. Line your tray with foil and place the cookie dough. The cookies bake up just fine. Though parchment paper or a silicone baking mat is easier to work with for cleanup and release.

How to Freeze Cookie Dough (And Bake From Frozen)

1. Chill the cookie dough balls in the refrigerator for 1 hour
2. Place the solid and cold cookie dough balls into a freezer-friendly bag or box
3. Label the date and any other details to remember, like the baking temp, name of the cookie, etc. and place the bag in the freezer. You may freeze cookie dough for up to 3 months
4. To bake the frozen cookie dough balls, remove them from the freezer, preheat the oven according to the recipe's instructions and bake them for a minute or two longer than the required time

Variations

Brown butter walnut cookies are a classic, and there are several variations you can try:

• White Chocolate: Replace the chocolate chips with white chocolate chips for a sweeter and creamier cookie.
• Oatmeal: Mix in some rolled oats for a heartier texture and a touch of cinnamon for extra flavour.
• Peanut Butter: Add a dollop of peanut butter to the dough for a tasty twist on the classic combo of peanut butter and chocolate.

If you enjoy a simpler, melt-in-your-mouth butter cookie, my Ghraybeh are worth bookmarking - a classic Middle Eastern shortbread with only a handful of ingredients.

Equipment

• Light-coloured saucepan: To prepare brown butter.
• Mixing Bowl: A couple of mixing bowls, one for wet ingredients and one for dry, will come in handy.
• Whisk: You can use a simple whisk to blend the ingredients.
• Spatula: For mixing and scraping the dough.
• Baking Sheet: To place your cookie dough on. You might want to line it with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat for easy cleanup.
• Cookie Scoop or spoon: To portion out your cookie dough evenly.
• Cooling Rack: Once the cookies are done, let them cool on a rack. This helps them firm up nicely.

Storage

When it comes to storing those scrumptious brown butter walnut cookies, here's what you can do:

1. Room Temperature: If you plan to enjoy the cookies within a few days, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They should stay fresh for up to a week this way.
2. Freezing: To store baked cookies for a longer period, consider freezing them. Place the cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until they're firm. Then transfer them to an airtight container or a zip-top bag. They can last for about 2-3 months in the freezer.

Remember, when you're ready to enjoy the frozen cookies, you can let them come to room temperature for the best taste and texture.🍪😋

More Dessert Recipes

If you're on a chocolate chip cookie journey like me, you might also love my Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies or Banana Bread Chocolate Chip Cookies - same chewy energy, completely different flavours.

Looking for other sweet recipes? Try these:

📖 Recipe Card