Brown Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies

These brown butter toffee chocolate chip cookies are the BEST elevated twist on a classic! Sweet, salty, and chewy, with a gooey texture and caramel-y toffee flavor, they are completely irresistible!

If you are searching for the best cookie recipe you'll make in your entire life, look no further than these toffee chocolate chip cookies!

Adapted from my popular brown butter snickerdoodle cookies, these chocolate chip cookies feature the same soft and chewy texture with gooey centers and crispy edges.

They are stuffed with homemade salted toffee bits and lots of chopped dark chocolate for the most flavorful chocolate chip cookie you'll ever have!

While these cookies are a little more involved than your usual recipe, like making the homemade toffee and browning the butter, they are the steps that take these cookies to the next level and make them completely irresistible.

They are SO good, people will think they came straight from a high-end bakery...so what are you waiting for?!

For more brown butter recipes, try Brown Butter Nutella Bars, Miso Chocolate Chip Cookies, Espresso Brownies, and Chewy Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies.

why you'll love this recipe

• Soft and chewy cookies: These cookies have perfectly crispy edges, gooey centers, and the best chewy texture.
• Salted toffee: Adding salted toffee pieces to the cookie dough gives them a warm caramel-y flavor and a nice crunchy texture in every bite!
• Brown butter: If you still haven't tried brown butter cookies before, you are going to be as addicted as I am. Browning the butter gives them an even deeper level of caramel-y flavor.
• Perfect for any occasion: These toffee cookies are fancy enough to be the star of Christmas cookie boxes and holiday parties especially if you're already going to be making homemade toffee!

ingredient notes

Find the full ingredient measurements and instructions in the recipe card below!

• Butter: I recommend using unsalted butter for this recipe. If you only have salted butter on hand, decrease the salt to ½ teaspoon.
• Dark chocolate: A high-quality chocolate bar is recommended for the best flavor and pools of chocolate! I personally love Ghiradelli or Valrhona chocolate.
• Toffee: This recipe includes instructions and a recipe for homemade toffee but you can definitely use store-bought toffee or heath toffee bits instead. I highly recommend making the toffee yourself though, it seems like hard work but is actually pretty simple!
• Egg: This recipe calls for one whole egg and one egg yolk. The extra egg yolk gives the cookies a really gooey center.

recipe instructions

Here's how to make these chocolate chip toffee cookies! You will need a large mixing bowl, a large 3-tablespoon cookie scoop, a whisk, and 2 large baking sheets.

STEP ONE: Make the homemade toffee. In a small heavy-bottomed pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Then vigorously whisk in the light brown sugar, vanilla bean paste, and salt for 1 minute until combined.

Cook the mixture for 8-10 minutes stirring occasionally, until the mixture looks like melted peanut butter and a candy thermometer reads 295 F/145 C. Pour it onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper and set it aside to cool. Then use a heavy object to smash it into pieces!

STEP TWO: Brown the butter. In a stainless steel or light-colored pan, cook the butter over medium heat for 8-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. While it cooks, the butter will foam, crackle, and pop. Stand by and stir it occasionally so it doesn't burn. Then make sure to scrape out ALL of the butter and brown bits into a mixing bowl and set it aside to cool to room temperature, for about 20-30 minutes.

STEP THREE: Whisk in the sugars. When the butter is at room temperature, whisk in the granulated sugar and light brown sugar for 1 minute until combined.

STEP FOUR: Whisk in the wet and dry ingredients. Whisk in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla bean paste until combined and the batter starts to stick to the sides of the bowl when whisked. Then fold in the all-purpose flour, salt, and baking soda until almost combined.

STEP FIVE: Fold in the toffee and chocolate. Fold in the chopped chocolate and toffee pieces until just combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to chill for about 20 minutes. It will firm up and make it easier to scoop!

STEP SIX: Scoop the cookie dough. Use a large (roughly 3 tablespoons) cookie scoop to scoop the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place the baking tray in the freezer and chill for at least another 30 minutes or longer. They should be completely frozen solid before baking!

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C. Space the cookies at least 2 inches apart (you will need two baking sheets if you bake the whole batch!). Bake for 13-14 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the centers are puffy but still pale.

You can press more toffee pieces or chocolate to the tops straight out of the oven if desired. Then let the tray cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before removing and enjoy!

expert baking tips

• Make the toffee from scratch. I know it sounds like an annoying extra step but it is SO worth it and straightforward to make even if you've never made it before!
• Don't burn the butter! Browned butter should have amber-colored solids at the bottom when it's ready. If the bits are dark brown or black, it's likely the butter is burnt and will taste burnt when mixed into the dough.
• Chill the dough. This step is crucial for the cookies to have the best flavor and texture after baking. If you bake them too soon or if the dough is too soft, the cookies will spread really thin.
• Use a kitchen scale. Baking with a scale is much more accurate than cup measurements. To convert this recipe, click the "metric" button next to the ingredients title on the recipe card.
• Underbake the cookies: You should remove them from the oven when the edges are just set and slightly brown with the centers still undercooked. 

storage & freezing

• Room temperature: Store the baked cookies in an airtight container or ziplock bag at room temperature for 2-3 days. Do not refrigerate them or they will get dry and stale.
• Freezer: To freeze the cookie dough, transfer the frozen dough balls to a freezer bag or airtight container. You can bake them straight from the freezer for the same indicated baking time.

faq's

more cookie recipes to try

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Brown Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies

These brown butter toffee chocolate chip cookies are the BEST elevated twist on a classic! Sweet, salty, and chewy, with a gooey texture and caramel-y toffee flavor, they are completely irresistible!

Servings 14 cookies

Prep 2 hrs 5 mins

Cook 10 mins

Total 2 hrs 15 mins

Course : Dessert

Cuisine : American

Author : Cambrea Gordon

Equipment

• large 3 tablespoon cookie scoop

Need Metric Measurements?Use the button options below to toggle between US cups and Metric grams!

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

For the Homemade Toffee

• 4 tablespoon unsalted butter
• ½ cup light brown sugar packed
• ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon salt

For the Cookie Dough

• 14 tablespoon unsalted butter
• ½ cup + 2 tbsp light brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 whole egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• 1 ⅔ cup + 1 tbsp all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup chopped dark chocolate, 72%
• ½ cup toffee pieces store bought can be used as well!

Instructions

Make the Toffee

• Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and set it aside.
• To make the homemade toffee, melt the butter in a heavy bottomed pot over medium heat.
  4 tablespoon unsalted butter
• When the butter is melted, vigorously whisk in the brown sugar, vanilla bean paste, and salt for 1 minute until well combined.
  ½ cup light brown sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon salt
• Cook the sugar, whisking occasionally, for 8-10 minutes or until it has a melted peanut butter consistency and a candy thermometer reads 295 F/146 C. If at any point the toffee begins to separate, remove the pan from the heat and whisk vigorously until it comes back together.
• Very carefully pour the toffee onto the prepared baking pan in an even layer.
• Set it aside to cool. (about the time it takes to brown and cool the butter for the cookie dough). Once it's cool, use a meat mallet or heavy object to smash it into pieces.

Make the Cookie Dough

• In a stainless steel or light-colored pan, cook the butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally. The butter will foam, crackle and pop as it cooks which is normal!
  14 tablespoon unsalted butter
• When the butter is covered in foam, smells nutty, and the bottom of the pan is covered in golden amber brown bits, immediately remove it from the heat and pour it into a mixing bowl.
• Set it aside to cool for about 20 minutes or until it feels room temperature. You should have about ¾ cup or 160 grams of browned butter.
• Then whisk in the brown sugar and granulated sugar.
  ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup + 2 tablespoon light brown sugar
• Whisk in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla paste until combined. The mixture should feel and look thicker when it is thoroughly combined.
  1 whole egg, 1 large egg yolk, 2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• Fold in flour, baking soda, and salt until almost combined.
  1 ⅔ cup + 1 tablespoon all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt
• Then add the chocolate and toffee and continue folding until just combined and there are no more dry pockets of flour.
  ¾ cup chopped dark chocolate, 72%, ½ cup toffee pieces
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• Use a large 3 tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the dough onto a parchment-lined baking tray. You can roll each one in your hands to make them perfectly round.
• Place the tray of cookies in the freezer to continue chilling for at least another 30 minutes. They should be completely frozen solid before baking.
• When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C. Space the cookies at least 2 inches apart. You will need to bake them on two separate trays if baking the whole batch!
• Bake for 13-14 minutes, or until just the edges are golden brown and the middle is puffy but still pale.
• Let cool on a wire cooling rack for at least 20 minutes before removing then sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired and enjoy!

Notes

Step-by-step process photos are provided above, in the body of this post.

 

recipe notes

• Make the toffee from scratch. I know it sounds like an annoying extra step but it is SO worth it and straightforward to make even if you've never made it before!
• Don't burn the butter! Browned butter should have amber-colored solids at the bottom when it's ready. If the bits are dark brown or black, it's likely the butter is burnt and will taste burnt when mixed into the dough.
• Chill the dough. This step is crucial for the cookies to have the best flavor and texture after baking. If you bake them too soon or if the dough is too soft, the cookies will spread really thin.
• Use a kitchen scale. Baking with a scale is much more accurate than cup measurements. To convert this recipe, click the "metric" button next to the ingredients title on the recipe card.
• Underbake the cookies: You should remove them from the oven when the edges are just set and slightly brown with the centers still undercooked. 

 

storage & freezing

• Room temperature: Store the baked cookies in an airtight container or ziplock bag at room temperature for 2-3 days. Do not refrigerate them or they will get dry and stale.
• Freezer: To freeze the cookie dough, transfer the frozen dough balls to a freezer bag or airtight container. You can bake them straight from the freezer.

Nutrition

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.