Brown Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
Sweet and salty toffee chocolate chip cookies are an elevated twist on classic chocolate chip cookies- soft and chewy, packed with chocolate chips, salted toffee bits, and brown butter flavor. They are the most flavorful cookies you'll ever make!
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Homemade Toffee
- 4 tablespoon salted butter
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
For the Cookie Dough
- 14 tablespoon salted butter cold
- ½ cup + 2 tbsp light brown sugar packed
- 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 *See notes below for measuring*
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¾ cup chopped dark chocolate, 72% or chocolate chips
- ½ cup homemade toffee pieces *from recipe above* or store-bought heath bar
Instructions
- Prepare the baking sheet: Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and set it aside.
- Make the homemade toffee: Over medium heat, melt the butter then whisk in the brown sugar and vanilla for 1 minute. Cook the sugar for 8-10 mins, whisking occasionally, until a thermometer reads 295°F/146°C and it has a melted peanut butter consistency. If at any point the toffee begins to separate, remove the pan from the heat and whisk vigorously until it comes back together. Then pour the toffee onto the prepared baking sheet. Set aside to cool.
- Smash the toffee into pieces: Once cool, (about the time it takes to brown and cool the butter for the cookie dough) use a meat mallet or heavy object to smash the toffee into pieces.
- Brown the butter: Cook the butter in a stainless steel pan over medium heat until it looks foamy, smells nutty, and has browned bits of milk solids. The butter will foam, crackle, and pop as it cooks- this is normal! Scrape into a large bowl and cool to room temperature (20-30 minutes). You should have about ¾ cup (160 grams) of browned butter.
- Whisk in the wet ingredients: Once cool, whisk in the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Then whisk in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until combined.
- Mix in the dry ingredients: Fold in the flour, baking soda, salt, chocolate chips, and toffee pieces until just combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill it in the fridge for 30 minutes, this makes it easier to scoop!
- Scoop and chill the cookie dough: Scoop the dough with a 3-tbsp scoop onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill the tray in the freezer for a minimum of 3-4 hours, overnight is best! They must be frozen when baking!
- Bake the cookies: When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Space the cookies 2-3 inches apart. You will need to bake them on two trays if baking the whole batch! Bake for 12-16 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown but the middle is puffy and underbaked.
- Straight out of the oven, sprinkle with extra toffee pieces, chocolate chips, and flaky sea salt if desired. Let cool completely on a wire rack then enjoy!
Video
Notes
*Measure your flour properly. This is my #1 baking tip! Do not ever scoop a measuring cup into your flour as this always leads to using too much flour. Instead, use the spoon-level method. This means fluffing the flour first, then spooning it into your measuring cup/spoon. For the BEST results, use a kitchen scale!*
Don't burn the butter! Browned butter should have amber-colored milk solids. If they are dark brown or black, it's likely the butter is burnt and will taste burnt when mixed into the dough.
Don't skip the chilling time! This step is important for flavor development, texture improvement, and reduced spreading. All of these contribute to a cookie that is tender and well-rounded in flavor!