Sweet, soft cookies packed with toffee pieces and just slightly salted. These Brown Butter Toffee Cookies are flavored with vanilla and a generous amount of perfectly browned butter. Recipe includes easy steps for browning butter!
The inspiration for these Brown Butter Toffee Cookies came to me via the cafeteria of the hospital where I work.
After taking our lunch together last week (I think I’ve mentioned that Zach and I work at the same hospital, just in different departments), Zach went to buy himself a drink. As we went through the checkout, I saw small, clear-wrapped package labeled “Butter Toffee Cookies” and immediately threw them at him.
I need these — for research!
He bought them and the graceless mouth-stuffing research commenced, but I was honestly a little disappointed.
They were almost too sweet– there was too much artificial flavor somewhere in there. Faux vanilla, maybe? Some sort of preservative?
They weren’t exactly crunchy, but still somehow seemed a little too dry for me. And for a cookie that touted the word “Butter” right in its name, I expected a much… butterier flavor.
I had some good starting points, thanks to an underwhelming cafeteria cookie.
These Brown Butter Toffee Cookies live up to the “butter” part of their name.
For the best, butteriest flavor, you’re going to use browned butter in this recipe. You may have spied this ingredient in several of my other cookie recipes, or maybe in my recent brown butter blondies (just… yum).
I absolutely adore browned butter because of its nearly nutty, toffee-like (what better complement to the toffee add-ins) flavor.
Brown butter used to seem intimidating to me — you have to get out a saucepan and turn on the stove and, yes, watch it very carefully for a few minutes, but it’s really a simple process. The recipe below includes step-by-step instructions on how to perfectly brown butter.
Make sure to cool the browned butter for 25-30 minutes before adding your other ingredients, otherwise you run the risk of melting your sugars, and could end up with some seriously runny, unusable dough.
This recipe does not require any chilling (I know, a lot of my recent cookie recipes have required fridge time). However, it may be covered and chilled, if you would like, and this would likely give the cookies an even richer, more buttery flavor.
Keep in mind that that the dough gets a bit crumbly when chilled and will need to warm back up to room temperature in order to scoop and bake.
I have a serious cookie obsession and each time I make a new version I sincerely believe that it’s my new favorite, and these are no exception. They are so good — slightly crisped exteriors, crunchy toffee bits accented with milk chocolate, and a nutty, buttery flavor in every bite (especially in those soft centers!).
Make sure to top everything off with a small shower of sea salt, which really intensifies all of the already robust flavors of these brown butter toffee cookies.
I also cannot recommend strongly enough that you re-heat these briefly in the microwave before eating (about 9-seconds per cookie, in my microwave).
Warm cookies are the best cookies.
Enjoy!
Brown Butter Toffee Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup (200 g) brown sugar (light or dark is fine, I like to use a blend of the two)
- ⅔ cup (135 g) white sugar
- 2 eggs room temperature preferred
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¾ cups (350 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch cornflour in UK
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (170 g) milk chocolate toffee pieces (Like Heath Milk Chocolate Toffee Pieces)
- sea salt for sprinkling on top of the cookies (fine or coarse, your preference)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (177C) and line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Cut your butter into Tablespoon-sized pieces and place in a medium-sized saucepan. Melt over medium-low heat.1 cup unsalted butter
To Brown the Butter (It's easy, I promise!)
- Once butter has melted, increase heat to just above medium heat.
- Swirl and scrape the sides of the pan frequently with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula - the butter will bubble and pop. Once the bubbling/popping slows, the butter will begin to turn brown, it will look like this once it's finished:
- Watch the butter very carefully at this point, and once it begins to brown and you smell the nutty aroma of browned butter, remove from heat quickly and pour into a large, heatproof bowl.
- Allow butter to cool for 25-30 minutes before proceeding with the recipe.
Cookie Dough
- Add sugars into cooled browned butter, stir well.1 cup (200 g) brown sugar, ⅔ cup (135 g) white sugar
- Stir in eggs, one at a time, stirring well after each addition.2 eggs
- Add vanilla extract and stir.1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt.2 ¾ cups (350 g) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon salt
- Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, stirring until ingredients are nearly completely combined.
- Add milk chocolate toffee bits and stir until ingredients are well-incorporated.1 cup (170 g) milk chocolate toffee pieces
- Drop by heaping, rounded 1 ½ Tbsp scoops onto prepared cookie sheets, placing at least 2" apart.
- Bake on 350F (177C) for 10-12 minutes or until edges are just beginning to turn golden brown (cookies should still be quite soft when you remove them from the oven, and may even appear slightly underbaked in center).
- Sprinkle lightly with sea salt.sea salt
- Allow cookies to cool on baking pan for about 3 minutes and then use a spatula to gently scoop beneath them and carefully wiggle them free from the parchment paper, as the toffee tends to stick.
- Allow to cool several more minutes and then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
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Adri
This has been my go-to cookie recipe since I found your blog 2 years ago. I get many requests from the family for “my” special cookies, so thanks!
Sam
Well you are very welcome, Adri! Thank you so much for letting me know what a hit they have been, I appreciate it! 🙂
Rebecca
Can I make this without baking soda? I don’t have any in my pantry currently…
Sam
I really don’t recommend it. 🙁
Tresa
Can you just use heat toffee bits not choc toffee bits?
Sam
Yes that would work. Enjoy!
Marissa
I just made these, ate one cookie (then another) and I had to come comment! These are mmmm delicious! I’ll definitely make these again. I followed the directions exactly, no modifications.
Sam
That is so awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Marissa! 🙂
Riley
My dough turned out super crumbly and would only stay together if I really packed it together. I swear I followed the instructions but I’m not sure what I did wrong… any suggestions?
Sam
Hi Riley! I’m so sorry this happened! Are you weighing your flour? If not check out my post on how to measure flour to avoid adding too much. I hope this helps. 🙂
judy
Same thing happened to me…I measured my flour so carefully too. But the dough is crumbly and I have to squeeze it together to make the cookie balls. In the oven now….shall see how they taste!
Sabra B.
These cookies are GREAT!!!! Perfect taste, texture and appearance. They will definitely be in my Christmas cookie platter this year and saved in my top cookie recipes!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much, Sabra! 🙂
GAIL
I was in search of a recipe to use a bag of toffee chips and was blessed to find this recipe. Although I’m an experienced baker I used the technique of browning butter for the first time. I suspected I was going to want to make another batch of these cookies, so I only used half the bag of chips. I didn’t experience the sticking to the parchment paper you mentioned, perhaps because I had less toffee in my cookies. The pinch of salt is an excellent addition to the cookie and I will be making another batch and finishing off the toffee chips. Thanks for an amazing recipe!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Gail! 🙂
Cindy
These are my new favorite cookie! I keep saying that after trying one of your recipes, but these truly are amazing. They are so chewy and delicious and very dangerous to have around. Thank you for another perfect cookie recipe!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoy them all so much Cindy! It’s so hard to choose a favorite. I basically have a rotating schedule of favorite cookies. 🤣
Clara
I have to be honest. I was really really skeptical of these cookies. Anything with corn starch, baking powder and baking soda tends to have a synthetic taste for me. These are probably the best cookie I’ve made in 2020. Perfectly sweet, chewy and the perfect density. I WILL be making these again. Thanks for an amazing recipe!
Sam
I’m so thrilled to hear you enjoyed so much, Clara! Thank you for letting me know how they turned out for you! 🙂
Cindy
Saw a similar recipe in our newspaper, and it interested me. I looked online and found your recipe and gave it a try that day. Delicious results! I think the main difference is in browning the butter. That technique produced amazing cookies that my husband said is now one of his favorites! Thank you for your encouragement in doing the browning of the butter. I was a little nervous, but it was simple, just like you said!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much, Cindy! The brown butter reallllyyyy adds a LOT of flavor here. 🙂
Mary
My fiancé is OBSESSED with these, so I make them every time I feel extra lovey to him 🥰 the browned butter makes the entire house smell amazing!
Sam
I am so glad he enjoys them so much, Mary! That’s very nice of you to make him some cookies. 🙂
Laura
Absolutely wonderful, although I might like a little more of the toffee chips. I realized too late I was out of parchment paper but nonstick foil worked great
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Laura! 🙂
Jean Stelicos
So Good… really, just so good!
Nancy Win
Wow I just made these, I used an entire bag of Heath pieces, about 1.25 cups but followed the rest of the recipe exactly. They are REALLY good. Thank you!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much, Nancy! 🙂
D
These were sooooo yummy!!! Possibly the best cookies I have ever had! The sea salt was a great touch 🙂 My only note is that this recipe made about 50 cookies! I have been the cookie fairy since making them!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much! 🙂
Mary
These are easy and delicious!!!! Be careful. It’s hard to stop eating them! Make them. You will not regret it!!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much, Mary! 🙂
Mary Richard
These cookies are amazing. Such a great texture, smell, and taste! These are one of my new favorites! Plus I learned how to brown butter thanks to this recipe.
Thank you!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed the cookies so much, Mary! Brown butter has such an awesome flavor. 🙂
Julia
IM SO EXCITED FOR THIS RECIPE!! Made these with 193 grams of pre-made browned butter (15% less than 1 cup normal butter) (i browned 500g of butter some days ago and chilled into a big block)
And used milk toffee, weighted my dough and got 36 cookies of 32/33 grams each. Will bake them tomorrow and update. (yep, I’m a really precise baker)
Sam
I hope you love them! 🙂