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    Home ยป Recipes ยป Cookies

    Brown Butter Toffee Cookies

    November 11, 2024 By Sam Merritt 284 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
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    collage of brown butter toffee cookies, top image of four cookies stacked, top cookie bite taken out. Bottom image of multiple cookies cooling on wire rack.

    My soft and chewy brown butter toffee cookies are packed with toffee pieces and flavored with vanilla, brown butter, and sprinkling of sea salt. Never browned butter before? I’ll show you how! Recipe includes a how-to video!

    Cookie made with brown butter and toffee missing a bite.

    The BEST Toffee Cookies

    I first shared these brown butter toffee cookies over 7 years ago. Since then, they’ve remained one of my favorites, a guaranteed-to-please go-to that everyone, without fail, asks me for the recipe for.

    The inspiration for these cookies came to me via the cafeteria of the hospital where Zach and I used to work. The original was quite a bit underwhelming–too artificial, dry, and not enough butter flavor–but it provided me with some good starting points for my own creation.

    My version is anything but underwhelming; we’re talking slightly crisped exteriors, crunchy milk chocolate toffee bits, and a nutty, buttery flavor in every bite (especially in those soft centers!). These cookies are so good!

    Stack of brown butter toffee cookies with the top cookie missing a bite.

    Why You’ll Love This Recipe

    • Makes a fantastic fall cookie that’s both pumpkin and pumpkin spice free (if you’re not into that kinda thing). Something about the warm, buttery flavor just makes me think of fall in all the best ways. Feel free to make them year-round though–I certainly do!
    • Brown butter provides the best, butteriest flavor that complements the toffee add-ins so well. If making brown butter seems intimidating to you, just know that it’s a simple process. I’ll walk you through every step below!
    • No chilling or mixer required! Though you can always cover and chill the dough if you would like; 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 come to room temperature before you can scoop and bake.
    • Soft and chewy texture that lasts for days, thanks to my tried-and-true baking technique. On the other hand, if you like crunchy cookies, try my butter crunch cookies!

    What You Need

    Overhead view of ingredients including toffee bits, butter, brown sugar, and more.
    • Brown sugar. I recommend a blend of dark and light brown sugar, though you can use all light brown sugar if that’s all you have on hand.
    • Toffee bits. Use the crushed milk chocolate toffee bits (Heath bar bits). You can usually find these near chocolate chips in the baking aisle of your grocery store.
    • Vanilla. A hefty pour of vanilla (half a tablespoon!) adds SO much flavor to these cookies. I love using homemade vanilla extract in this recipe; if you haven’t made your own yet, you need to!
    • Salt. While we are using regular table salt in the dough, I recommend sprinkling flaky sea salt on the cookies just after removing them from the oven. This really intensifies all of the already robust flavors of these brown butter toffee cookies.
    • Butter. We’re using a full cup (two sticks) of butter today. We’ll brown this and let it cool completely before adding it to the dough. Note that unless otherwise indicated, you should measure your butter before browning it.

    SAM’S TIP: Since we are using room temperature butter, it’s best if you use room temperature eggs as well. I have a trick to quickly bring eggs to room temperature if you forget to set yours out ahead of time.

    This is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!

    How to Make Brown Butter Toffee Cookies

    Overhead view of a pan of brown butter.

    Brown the butter

    Browning the butter is the key to adding truly incredible, jaw-dropping flavor to this recipe. It’s a key ingredient in my brown butter frosting, brown butter chocolate chip cookies, and pistachio cake and it’s every bit as important here, too.

    To make it, add the butter to a light-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. Once melted, increase the heat to medium and stir constantly as the butter bubbles, foams, and pops. Pay close attention, and once you notice a toasty aroma and see brown bits forming on the bottom of the pan, remove from the heat and pour into a heat-proof bowl. You’ve just made brown butter!

    Make sure to let the butter cool for 25-30 minutes before adding your other ingredients, otherwise you run the risk of melting your sugars and creating a seriously runny, unusable dough.

    Overhead view of a bowl of cookie dough made with brown butter and toffee.

    Make the dough

    The dough comes together like most standard doughs. Once the butter has cooled (completely! Make sure the bottom of the bowl that it’s cooling in doesn’t feel even a little warm), you can add the sugars then the egg and vanilla.

    Whisk the dry ingredients together separately then gradually fold it into the wet ingredients. This is a stiff dough, so I do this in 3-4 parts for the easiest combining.

    Fold in your toffee bits until evenly incorporated, then you’re ready to scoop! No more chilling needed, you waited long enough for the browned butter to cool so you’re ready to go now!

    Overhead view of cookie dough balls on a baking sheet.

    Bake the cookies

    Scoop and roll the dough into 1 ½ tablespoon balls, then place on parchment lined baking sheets.

    Bake until the edges are just starting to turn golden brown (the centers will still look a bit underdone, then remove and sprinkle with sea salt (you need to do this while the cookies are still warm, so it sticks). The cookies will continue baking outside the oven on the hot cookie sheets. This is my favorite trick for soft and chewy cookies that stay soft for days!

    SAM’S TIP: The toffee bits tend to stick to the baking sheets as the cookies cool, so I like to gently wiggle the cookies with a spatula after they’ve been out of the oven for a few minutes.

    Overhead view of brown butter toffee cookies on a cooling rack.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I make the dough ahead?

    It’s not ideal with this recipe as the dough doesn’t spread as much after a prolonged period of time in the refrigerator and can even become crumbly. However, if you absolutely must save the dough, you can cover and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. Note that you will likely need to let it completely come back to room temperature before attempting to scoop and roll it, and the dough might be a bit crumbly even with thawing. You may be better off chilling the dough in pre-portioned balls instead.

    Do I have to add the cornstarch?

    You don’t have to, but your cookies won’t be quite as soft and tender or thick if you skip it. I recommend substituting flour for the cornstarch if you must leave it out.

    Why are my toffee cookies flat?

    The most likely cause is adding the sugars to the butter while it is still just a bit too warm. The butter melts the sugars and creates a super greasy dough which unfortunately cannot be remedied (even chilling won’t help).

    This can also happen if you put your cookie dough on hot baking sheets–never do that!

    Two brown butter toffee cookies stacked on top of each other with the top cookie missing a bite.

    I highly recommend that you re-heat your toffee cookies briefly in the microwave before enjoying (about 9-seconds per cookie, in my microwave). Warm cookies are the best cookies!

    Let’s bake together! Subscribe to my newsletter to be notified of all the newest recipes, and find my free recipe tutorials on YouTube 💜

    Stack of brown butter toffee cookies with the top cookie missing a bite.

    Brown Butter Toffee Cookies

    My soft and chewy brown butter toffee cookies are packed with toffee pieces and flavored with vanilla, brown butter, and sprinkling of sea salt. Never browned butter before? I'll show you how!
    Recipe includes a how-to video!
    4.97 from 161 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
    Servings: 24 cookies
    Calories: 157kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt

    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: 
      Overhead of browned butter in sauce pan
    • 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 (45g) scoops onto prepared cookie sheets, placing at least 2" apart.
    • Bake on 350F (177C) for 9-10 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.

    Notes

    Storing

    Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 157kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 108mg | Potassium: 35mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 171IU | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg

    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.

    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Cody Alkema

      August 15, 2021 at 9:28 pm

      5 stars
      Iโ€™ve been baking cookies for at least 40 years and these are the best Iโ€™ve ever made! I used plain toffee bits and added 60% dark chocolate chips and walnuts. They are incredible! I love any baked good with butter in it (if it doesnโ€™t have real butter in it itโ€™s not worth eating) and I have never tried browning butter before. It made all the difference!

      Reply
      • Sam

        August 16, 2021 at 3:26 pm

        I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Cody! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    2. Arie

      July 22, 2021 at 2:23 pm

      5 stars
      These are great! I chilled for a hour and then warmed to room temperature.

      Reply
    3. Anna

      July 01, 2021 at 7:37 pm

      Hi there. Can I can make the receipts the night before and leave the dough in the fridge/freezer to bake the next day ? Will that ruin them or will it work ?
      Thank you ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 01, 2021 at 9:46 pm

        Hi Anna! The dough will be fine in the refrigerator overnight. Make sure to wrap it tightly. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    4. Paula

      May 25, 2021 at 7:37 pm

      5 stars
      omg. That’s how I’ll start. So, I bake a lot of cookies. I mean, A lot of cookies, but I have never made a browned butter cookie…until today. omg…these are incredible. Browning the butter is easy, but you have to be patient, as it takes several minutes. And, I made my own toffee. I found a 3 ingredient recipe and made homemade toffee pieces, which I would highly recommend. The flavor of the homemade cookie with the homemade toffee pieces is ethereal. I like bigger cookies, so I weighed each ball of dough ( 1.75) oz each and got 23 cookies. Make these!!

      Reply
      • Sam

        May 25, 2021 at 10:05 pm

        I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Paula! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
      • Anonymous

        June 03, 2021 at 3:14 pm

        5 stars
        Oohh, what toffee recipe did you use if you dont mind my asking?

        Reply
        • Paula

          July 24, 2021 at 5:21 pm

          Hi! If you are replying to my comment about me making homemade toffee pieces, I used Handle The Heat’s 3 ingredient Homemade Toffee Pieces recipe. It’s super easy and really good!! I only use homemade toffee pieces in these Brown Butter Toffee cookies. I opted for no chocolate.

    5. Paula

      May 06, 2021 at 5:05 pm

      Hi! Came across your recipe today, and after reading reviews, I will definitely make. Maybe you can give some feedback: I will be making my own toffee because I don’t want any chocolate in this particular cookie. I really want to make a toffee cookie. I do like larger cookies (like 3″ diameter), and I am also hoping that they aren’t flat. Do you think I can get the size and moderate thickness I am looking for? Sorry to be so specific. ๐Ÿ™‚ Thank you so much!! P.S.- I have enjoyed some of your other recipes, so thank you for that!!

      Reply
      • Sam

        May 06, 2021 at 10:34 pm

        Hi Paula! My cookies are probably 2 – 3 inches in diameter. You can make them larger if you’d like and it shouldn’t change the thickness of them too much. I hope you love these too! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    6. Claretta

      March 04, 2021 at 4:24 pm

      You are a great writer!

      Reply
      • Sam

        March 05, 2021 at 9:23 pm

        Thank you! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
      • Teri

        March 19, 2021 at 5:25 pm

        Do these cookies have to be heated in the microwave before eating them. I’m making them for a party and won’t be able to heat them before serving them.

        Reply
        • Sam

          March 19, 2021 at 9:00 pm

          Oh no, it’s not a necessity! It’s just a nice extra indulgence to enjoy them warm, but they’re perfectly delicious at room temp! I hope everyone enjoys, Teri!

    7. Gioia

      February 28, 2021 at 2:44 pm

      5 stars
      Hi there. These are a cookie you should make over and over again. Every single detail in the directions is spot on. Mine baked up in 10 mins. I used an Italian sea salt for the tops. These are one of the top 5 cookies Iโ€™ve ever baked.

      Reply
      • Sam

        February 28, 2021 at 3:25 pm

        What a compliment! Thank you so much for the kind words, Gioia! I’m so glad you enjoyed ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    8. Mindy

      February 23, 2021 at 1:58 pm

      Can I omit the cornstarch if I donโ€™t have any on hand?

      Reply
      • Sam

        February 23, 2021 at 3:18 pm

        Hi Mindy! I would recommend adding a little additional flour to make up for the lack of the cornstarch. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    9. Dana K

      February 09, 2021 at 5:44 pm

      5 stars
      These are INCREDIBLE!!! I have always been a big fan of McAlister’s heath bar cookies, and wanted something similar. The whole family loves these, and agrees these are better than McAlister’s! Question, is it safe to half the recipe? Do I need to make any other adjustments? OR can the dough be frozen?

      Reply
      • Sam

        February 09, 2021 at 9:26 pm

        I am so glad everyone enjoys them so much, Dana! You can half this recipe without issue. If you want to freeze the dough I would portion out the cookies, wrap them individually in cling wrap and store in a freezer bag. You can bake them from frozen, they will just need an extra minute or two. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    10. Karyn

      February 09, 2021 at 12:37 pm

      I just realized I bought Heath English toffee bits instead of milk chocolate – could I sub some for chocolate chips and combine the two?

      Reply
      • Sam

        February 10, 2021 at 9:46 pm

        Hi Karyn! That should work fine here. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    11. EB

      January 31, 2021 at 7:27 pm

      Was craving for toffee cookies and this was the first one that showed up. I normally donโ€™t leave comments but with this one I felt like I had to. These are so delicious and the best ever! Followed recipe as described except I added walnuts which added more texture and flavor. I used a tablespoon scoop and baked them for 8-9 mins, left on cookie sheet for 1-2 minutes before placing on cookie rack. Your tip on microwaving cookies before eating makes all the difference.
      Will definitely be making more of these! Thank you so much for sharing ๐Ÿ˜Š

      Reply
      • Sam

        January 31, 2021 at 9:08 pm

        I am so glad you enjoyed them so much! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    12. Nicole C Fishman

      January 22, 2021 at 2:57 pm

      5 stars
      I made these cookies for the first time 6 days ago and WOW!!! My family has decided these are our new favorite cookie. I’m already browning the butter as we speak because as soon as the first batch was gone, they were begging for more! Thanks for a great recipe to follow. Love, love these cookies

      Reply
      • Sam

        January 25, 2021 at 9:54 pm

        I am so glad you enjoyed them so much, Nicole! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    13. Melissa Kennard Flower

      December 30, 2020 at 9:29 pm

      I am not a baker but I made these with some toffee christmas candy that wasn’t very nice and OMG, I love love love these cookies. And please dont forget the sea salt on the top.

      Reply
    14. Jackie

      December 25, 2020 at 9:05 pm

      Maybe one of the best cookie recipes I have ever made!!! YUM
      Thank you for sharing such an amazing recipe!

      Reply
    15. Malcolm Williams

      December 24, 2020 at 6:52 pm

      I noticed you said stir, can I use my hand mixer?

      Reply
      • Sam

        December 24, 2020 at 8:48 pm

        Sure thing! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
        • Samantha

          December 17, 2022 at 5:31 am

          5 stars
          Love these cookies! Always a big hit during the holidays! Question: does the dough freeze well? How about baked cookies?

          Thanks!

        • Sam

          December 17, 2022 at 11:12 pm

          Hi Samantha! I’m glad you enjoyed the cookies! I haven’t personally frozen them, but they should do well in the freezer, baked or unbaked. ๐Ÿ™‚

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    The author (Sam) in blue shirt holding donut Hi, I'm Sam! I'm dedicated to bringing you sweet, simple, and from-scratch dessert recipes. My life may or may not be controlled by my sweet tooth. Send help (or chocolate). Read more about me.

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