Food & Cooking Recipes Dessert & Treats Recipes Cookie Recipes Brown-Butter Cookies 4.0 (198) Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 25 mins Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins Servings: 40 Jump to recipe Our recipe for brown-butter cookies makes an irresistible, melt-in-your-mouth confection with the subtle nuttiness that only brown butter can provide. Making the dough requires only a skillet for browning the butter, a whisk, and a bowl for mixing—no electric mixer is needed for these treats. The dough is rolled into a cylinder and refrigerated until firm, then sliced into cookies before baking, this ensures an even size and shape. Sanding sugar adds a touch of sparkle and crunch, but you can skip it or swap in another coarse sugar. Easy, unique, and so delicious, these cookies are sure to disappear quickly. 21 Types of Cookies You'll Want to Bake Credit: Chris Court All About Brown Butter Why we love it: Browning butter on the stovetop caramelizes the milk solids, giving mild butter a nutty, complex flavor that improves everything from cookie dough and cakes to sauces and dressings. Making it couldn't be easier and takes less than 10 minutes from start to finish. Even better, it can be refrigerated for up to two weeks, so you can make it whenever it's convenient and have some on hand for a flavor boost whenever you need it. Best practices: When browning butter, it's ideal to use a light-colored pan so you can keep an eye on the color of the milk solids. (They can go from beautifully burnished to burnt in a matter of seconds, so it's definitely not a task you want to step away from at any point.) You'll know when the butter is browned to perfection when it's a deep golden-brown in color and smells rich and nutty. Immediately transfer it to a bowl as it will continue to cook the longer it stays in the hot pan—even if you've pulled it off the heat. Make Ahead Once rolled and wrapped, this cookie dough can be refrigerated for up to two days before slicing and baking. You can also freeze the dough for up to three months. Move the log to the fridge the night before you plan to bake to let it gently thaw. Note that you may need to add a few minutes to the baking time. Directions Brown butter: Melt butter over medium heat. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until deep golden brown, about 11 minutes. Immediately pour butter into a large bowl, and let cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes. Stir in vanilla. Combine dry ingredients with butter; shape into a cylinder and chill: Whisk together flour, baking powder, granulated sugar, and salt. Gradually stir into butter mixture. Form dough into a ball, then roll into a 14-inch-long log (about 1 1/2 inches in diameter). Wrap in parchment, and refrigerate until firm, 1-2 hours. Tip To help the dough cylinder retain its shape, Martha likes to cut an empty paper towel tube from end to end and wrap it around the dough, then secure it with tape. She wraps the ends in plastic wrap to keep them from drying out, then pops the whole thing in the fridge. Roll in sugar; slice and bake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush dough with egg wash, and roll in sanding sugar. Slice into 3/8-inch rounds, and transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until light brown and firm, 15 to 17 minutes. Let cool completely on baking sheets on wire racks. Storage Baked cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks or in the freezer for up to two months. More Brown-Butter Dessert Recipes to Try: Brown-Butter Apple Pie Lemony Brown-Butter Crinkle Cookies Brown-Butter Shortbread Brown-Butter Icing Brown-Butter Toffee Blondies Kentucky Bourbon-Brown Butter Cake Updated by Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds is an experienced recipe developer, recipe tester, food editor, and writer with over a decade of experience in the food and media industries.