These brown butter toffee chocolate chip cookies are sweet, salty, and filled with gooey pools of chocolate. Crisp edges and chewy centers bring everything you love about a classic chocolate chip cookie, amplified with nutty browned butter and crunchy homemade toffee.
For a more traditional take, check out my Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies. And once you learn how to make brown butter, you’ll want to add it to everything! So try Brown Butter Banana Bread, Brown Butter Rice Krispie Treats, and Cinnamon Rolls with Brown Butter Frosting next.
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For these toffee chocolate chip cookies, I really wanted the homemade toffee to be the star. I cook it to a deep caramel, let it harden, then crack it into buttery pieces so it melts slightly into the dough and leaves little pockets of sweet crunch. The browned butter and flaky salt round everything out, but it’s that toffee that makes this cookie feel special.
Why You’ll Love These Brown Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
- A Grown Up Upgrade – This isn’t your standard chocolate chip cookie. The combination of browned butter and toffee gives it a deeper, more refined feel while still keeping that familiar comfort.
- Rich, Layered Flavor – Nutty brown butter, caramelized toffee, and bittersweet chocolate work together to create a bold flavor that’s balanced and satisfying without being overly sweet.
- Freezer Friendly – You can portion the dough ahead of time and freeze it. Then bake a few straight from the freezer whenever you want fresh cookies without starting from scratch.
Tools You’ll Need
- Kitchen Scale
- Candy Thermometer
- Saucepan
- 2 Baking Sheets
- 2 Medium Mixing Bowls
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients You Will Need for Brown Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
These chewy brown butter toffee cookies come together with pantry staples and some other ingredients that are easy to grab. Once you have these key ingredients, you’ll have what you need to whip up batches all the time!
Brown Butter
- Unsalted butter
Salted Toffee
- Unsalted butter – I use Kerrygold.
- Light brown sugar – Packed. While I do not suggest for substitutions for this recipe, brown sugar is an exception! You can swap light for dark brown sugar for a deeper and richer tasting cookie.
- Fine sea salt – I use Real Salt brand. This is a fine sea salt. Do not use table salt and if you substitute with kosher salt, you will need to make adjustments (add more). For best results, use this fine sea salt, which has a texture that blends better with the ingredients.
Cookies
- All-purpose flour – I use King Arthur, which has a specific 1 cup weight of 120g. Different brands of flour have different weights per cup. If you use a different brand of flour, be sure to use the specific weight per cup for that brand.
- Egg – Use 1 large egg plus one egg yolk for extra-rich cookies. Ensure they are room temperature for the best results.
- Sugar – Using light brown sugar and granulated sugar adds complexity to the flavor profile. And the moisture in brown sugar makes for a soft, flexible cookie.
- Baking soda & baking powder – You need these leavening agents so the cookies rise.
- Pure vanilla extract – Go for quality; I use Nielson Massey.
- Semisweet chocolate bars – The bittersweet flavor balances out the sweetness of the toffee. My go-to brands for chocolate are Guittard and Valhrona. For this recipe specifically, I use Guittard 64% chocolate bars that I chop into smaller pieces. For a visual, this is the one I use.
For Topping
How To Make Brown Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
The key to making toffee chocolate chip cookies is patience. Most of the time is spent waiting for the ingredients to cool down or chill in the fridge. But these are worth the wait!
How to Brown Butter
Start by keeping a small heatproof bowl nearby because the butter will need to be poured out quickly. I melt the butter over medium heat, whisking as it foams and begins to brown. Once golden specks form and the nutty aroma comes through, the heat goes off immediately. The butter gets poured into a bowl to stop the cooking, then mixed with the sugars and left to cool completely before moving on.
Make the Toffee
While the browned butter cools, the toffee comes together. Butter, brown sugar, and salt cook over medium heat, whisking constantly as the mixture deepens to an amber color and thickens. Once it reaches 300 to 305°F, it gets poured onto parchment and spread into an even layer. After it hardens, it’s cracked into bite sized pieces and set aside.
Mix the Dough
Once the browned butter is fully cooled, the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla are whisked in until smooth and creamy.
The dry ingredients get combined separately, then added in two batches to avoid pockets of flour.
Chopped chocolate and the toffee pieces are folded in gently. The dough is covered and chilled for 24 hours to develop flavor and improve texture.
Bake the Cookies
Before baking, the dough rests at room temperature for about an hour. The oven gets preheated to 350°F and the dough is scooped into generous portions, spaced a couple of inches apart. The cookies bake just until the edges are set and lightly golden, even if the centers still look soft. A sprinkle of flaky salt finishes them off before cooling on a rack.
Tips for the Best Brown Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Stick to the measurements. This recipe is built for balance. Adjusting the sugar, chocolate percentage, or skipping the scale will change the texture and structure of the cookies.
- Use a digital kitchen scale. Weighing the ingredients ensures consistency and gives you the exact ratios needed for the right chew and spread. Measuring cups can easily throw things off.
- Cook the toffee to the right temperature. A candy thermometer is essential here. The sweet spot is 300°F–305°F. Below that, the toffee stays too soft and won’t give you that signature crunch. Above it, the sugar can scorch.
- Keep the brown bits in the butter. Those toasted milk solids are where the deep, nutty flavor comes from. They’re not burned, they’re flavor.
- Let the dough rest. Chilling the dough for at least 24 hours gives the flour time to hydrate and the flavors time to deepen. It also helps the cookies bake up thicker with better chew.
- Finish with flaky salt. A light sprinkle on top balances the sweetness and highlights the toffee. It’s optional, but it really brings everything together.
How to Freeze Cookie Dough
Once the dough has chilled, scoop it into balls and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Freeze for about 30 minutes, just until firm.
Once solid, transfer the dough balls to a freezer safe bag or container and store for up to three months.
When ready to bake, place the frozen dough directly on a baking sheet and follow the original baking instructions, adding an extra minute or two as needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I really have to chill the dough for 24 hours?
Yes, chilling the dough makes a noticeable difference. It allows the flour to fully hydrate and the flavors to deepen, which helps the cookies bake thicker with better chew. If you’re short on time, chill for at least 12 hours, but 24 is ideal.
Can I use store bought toffee instead of making it from scratch?
You can, but the texture and flavor won’t be the same. Homemade toffee melts slightly into the dough and creates pockets of buttery crunch throughout. Store bought bits tend to stay harder and sweeter.
Why do my cookies look underbaked in the center?
That’s exactly how toffee chocolate chip cookies should look when they come out of the oven. The centers will continue to set as they cool on the baking sheet. Pulling them too late will lead to a drier texture.
Looking for More Dessert Recipes?
- Miso Chocolate Chip Cookies
- White Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Easy Chocolate Mousse
- Pots de Creme
- Pear Cobbler
- Butter Pecan Ice Cream Sandwiches
Loving this Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe?
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Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies with Toffee
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale
- Candy Thermometer
- 2 Baking Sheets
- 2 Medium Mixing Bowls
- Parchment Paper
- Wire Rack
Ingredients
Brown Butter
- 1½ sticks unsalted butter
Salted Toffee
- 1 stick unsalted butter, I use Kerrygold
- ¾ packed light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, I use Real Salt brand
Cookies
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour, I use King Arthur
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- ¾ cup (150g) light brown sugar
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract, I use Nielson Massey
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, I use Real Salt brand
- 6 ounces (208g) semisweet chocolate bars (64%), roughly chopped, I use Guittard bars
For Topping
- flaky salt, I use Maldon flakes
Instructions
Browned Butter
- Keep a small heat-proof bowl next to you as you will need to pour the butter into a bowl.
- Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add butter to saucepan and whisk to encourage melting.
- Once melted, butter will foam a little bit (that's normal). Carefully swirl the pan. Watch carefully as brown specks will start to form and you will begin to smell a nutty aroma. Turn heat off.
- Add sugars to the brown butter. Whisk to combine. Set aside to cool, about 1 hour. Browned butter must be completely cooled before adding to the flour mixture. While browned butter cools, work on the toffee.
Toffee
- Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and attach the candy thermometer to a saucepan. Add unsalted butter, light brown sugar, and sea salt, and cook on medium heat. Whisk until butter melts, then cook for 11-13 minutes; keeping a constant whisk as the mixture darkens in color (amber color) and increases in volume. The mixture should turn deep brown in color.Once the temperature reaches 300°F-305°F, quickly and carefully transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Lift and tilt the baking sheet from side to side to even out the toffee to about ¼-inch thick. Set aside for 15- 20 minutes, until completely hardened.
- Transfer the toffee to a reusable plastic bag and use the back of a spoon to crack the toffee into bite-sized pieces. Set aside 1 cup until ready to use.
Cookies
- Once butter is cooled to room temperature, whisk egg, egg yolk, and vanilla together. Next, add it to the butter mixture and whisk until well-combined. Wait 2 minutes then whisk again. Wait one more minute, then whisk vigorously for 1 more minute. The mixture should look thick and creamy.In a separate mixing bowl, add flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Whisk to combine.
- Mix in half the dry ingredients with the wet. Mix, then add remaining and mix again. Make sure there are no pockets of flour left.
- Add chocolate chips and toffee and mix well. Cover and transfer to the refrigerator for 24 hours.
- When ready to cook, place cookie dough on the counter to come to room temperature, about 1 hour.
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F.
- Use a 3 tablespoons scoop and portion out the dough. Space out evenly on the baking sheet, giving each cookie 2 inches.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until cookies are barely starting to brown. The cookies will look like they're not fully cooked and pretty gooey in the middle, but trust, they are ready to come out of the oven. Sprinkle with flaky salt and allow to cool for 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
