Brown Butter Toffee Cookies Recipe

Introduction

Brown Butter Toffee Cookies combine the rich, nutty flavor of browned butter with crunchy homemade toffee pieces for a truly irresistible treat. These cookies are a perfect balance of sweet, salty, and buttery, ideal for sharing or indulging at home.

Ingredients

• 20 saltine crackers
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (for toffee)
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed, for toffee)
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• Sea salt for topping (optional)
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (cubed, for cookies)
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup light brown sugar (packed)
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Lay the saltine crackers in an even layer in the bottom of the dish and set aside.
2. Step 2: Melt 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup light brown sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally until boiling, then reduce heat to medium and boil without stirring for 4-5 minutes.
3. Step 3: Remove from heat and pour the caramel mixture evenly over the crackers. Spread with a spoon or spatula. Bake for 4-5 minutes until bubbly.
4. Step 4: Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Let sit for a few minutes to melt, then spread evenly. Sprinkle with sea salt if desired. Transfer to freezer while preparing cookie dough.
5. Step 5: Brown the 1 cup cubed butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes until it turns golden brown and smells nutty. Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes.
6. Step 6: In a large bowl, whisk together flour and baking soda. In the browned butter saucepan, whisk in brown sugar and granulated sugar. Add eggs and vanilla, whisking until smooth. Pour wet ingredients into dry and fold gently until combined.
7. Step 7: Freeze dough briefly while chopping toffee into small pieces with a knife (avoid using hands to prevent melting chocolate). Fold most of the toffee into the dough, reserving some for topping. Cover and chill dough for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.
8. Step 8: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat.
9. Step 9: Scoop dough into 2-tablespoon balls and space on the sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes until edges are golden and tops set.
10. Step 10: Top cookies with reserved toffee bits and cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips & Variations

• For extra toffee, double the recipe and spread the crackers on a sheet pan instead of a baking dish.
• Use a silicone spatula to spread caramel and chocolate evenly without scratching your pans.
• Let chilled dough sit at room temperature for 10 minutes if too firm to scoop easily.
• Experiment with different types of chocolate chips like dark or milk for varied flavor.

Storage

Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To keep them fresh longer, refrigerate for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat frozen cookies briefly in a low oven or microwave to soften the toffee before serving.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted?

Yes, but reduce or omit the sea salt topping as salted butter adds more saltiness to the cookies.

How do I know when the butter is browned?

The butter will foam and bubble, then the milk solids start to toast turning golden brown with a nutty aroma. Remove from heat immediately to prevent burning.

Brown Butter Toffee Cookies Recipe

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★★★★★

5 from 69 reviews

These Brown Butter Toffee Cookies combine rich, nutty browned butter with homemade toffee pieces embedded in a chewy cookie base. With layers of buttery caramel, melted semi-sweet chocolate, and a hint of sea salt, these cookies offer a perfect balance of sweet and salty flavors with a deliciously crisp texture from the toffee bits.

• Author: Rita
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes (includes chilling time)
• Yield: 24 cookies 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Toffee Layer:

• 20 saltine crackers
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed)
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• Sea salt for topping (optional)

Cookie Dough:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (cubed)
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup light brown sugar (packed)
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Make the toffee: Preheat the oven to 425° F. Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Lay the saltine crackers in an even layer in the bottom of the pan and set aside.
2. Melt butter and sugar: In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the 1/2 cup butter with 1/2 cup brown sugar, stirring occasionally until it comes to a boil. Then reduce heat to medium and allow it to boil for 4-5 minutes without stirring to form the caramel.
3. Pour caramel over crackers and bake: Remove from heat and pour the caramel mixture evenly over the saltines. Spread with a spoon or spatula to cover fully. Bake in the oven for 4-5 minutes until bubbly.
4. Add chocolate and chill: Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips evenly on top. Let sit for several minutes until melted, then spread chocolate over caramel with a spatula. Sprinkle with sea salt if desired. Transfer the pan to the freezer while preparing cookie dough.
5. Brown the butter: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the cubed butter, swirling and stirring constantly for about 5 minutes until it foams and then turns golden brown with toasted milk solids. The butter should have a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and let cool slightly for 10 minutes.
6. Mix dry ingredients: While butter cools, whisk together flour and baking soda in a large bowl.
7. Combine wet ingredients: To the browned butter, add both sugars and whisk until combined. Whisk in eggs and vanilla extract until smooth with no yellow streaks.
8. Form dough: Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until combined. Initially dry, the dough will come together as you mix.
9. Prepare toffee pieces: Place dough in freezer for a few minutes. Remove toffee from freezer and chop into small pieces with a sharp knife (avoid using hands to prevent melting chocolate). Add nearly all toffee pieces to dough and stir to evenly distribute. Save some toffee for topping later. Cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 3 days; let sit at room temperature briefly if chilled more than 24 hours.
10. Preheat oven and prepare baking sheet: Heat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat.
11. Scoop and bake: Form dough into 2 Tablespoon-sized balls and place spaced on sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes until edges are golden and tops are just set.
12. Add topping and cool: Immediately upon removal, sprinkle reserved toffee bits on cookies. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

• To double the amount of toffee, spread saltine crackers on a sheet pan and double the toffee ingredients, baking as directed.
• Use a sharp knife to chop toffee rather than hands to avoid melting the chocolate.
• Allow chilled dough to soften slightly if refrigerated more than 24 hours for easier scooping.
• Sea salt topping is optional but adds a nice flavor contrast.

Keywords: brown butter cookies, toffee cookies, caramel toffee, homemade toffee, dessert, chocolate chip cookies, sea salt cookies