Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies (with Brown Butter)
Print PinServings: 12 cookies
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Calories: 611kcal
These toffee chocolate chip cookies feature a rich brown butter dough that has incredible flavor. The center of the cookie is soft while the edges are slightly crisp, and each bite is filled with bits of toffee and milk chocolate chips. A touch of sea salt on top perfectly balances the sweetness.
Ingredients
- 19 tablespoon unsalted butter (1 cup + 3 Tbsp)
- 1 ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
- ½ cup cane sugar
- 2 ¾ cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup Heath English toffee bits* plus extra for topping
- 1 ½ cup milk chocolate chips (I prefer Ghirardelli) plus extra for topping
- coarse sea salt for topping
Instructions
Brown the Butter
- In a small sauce pan, melt the butter on medium heat. Stir frequently.19 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Continue stirring as the butter starts to bubble. There is a fine line between browning and burning butter, so keep a close eye on it--and don't stop stirring! Don't turn the heat above medium heat.Dark flecks will start to form on the bottom of the pan, and the butter will quickly turn to an amber color. You'll know it's done when you can smell a nutty aroma. Immediately remove from heat and move to a heat-resistant bowl. Scrape all of the brown flecks into the bowl as well! That's where all flavor is.
- Place the brown butter in the refrigerator or freezer so that it can re-solidify. (This takes about 20 minutes in my freezer).
Make the Dough
- Scrape the solidified butter into the standing mixer, and add the brown and cane sugars as well. Gradually increase speed and mix on high for 2-3 minutes until creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through.1 ¼ cup light brown sugar, ½ cup cane sugar
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sea salt, cornstarch, and baking soda. Set aside.2 ¾ cup all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, 2 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking soda
- After creaming the butter and sugar, add eggs and vanilla and mix on medium speed until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through.2 large eggs, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Add the mixed dry ingredients to the standing mixer and mix on the lowest setting until just combined. While the flour is mixing in, add the toffee bits and chocolate chips. Doing this as the dry ingredients are still mixing in minimizes the risk of overworking the cookie dough.1 cup Heath English toffee bits*, 1 ½ cup milk chocolate chips (I prefer Ghirardelli)
- Roll the dough into 12 balls and press extra toffee and chocolate chips into the top of each. Place them in the refrigerator for an hour to chill the dough. (Or for 15 minutes in the freezer if you are in a hurry.)**
Bake the Cookies
- Preheat oven to 400° F.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and spread 6 cookie dough balls on each (or 4 balls on 3 baking sheets if you're worried about spreading).
- Bake one baking sheet at a time for about 8-10 minutes (mine cook in exactly 9 minutes in my oven). You'll know they are done when the tops of the cookies start browning.
- Immediately out of the oven, use a large round cookie cutter to round out the edges of the cookies (optional). Sprinkle some coarse sea salt on top. Leave the cookies on the pan for about 15 minutes, they will continue to bake and solidify on the hot pan.Enjoy!coarse sea salt
Notes
*I prefer to use the toffee bits without chocolate on them because there is already so much chocolate in the cookie. These are the Heath English Toffee Bits.
**Refrigerating the dough allows the flavors to come together and also solidifies the butter so that the cookies don't spread too much in the oven. If you don't have time to refrigerate for an hour, just put the cookie dough balls in the freezer for 15 minutes--you'll miss out on some minor flavor benefits, but it'll keep the dough from spreading too much.
Equipment
- small saucepan
- rubber spatula
- standing mixer with paddle attachment
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- baking sheets
- parchment paper or cooking spray
- large round cookie cutter optional