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    Home » Cookies » Shortbread

    Brown Butter Cookie Company Recipe

    4.88 from 16 votes
    17 Comments

    Oct 16, 2022

    (updated Dec 21, 2022)

    by Kimberlee Ho

    Jump to Recipe

    Our lives were forever changed when we visited Brown Butter Cookie Company along the central coast of California in a town called Cayucos. This Brown Butter Cookie Company Recipe makes thick, buttery cookies with a nutty flavor and the perfect amount of sea salt on top. This copycat recipe is a huge crowd-pleaser!

    Leaning and stacked brown butter cookies.

    Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to:
    • 💕 Why you’ll love this recipe
    • 🧾 Ingredients & substitutions for brown butter cookies
    • 🥄 How to make Brown Butter Sea Salt Cookies
    • 👩‍🍳 Pro tips 
    • ❓FAQs
    • ➕More recipes
    • Brown Butter Cookie Company Recipe

    💕 Why you’ll love this recipe

    These cookies are little bits of heaven! The first time me and my family bit into a cookie, we were in love with the unique and wonderful flavor profile of these cookies. The intensity of the nutty flavor of the brown butter mixed with the sea salt on top is unmatched. These cookies are super thick and dense with a crumbly, but definitely not dry, melt-in-your-mouth texture.

    Here are just a few of the many reasons why you'll love this recipe:

    • This is a very simple cookie recipe that produces incredible cookies
    • Browned butter, need I say more? The nutty aroma is reason enough to make this recipe. The depth of flavor this magical ingredient adds to these cookies is simply incredible
    • There are very few ingredients in this amazing recipe, it comes together quickly, no chill time required and no stand mixer or handheld electric mixer required
    Flaky sea salt in a small bowl next to brown butter cookies

    🧾 Ingredients & substitutions for brown butter cookies

    This recipe requires only simple ingredients. The ingredients are listed on the back of each package of cookies purchased from the Brown Butter Cookie Company.

    So to make this copycat recipe, it was just a matter of figuring out the proper proportions and method. Through lots of trial and error, this recipe emerged as the closest match to the cookies you can purchase.

    Here's what you'll need:

    • Unsalted butter: it does not need to be room temperature because it will be melted and browned. To ensure even melting and browning of the butter, cut the butter into tablespoon-sized pieces
    • Brown sugar: I recommend using light brown sugar in this recipe. Dark brown sugar adds a layer of caramel flavor that competes with the brown butter in this recipe. Do not substitute with white sugar (granulated sugar). White sugar and brown sugar act very differently in cooke recipes. Brown sugar maintains moisture and softness while granulated sugar creates a crispy cookie. Additionally, white sugar is not used in the original recipe
    • Vanilla extract
    • All-purpose flour: be sure to measure your flour correctly by spooning the flour into the measuring cup without packing it down at all. Sweep the top of the measuring cup with a butter knife to level it off. This cookie will not hold together if there's too much flour in the cookie dough
    • Baking soda
    • Flaky salt: this is sprinkled on top just before baking. Flaky salt is different than coarse salt. Try looking for Fleur De Sel or Flaky sea salt such as Maldon
    Ingredients shown to make brown butter cookies

    🥄 How to make Brown Butter Sea Salt Cookies

    Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

    Step 2

    In a large saucepan or skillet set over medium heat, add the butter. Using a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon, stir or swirl the butter around the pan as it melts. This stirring is important to ensure the butter melts and cooks evenly.

    After the butter melts, it will begin to foam. It may also sizzle and even sputter a bit, so be careful! Be sure to continue stirring and to keep a close eye to the stovetop so the butter does not burn.

    As the milk solids begin to separate, they will turn a rich golden brown color and settle to the bottom. Remove the pan from the heat. Scrape the browned butter including all those brown bits at the bottom of the pan into a heatproof large mixing bowl

    For a more in-depth look at how to make brown butter, check out this how-to article. Love brown butter? Use it in my Brown Butter Blondies and my Salted Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies.

    Butter beginning to brown in a skillet.

    Step 3

    Add the brown sugar and vanilla to the bowl with the brown butter, mixing to combine

    Step 4

    Add the dry ingredients (flour and baking soda) to the butter mixture and stir just until combined. The mixture will resemble wet sand

    Brown butter cookie dough in a glass mixing bowl.

    Step 5

    Using a small cookie scoop, scoop out cookie dough and roll between your palms to form a smooth ball. Place dough balls onto the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle the top of cookies with flaky salt

    Step 6

    Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly golden brown, rotating the tray halfway through. Allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack

    Brown butter cookie dough laid out on parchment paper on a baking sheet.
    Baked brown butter cookies on parchment paper.

    👩‍🍳 Pro tips 

    • As much as it may be tempting to take a shortcut and skip browning the butter, I would not recommend substituting melted butter for the brown butter in this recipe. It'll change the flavor profile of the cookies completely. Also, when butter is browned, a bit of the moisture evaporates, decreasing the volume of the butter. Melted butter has up to 25% more volume than browned butter, which can change the proportion of ingredients in the cookie dough. This changes the outcome of the baked cookie
    • Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days
    • Freeze in a single layer on a cookie sheet then place in a freezer-safe bag and store up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature
    Brown butter cookies with flaky sea salt laying on parchment paper.

    Like this recipe? Follow me on Pinterest for lots more recipes just like this one! And don’t forget to pin this recipe for later by clicking on one of the images below the recipe. Or, click on any of the images in this post to save to Pinterest.

    ❓FAQs

    Who owns Brown Butter Cookie Company?

    Two sisters started the Brown Butter Cookie Company in 2008. Now, the Hozie sisters have three locations of the Brown Butter Cookie Company in California: Cayucos (their flagship store), Paso Robles, and San Luis Obispo.

    How do you brown butter without burning?

    Have you ever wondered can you overcook brown butter? The answer is yes! Butter can go from perfectly browned with a pleasant, nutty aroma to black and burnt in the blink of an eye. Learn more about how to properly make Brown Butter for all your baking recipes.

    How do you know when brown butter is done?

    When butter is browning, it goes through a few stages. First it melts, then it sizzles and pops then it foams. Once it settles down and stops making noise, you should see amber-colored, golden brown bits at the bottom. You can also smell a delightful nutty aroma. This is how you know the butter is done browning. Learn more here!

    ➕More recipes

    • Butter beginning to brown in a skillet.
      How To Brown Butter (Simple Method)
    • overhead of chocolate chunk cookies with melted chocolate
      Salted Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies
    • Brown Butter chocolate chip blondies are a quick and easy dessert.
      Chocolate Chip Blondies
    • A stack of brown sugar cookies without butter and one leaned up against them.
      Soft Brown Sugar Cookies (no butter)

    Did you enjoy a KICKASS BAKER recipe? Please share a comment and leave a 5 Star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Rating on this recipe! We appreciate you sharing your feedback!

    A brown butter cookie leaning against a stack of cookies.

    Brown Butter Cookie Company Recipe

    This Brown Butter Cookie Company Recipe makes thick, buttery cookies with a nutty flavor and the perfect amount of sea salt on top.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Course: All Recipes, Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: brown butter cookie company, brown butter cookie company recipe, brown butter cookies, cookies
    Servings: 14
    Calories: 161kcal
    Author: Kimberlee Ho
    US Customary - Metric

    Ingredients

    • 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter cut into tablespoon-sized pieces
    • ½ cup light brown sugar packed
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • flaky salt for sprinkling
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
    • Brown the butter: In a large skillet set over medium heat, add the butter. Using a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon, stir or swirl the butter around the pan as it melts. This stirring is important to ensure the butter melts and cooks evenly. After the butter melts, it will begin to foam. It may also sizzle and even sputter a bit, so be careful! Be sure to continue stirring and to stay close to the stovetop so the butter does not burn. As the milk solids begin to separate, they will turn a rich golden brown color and settle to the bottom. Remove the pan from the heat. Scrape the browned butter including all those brown bits at the bottom of the pan into a heatproof bowl
    • Add the brown sugar and vanilla to the bowl with the brown butter, mixing to combine
    • Add flour and baking soda to the butter mixture and stir just until combined. The mixture will resemble wet sand
    • Using a small cookie scoop, scoop out cookie and roll between your palms to form a smooth ball. Place onto the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the tops of cookies with sea salt
    • Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly golden brown, rotating the tray halfway through. Allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack

    Notes

    • Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days
    • Freeze in a single layer on a cookie sheet then place in a freezer-safe bag and store up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature
    • Adapted from Brown Butter Cookie Company, A Spoonful of Thyme, and Yummy Mummy recipes


    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 161kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 82mg | Potassium: 27mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 303IU | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg
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    Filed Under

    ShortbreadSmall BatchUnder 30 MinutesBeginnerBrown Butter
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      Comments

    1. Robin Lewis

      February 18, 2023 at 5:26 pm

      5 stars
      I just made these for the first time and they are delicious! I used dark brown sugar because that is what I had--it does have a more caramelized taste than the original cookie. Next time I will use light brown sugar.

      Reply
      • Kimberlee Ho

        February 18, 2023 at 6:58 pm

        That's great! The dark brown sugar does make the cookie darker in color and it gives it a more caramelized flavor. Glad you baked this recipe and loved it!

        Reply
    2. Jacqui Groseth

      March 12, 2023 at 6:54 pm

      3 stars
      I just made these and so wanted them to turn out. Unless something magical happens as the cool beyond the first 10 min, they crumble into a little pile the second you touch them. The crumbs taste fantastic but not the result I hope for.

      Reply
      • Kimberlee Ho

        March 19, 2023 at 12:41 pm

        I'm sorry to hear that Jacqui... Next time I'd recommend squeezing the dough together in your hand to be sure it stays together. And you could try adding a touch more liquid to help it stay together, too.

        Reply
    3. Julia

      March 14, 2023 at 5:11 pm

      Very good copycat recipe. Thank you for sharing. Looking forward to experimenting with other flavors.

      Reply
    4. Christine H

      March 16, 2023 at 4:12 pm

      5 stars
      These turned out AWESOME! Have eaten the cookies you mention like they were never going to be made again, the taste was imbedded in my memory. So grateful you figured it out, I will brown my butter a little more next time as that was the first time I did that and I was petrified I was over-cooking or burning it. I think it’s about 7-10 mins, right?! They turned out the perfect consistency and tasted nearly as good as the originals. Thank you so much!! Can’t wait to make them again.

      Reply
      • Kimberlee Ho

        March 19, 2023 at 12:37 pm

        So glad you loved them Christine!! Brown Butter Cookie Company Cookies are amazing.

        Reply
    5. Jeanne Haddad

      April 08, 2023 at 12:06 pm

      5 stars
      I needed a shortbread to crumble for the top of my Pineapple Delight, which I make every every Easter. My recipe calls for a Lorna Doone (shortbread) crumbled crust and crumbles on top of the dessert as well. So I didn't want to go to the grocery store & decided to make my own, searching kickassbaker.com for the 'best' shortbread recipe. Well, I think I found it! I love the nuttiness if the browned butter! And the simplicity of the recipe was certainly appreciated. The family loved the cookies and asked for more. I only made a half batch since short on time, only needing for crumbs, and experimenting as well. But the experiment was 5-star. I will make these again! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Kimberlee Ho

        April 08, 2023 at 5:19 pm

        How fantastic!! We love these cookies in my house, too. The brown butter is so damn good!! Thanks for baking and commenting, Jeanne!!

        Reply
    6. Sara

      May 03, 2023 at 10:42 am

      5 stars
      I had the distinct pleasure eating the original brown butter salted cookies last fall while visiting California. I made these cookies last night. They are just wonderful! They have a great flavor - nutty, salty, buttery, rich, and texture. Mine did not get flat as they baked, but this did not detract from their completely addictive properties. Five stars for sure.

      Now if I can only quit eating them….

      Reply
      • Kimberlee Ho

        May 06, 2023 at 10:42 am

        You're so lucky to have tasted these cookies from the Brown Butter Company! That was such a joy for me and my family. These cookies definitely do not get flat and that is how they're intended to be, so yours sound perfect! Enjoy!

        Reply
    7. Judy Yeargin Taylor

      May 27, 2023 at 1:12 pm

      5 stars
      Very interesting cookie. I remember eating these in Brazil. I think my mom made them too. Tasty stuff really tasty stuff. Thank you for sharing.

      Reply
      • Kimberlee Ho

        May 27, 2023 at 3:13 pm

        You're very welcome! Happy baking 👩‍🍳

        Reply
    8. Celeste borelli

      May 28, 2023 at 3:03 pm

      5 stars
      Pretty good copycat recipe! Mine needed to bake much longer to brown.

      Reply
      • Kimberlee Ho

        May 30, 2023 at 8:22 am

        Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
        • Mary White

          July 07, 2023 at 11:17 am

          I am looking forward to baking these. I've had the original and they are the best cookie ever! How do I add espresso flavor? That is my favorite flavor from that company.

          Reply
          • Kimberlee Ho

            July 14, 2023 at 1:29 pm

            They really are the best cookie ever! I haven't tried adding espresso, but I recommend adding 1 teaspoon espresso powder directly into the cookie dough. You may need to add a touch more extract to prevent the dough from being too dry and crumbly. Add just enough so the dough comes together when squeezed in your hand. Good luck!

            Reply

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