Brown Sugar Cookies made with dark brown sugar and butter are sweet, soft, chewy, and the PERFECT spin on the traditional cookie ready in under 30 minutes!
We’re getting ready to serve up some classic desserts for the holiday, and to go with these cookies we’re also making Award Winning Gingerbread Cookies and the Ultimate Apple Crisp!
Brown Sugar Cookies
Brown Sugar Cookies are a great twist on this traditional cookie recipe, and gets its color and rich flavor from dark brown sugar and butter. They’re soft and chewy and super EASY to make. They also have a prep and cook total time of 30 minutes, which means you’ll be in cookie heaven in almost no time at all.
I hadn’t ever had these cookies before I spent a hosted weekend at the Kohler Food and Wine Festival eating the most delicious food I’ve EVER eaten.I know, I know, that’s a huge statement. But it is true. there is really no other way to describe a weekend so full of pampering and delicious food that I have already begun looking into the 2019 festival for a repeat trip.
If you were following along on my Instagram stories you saw some of the delicious food, but it was full of A5 Wagyu steak (The Immigrant Restaurant is a four star restaurant and the best restaurant meal I’ve ever had), beef cheeks, coffee, melt in your mouth pastries, the BEST chocolates ever (these Peppermint Crunch Terrapins were amazing) and I got to attend no less than three days of events where I learned how to make some delicious food including these Brown Sugar Cookies at the Cooks Illustrated Cooking event.
Plus, we stayed at the American Club (a five diamond resort) and the spa made us feel like we were in heaven. If you go, you have to try the healing waters treatment which is basically the best spa treatment I’ve ever had. Also its the only place in the world you can get it! Trust me, if it were available local to me, I’d need it in my life all the time.
You can use this recipe to cut out cookies in fun shapes, but I like to roll little cookie dough balls and let them drop into circles while they’re baking. You can roll the balls in light brown sugar or granulated sugar, to give the cookies extra sweetness. I’ve also used cinnamon sugar to top cookies in this recipe for some extra flavor.
HOW LONG DO SUGAR COOKIES LAST
Sugar cookies will last in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. You can also freeze them for several months to make them last longer, or get ahead on holiday baking!
You can make this dough ahead of time and freeze it for up to a month. Just pull it out and defrost in the refrigerator before rolling, cutting, and baking.
HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN COOKIES ARE DONE?
You’re going to want to take them out when the edge just barely start to brown and the middles still look wet.
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HOW DO YOU MAKE SUGAR COOKIES SOFT AND CHEWY?
For soft and chewy brown sugar cookies you want to add ingredients that have a lot of moisture in them. Dark brown sugar contains some molasses, so combining that with butter makes these cookies have an amazingly soft and chewy texture.
This recipe will also work with light brown sugar or white sugar, but the cookies may turn out less chewy and more crumbly. If your cookies are too crispy, try less baking time and making sure your oven is at the right temperature with an oven thermometer.
For a deeper flavor, try brown butter instead of regular. You can make brown butter by cooking butter over medium heat until it melts. Let it keep cooking until the butter turns brown and smells slightly nutty. Let the brown butter cool before adding it to the cookie dough.
MORE GREAT RECIPES FOR COOKIES
- Buckeye Brownie Cookies
- S’Mores Cookies
- Legendary Jacques Torres Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Black and White Cookies
- Dark Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Flourless Chocolate Chewy Cookies
- Apple Crisp Cookies
- Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
TIPS FOR BROWN SUGAR COOKIES
- Add all purpose flour as needed if your dough is too sticky to work with. You can also flour your rolling pin, and just dust the extra flour off of the cookies before baking. Be careful not to add too much flour, or your cookies may turn out too dry after you bake them.
- Place a piece of parchment paper under your dough when you’re rolling it out. It’ll make it easier to pick up and prevent it from sticking to your surface. You can also add parchment paper to an ungreased baking sheet to make cleanup easier.
- If you don’t have vanilla extract, you can try this recipe with a teaspoon of almond extract in its place. It will give them a really indulgent flavor, but only add a teaspoon because it has a stronger flavor than the vanilla.
Ingredients
- 14 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 ¾ sticks)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 cups packed dark brown sugar
- 2 cups flour , plus 2 tablespoons
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a skillet melt 10 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Whisk constantly until butter starts to brown, about 3-4 minutes. Pour into bowl, add remaining butter to same bowl and set aside.
- In a separate bowl whisk together sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar, flour, baking soda, and baking powder.
- Add remaining brown sugar and salt to butter and whisk until smooth. Whisk in egg, egg yolk, and vanilla.
- Combine butter mixture with dry ingredients, stirring until a dough forms.
- Either roll dough out to 1/2-inch thick and use a cookie cutter, or roll into a ball and place on cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sugar.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until cookies begin to set.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Yum!!!! Very, very delicious cookie. My husband asked me for a brown sugar cookie and man, this is the recipe. I am super familiar with browning butter, so no prob. I chose to use a scooper and roll each cookie into a ball. I experimented by rolling some in white sugar and some in no sugar. The ones rolled in sugar, in our opinions were too sweet, and changed the look of the cookie. The had a nice brown edge, but the tops were smooth. The dough balls NOT rolled in white sugar, came out like the “flat” crinkle top cookies that are in the pic. 11 minutes on parchment lined sheets. Brava!
These cookies have a wonderful flavor, but I was really disappointed that they were thick and puffy – not as pictured. I was hoping they would be like the photo and spread with crinkled tops.
Hi Kathie, glad you enjoyed the taste of the cookies. I double checked the photos because these cookies are not thick and puffy. Sorry for that. They do however have crinkled tops.
These are delicious!! Followed the directions exactly and added dark chocolate chunks…made 25 BIG cookies! Can’t wait to make this again!
These cookies are delish!!! I halved the recipe as I only had about 12 tbsp of butter.. made them just as recipe stated and will make again with a little less sugar. A tad sweet for my liking, but the hubby loved them. Definitely will add pecans and maybe a caramel or toffee!
Step #6 “….or roll into a ball and place on cookie sheet.” -I presume you meant many small balls, ha. Although now that I think about it, it would be fun to experiment with this recipe as a cake-ish thing, maybe in a loaf pan, at a slightly lower temperature and for more time. Or maybe that’s a terrible idea, I don’t know.
Hi Audrey,
Yes you are correct. Many small balls on a cookie sheet!
Sabrina
This is a delicious cookie! I make a crisco icing, then top with caramel swirls and then sea salt. I’m wondering if I could freeze the dough? Trying to get ahead for Christmas baking. Thank you!
You should be able to freeze the dough – it might make it easier for you to roll the dough into balls for each cookie, then freeze them on a baking sheet in the freezer for an hour before transferring to an airtight container for storage in the freezer. Then defrost in the fridge overnight before baking.
The flavor is good ! I preheated my oven to 350 and left the cookie dough in there for 12 minutes. As they cooled they became crunchy. If you like crunchy cookies then this is for you . However if you want your cookies to be chewy than I would say leave them in for a lesser time .
Question: The picture of the cookies (relatively flat) that is next to the recipe title looks very different than the picture partway through the instructons (that looks like a cracked, raised cookie). I would like to make cookies that look like the title picture. Could you please tell me what makes the difference between the two pictures? Thank you very much!
The colder the butter in a cookie the less the spread. The first cookies were at more of a room temperature, the second batch were from the fridge. Sorry for the confusion.
Thank you. So to make the cookies look like the first picture, I should use room temperature butter and not chill the dough before I make them. Am I understanding correctly? I’m dying to make these since they just look so good and tasty and chewy. I just want to get it right the first time.
Correct!
Best. Cookies. EVER! I literally come back to this recipe every time I make cookies. They’re a family favorite.
Caan anything be substituted for part of the butter? Maple syrup? Or veg oil, or applesauce , or another? I really want to try these but only have half the butter and am impatient hahaha
I had the same problem except I had only half the flour. Fun fact: in chemistry this is called a “limiting factor” and all you have to do is scale down all the other factors accordingly. In other words, use only half of all the ingredients, to match your limit of half one ingredient. Et voila, you get a half-batch of cookies! It still seems like a lot of cookies by the way.
I made these with 1/2 cup of raw sugar and 1/4 cup of maple syrup and they turned out great
Sabrina, these cookies are deadly! LOL! Love them!
Flour is not listed in the list of ingredients….? Is this a mistake?
Hi, it is listed as the 4th ingredient.
No comment worst sugar cookies I ever made
These are the best cookies ever! I never post reviews but I had to as these are too good!
I love this cookie!!! I have been searching for a cookie like this to make into a salted caramel sandwich cookie I purchased before. This cookie is very close to it. I add course salt to the outside before cooking and then I add caramel to the middle and make a sandwich cookie. Soooo indulgent and now my favorite cookie. Of course, they are so good just by themselves. Thank you!!
Wow!! These are awesome!!
Ooops, my flour measurement below should be 2.25 cups
Excellent recipe with high altitude adjustments – 1.5 cups brown sugar, 1.25 cups flour. Bake on lower half oven rack 14 minutes, turning pan halfway through.
This will be a treasured addition to my recipes. Thank you so much!!!
Do you HAVE to brown the butter for this, or could I just melt it?
It won’t have the rich flavor if you don’t brown the butter
My dough came out too thin so I added an extra 1/3 cup flour and it was still a little thin. The cookies came out huge and fluffy. They taste amazing.
Wow Sister!!! Thank You first of all for this fantastic Recipe. Unique in all ways. And even more tasty. You had me standing in my kitchen saying things out loud ? will forever be a favorite ??
I am about to take last batch out of oven. This cookie is amazing!!
I used a melon scoop to have smaller cookies not to mention more of them. They are just perfect. Thanks for the recipe.
Not sure what happened! They look like macaroons
Incredible cookie. I used the toasted pecans that someone suggested because we got a huge lot of them in Texas and 1tsp almond extract in place of the vanilla. Truly wonderful cookie. The “too sweet” comments make me laugh. It’s a dessert based on BROWN SUGAR, if you don’t like the flavor of brown sugar, move along people. I am known for my amazing and unusual cookies and this recipe is going in my book. Can’t wait for the hubby to try them. I might even add some caramel bits next time. Thank you so much for sharing your gifts of baking with us!!
I made these for my family and they had already eaten half of them before I had one. These are easy to make and really good.
Oh my these are surely the sweetest cookie (biscuit where I come from) I’ve ever baked or tasted. Not sure that I would want to try baking these again.
I used one full and about 3/4 of a banana instead of butter and added about a cup and 1/4 of shredded coconut. SO GOOD!
Yum!
These were great! For me though, tad too sweet. My husband liked the sweetness. Will make again with less brown sugar and roll some in sugar for my husband!
Why do the ones in the video look so different than the flat, crackle top ones? I want to make these, but really want the flat, crinkly ones. Is there a trick or a different technique to get them like that and not ‘puffy’? Thank you!
Less flower that’s how I do it.
I made these for the first time today, and I can not tell you how good they are!! 5 stars for sure! I fell in love with this recipe! They are a little too sweet, but you can always add less sugar ? Thank you, Sabrina!
I made these for the first time today, and I can not tell you how good they are!! 5 stars for sure! I fell in love with this recipe! They are a little too sweet, but you can always add less sugar ? Thank you, Sabrina!
Read all comments and did use 11/2 cups brown sugar with good results. They came out crunchy on edges and soft and chewy in mi?dle!!! I did brown the butter and flavor was excellent! !!! Did wish there was less flattening of them. Kathleen Colarusso
I have made these and they are not just delicious, but they are also great for gifting. I bake a LOT for our fire stations and doctor’s offices over the holidays. They also package well.
I’m very precise in my baking and I want to try this, but I’m leery of the flour amount. Depending on the method of measuring, a cup of flour weighs between 120-155 grams. So 2 cups + 2T doesn’t really help much. An amount in grams (or even ounces) would be helpful and appreciated.
Hi how much flour is in it
2 cups + 2 tablespoons, it’s listed in the ingredients. Happy Thanksgiving!
Just made these delectable cookies. I did have to add some flour and I also rolled by dough in sugar.
This recipe is a keeper!
Super easy recipe I used as an activity with my nanny children! I came back here to use the recipe for myself at home! Cookies are delicious.
I used 1 1/2 cup sugar, without rolling it in sugat and still sweet. But my children love it, i will surely make it again with 1 cup of sugar.
Yay! So glad you all enjoyed it!
DELICIOUS! I learned a long time ago from Molly Wizenberg of A Homemade Life & orangette.blogspot.com to always read the entire recipe carefully before starting so you understand it all and there are no surprises or misunderstandings…
I enjoyed reading the comments/ideas of adding toasted pecans to be more like a praline, or chocolate, or oat flour. Lastly, I did cut back on the sugar & the vanilla and they turned out GREAT! Thank you Sabrina, look forward to trying more of your recipes!
Thanks so much, Suzy!
It look very nice.
I have some healthy chocolate for you.
Dark Chocolate
Sugar-free Chocolate
Healthy Chocolate
Chocolate Gift
How big should the balls of dough be???
I made mine 1/2-inch thick, but you can make them bigger or smaller. whatever you decide 🙂
I loved the texture of the cookies; they had a nice crust on the outside and were chewy in the center. With that being said, these cookies were too sweet.
After reading the comments, I have to wonder if anyone has thought of cutting the sugar in the recipe?. Im going to bake these today and use 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar.
I did… I only used 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar, and 1/8 cup of sugar. Turned out great!
The cookie was too sweet and the vanilla was very overpowering. Definitely needs some adjustments but the texture of the cookie was nice soft and chewy.
Way too sweet.
When you make the brown butter, do you use all 14 tbsp of butter or just the 10?
You brown the 10, then add in the remaining 4.
Made this recipe today and I’m not tasting anything other then an intense sweetness that’s not great for it leaves a weird after taste in my mouth. The cookie is hard as a rock on outer edge yet soft towards center. I prob wont make again with out some balancing adjustments. Thank you for something to try out.
These are the best cookies I have ever made, as confirmed by everyone who tried them. This is my new go to. THANK YOU!
Yay!! Thanks for the 5 stars, Raquel.
Yes, the cookies are very sweet but what do you expect with the title “brown sugar cookies”? I made these with a maple cream cheese frosting with no added sugar and it balanced out very nicely. These cookies have a great texture. So chewy and crispy on the edges!
Thanks for the 5 star rating, Isabel.
These cookies were a huge hit in my house! I was wondering if i can add peanut butter to the recipe? Im looking for a good peanut butter cookie recipe but i cant find one i like. If peanut butter would work in this recipe how much should i use?
I haven’t tested it but I’d think it would work. Maybe try using 1 cup of peanut butter to start and go from there. I’d love to know how they turn out if you decide to play around with it. Good luck!
Hello! Thank you for the recipe. Quick question, is there 1/4 cup of white sugar and 1/4 cup of brown sugar in the flour mixture? I made them last night and they were very good. But I wasn’t sure about the sugar. Merry Christmas!!
Yes, that’s correct. I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
While these do taste great… be warned that if you do not chill your dough, they will spread. Keep this in mind if your choosing to do cut out cookies because they will not hold shape.
There weren’t bad, but I agree with the other commenter they were sickeningly sweet. I usually love a sweet cookie, but these are overboard.
These were DELICIOUS but waaayyy too sweet. For people sensitive to that stuff, I’d scale back on the amount of sugar in here. But overall, great recipe!
hii, may i know about the oven settings to bake these cookies?
They’ll bake in a 350 degree oven. Enjoy!
I liked the recipe but the cookies were insanely sweet so i added large chunks of dark chocolate to the recipe and that seemed to help offset the sweetness a bit. Also used salted butter instead of unsalted.
I’m glad you were able to customize it more to your liking.
I made these for a cookie exchange last year (2019) — they were so simple, yet elegant on a platter. I had three ladies reach out to be afterwards for the recipe. They are perfect with a cup of coffee. We will make them again this year! They have such a nice chew to them.
Thanks for coming back to let me know, Melissa. I appreciate the 5 stars.
These are sickeningly sweet. And I never thought I could say this since I love vanilla, but these have way too much vanilla extract.
They might taste a little better if you add pecans, similar to a praline.
Before you bake, what is the consistency of the dough supposed to be like? Mine feels much drier than a normal cookie dough.
Sounds like there might be too much flour. Make sure to measure it by spooning it into your measuring cup vs scooping it.
I was hoping these would taste like my mom’s chocolate chip cookies, when she would leave the chips out. Those were my favorite! These are great cookies! I dropped by spoons and ended up with 31 cookies. They went extremely flat (?) so I had to cut them apart. Still delicious and VERY chewy.
I’m glad they were still yummy. Baking can be tricky and a few things could lead to them going flat. Instead of just dropping the dough, I suggest rolling it and cutting or rolling them into balls. That will help keep the shape. Hope this helps for next time.
I made these and they were sooo good. Mine were a bit darker thanks to browning the butter a bit more than you stated, but it was perfect
These are absolutely delicious! Worth your time to brown the butter!
Do you brown the butter and then let it come to a solid again?
Hi! I have two questions for this recipe. My first question is can I add cornstarch to this recipe to make the cookies softer or will it ruin the recipe. Second question is, can I chill the cookie dough if i’m going to roll out these cookies?
I’ve not tested this recipe using cornstarch but usually that’s a good secret to use. You can definitely chill the dough to roll them out. Good luck!
This recipe made delicious cookies that were chewy without tasting undercooked. They were precisely what I was craving.
I never would have thought of browning butter, so thank you for that.
There is some information about them that I had read in recipes while looking for the right one (this one). I’m not an experienced baker, so I would not have known these:
* Don’t overstir the batter when you mix the two bowls together. You just want all the flour wet.
* Mix dry into wet, a bit at a time to avoid clumps
* Chewy cookies “set” when the edges brown and the middle is still wet. For these cookies, the browning is not very noticeable. You may want to rely on the crinkling instead.
*The number of cookies (24) should have been at the bottom as well, where you make the balls. I had taken a screenshot of the recipe and had to go and search for it again in order to get the number of balls to make so I didn’t make them too big or small so they came out the right amount of chewiness.
*I also recommend saying where to put the cookies – high/low in the oven. I put three sheets in, two high and 1 low. I took out the low one 2 minutes early and left the high one in 1 minute longer. The high ones turned out a bit chewier but slightly less developed flavor. The high ones barely browned, while the low ones had crinkled layers on the edges.
First time to make these and they are very delicious! I’ve been looking for a recipe I used as a kid that we called Texas Drop. That is the first cookies I learned to bake in about 1961 and the recipe was lost in the many moves over the years. It was one that was passed down from my great grandmother in Louisiana and it is very, very similar, but I don’t recall starting with brown butter.
Anyway, thanks for sharing and we love this one!
These were so good! My brother wanted me to make some sugar cookies today and I came across this recipe! So glad I did! These are sweet, chewy and soft. Will be making these again for sure! I used margarine instead of butter and I had no problems with it
these are a family favorite! i’ve made them about 10 times. Even my extended family requests i make them some anything we meet up.
At the last minute of baking my cookies spread perfectly and they have that perfect cracked top! And like I said in my first post-the flavor is there. Yummy!
Yay!!
I am rating these cookies 5 stars, because my family really liked them, and so did I! The recipe is very good, and i printed it out too!
Thanks for coming back to let me know, Logan.
I made these cookies once and they were perfect!
I just made them again today exactly how I did it the first time, but they didn’t crinkle at the top and got really hard despite only being in there for 12 minutes. I think it might be because my brown sugar wasn’t sealed airtight and when I opened it, it was slightly drier than fresh brown sugar. Would this be where I went wrong?
It’s possible or the batter might have been overmixed. Hopefully they turn out perfect the next time. Good luck!
What is the flour measurement?
2 cups of flour plus 2 tablespoons.
Just whipped up a batch and they are as good as all the Five star comments say. Chewy, rich and delicious. I added a cup of toasted pecans and they remind me of another favorite…Pecan Pie. Doesn’t get much better than that.
Omggggggg thanks so much for this!!! They are the best cookies I’ve had! They taste of autumn ? if you know what I mean ?… They came out perfect; crisp on the outside and chewy in the centre. Thanks!
Thanks for the 5 stars, Leah!
I used a gluten free flour blend that is 1:1 as we are allergic, and also used almond extract at the ratio you suggested (1tsp). As GF is always a weird one to work with, we scooped the cookies onto the parchment and put in the freezer for 5-10 min before baking. They are so yummy! Soft in the centre, chewey on the outside. A perfect cookie. Thank you so much.
Thanks for the suggestion, Kendra.
Hi! I was wondering how the roll-out version of these cookies work? Do we refrigerate them for longer, do they hold their cookie-cutter shape well, etc. Would it be better if I used softened butter instead of brown better for cutout cookies? Thanks!
I would refrigerate the dough to be able to use cut outs.
Hello again just made these with golden brown sugar…supery chewy and yummy…Thank you for simple yet delicious recipe.
Absolutely delicious! I made with light brown sugar since I already had a Costco bag, and agree that baking for 10-11 mins is perfect. Made these to make ice cream sandwiches with, and paired with homemade fresh strawberry ice cream…pure heaven!!
That sounds amazing!
Oh my goodness Sabrina!!! I made your Brown Sugar Cookies today…delicious!! I have been looking for a cookie with that particular buttery, brown sugary goodness for some time and I’m so glad you posted this recipe. Ohhh, especially nice and warm out of the oven with a cool glass of milk?!! Yeah buddy, that’s what I’m talkin’ about!
Thank you again
Yay! I’m glad you love it so much, Joanie. Thanks for the 5 stars.
Love these cookies. The dough was dry and I had to add some water. Maybe because if the high altitude where we live. Delicious ?
Loved these cookies 10/10! I know this sounds weird but rolling them in cinnamon before you bake them makes them so good.
Yum!!
Can I freeze the dough I don’t bake? Since it’s just me enjoying them I don’t want to make too many at a time
Thanks, excited to enjoy!
Yes 🙂
So good and chewy, next time I’m going to add white chocolate.
I had first found these yummy cookies on
(Which I know remember) but I had lost the recipe and really wanted some cookies recently. I am the one of few who LOVE chocolate chip cookies…without the chocolate chips. I KNOW, I KNOW CRAZY but they are so yummy without so I went on a search and found these and they turned out to be identical so Thank You for helping me meet once again with great cookies. If you are thinking about trying them, just do it!!
I feel the same way about chocolate chip cookies without the chocolate! When my mom would make a batch she would bake some for me before adding the chips. A great memory and I can’t wait to try this recipe!!
I had first found these yummy cookies on but I had lost the recipe and really wanted some cookies recently. I am the one of few who LOVE chocolate chip cookies…without the chocolate chips. I KNOW, I KNOW CRAZY but they are so yummy without so I went on a search and found these and they turned out to be identical so Thank You for helping me meet once again with great cookies. If you are thinking about trying them, just do it!!
I’ve read the instructions over and over and it doesn’t clearly state when the last 4 tablespoons of butter should be added…. I’ve read the comments and it says step four… but step four just says butter.. it doesn’t specifically state which butter
So sorry for the confusion. Once you’ve melted the 10 tbsp of butter, pour it into a bowl and add the other 4 tbsp to that. I’ve updated the recipe card so hopefully it reads clearer now.
For the first time ever my brothers actually liked the cookies I made! We have too much brown sugar in the house so this was a good way to use it up. I used coconut oil instead and they still turned out great! Thank you for the recipe ?
Yay!!
I’ve made this recipe at least 5 times and it always comes out great! After making it the first time and seeing how much my family liked it, I always double the recipe. Also, after following directions the first time, I skipped the last step since then. I find the cookie to be sweet enough without sprinkling sugar on it. A double batch for me makes about 7 dozen cookies (Unsure what size cookie scooper I use.).
Scan I just grease a cookie sheet if I don’t have parchment paper?
No, the cookies tend to spread out when baked on a greased cookie sheet.
We live in Ecuador and I don’t have access to parchment paper… is there anything else I can do to keep them from spreading too much?
You could also use a silicon baking mat on the baking sheet to help.
This will now be my signature, go-to cookie for the rest of my life. (I’m 61, lol.) The chew, the caramelly essence from the brown sugar. The simplicity. It’s a classic. Thank you!
This makes me happy, Megan! I’m glad you love them so much!
The cookies were the best of their kind I have ever made. I substituted 1 tsp of almond extract for vanilla. I also added about a tbsp of molasses (subtracting out and equal amount of light brown sugar). I brushed the balls of cookie dough with the egg whites and then pressed them down. I got more than 24 cookies even though my balls were about 1 in (large cookies), crispy on the edge and soft-centered. It’s just right for my 93 year old uncle who is isolating in a memory unit during the pandemic!
Made these today, cuz I had a serious cookie craving, and I actually had most of these ingredients in my pantry. I’m not a seasoned cook/baker, but these came out great! I used maple syrup instead of vanilla (cuz that’s what I had and Google said this could be a substitute), but i forgot to cut down on some sugar so it got a tad bit too sweet for me. But my husband loves them. I’ll definitely make again, and add vanilla to my instacart list!
Great with coffee,by the way!
Also: i know this is gonna change the flavor a LOT, but anyone add orange zest to these? I’m intrigued by that
That sounds like an amazing addition!
If I wanted to add a little bourbon to these how much would you recommend I add?
I’d add in about 3 tablespoons with the vanilla. Enjoy!
These cookies were so yummy! They came out perfectly 🙂
I only heard of brown sugar cookies a few weeks ago, so today we decided to make these. Omg, they are amazing!! Sooo good! The mix appears a tad dry, but they are amazing!! Thank you for sharing! A new family favourite!
So glad you decided to give them a try, Anna.
These are my new favorite cookies! Absolutely delicious. Worked very well with light brown sugar. (all I had on hand) Excellent right out of the oven and the next day dipped in coffee.
I made these this am and they are delish. But where do you use the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter? You only said to melt 10 tablespoons and the recipe does not say what to do with the rest. Also, when do you add the 1/4 cup of white sugar????
They’re included in step 4. I’m so glad you still enjoyed them though.
Hi! So the white sugar is for garnishing on the top (at least that’s what I got from it all) it also says to add the remaining butter to your wet ingredients, because of the brown butter.
I was wondering this same thing. Are you supposed to mix the other 4 with the melted 10 once you put it in the bowl??
You’ll add the remaining butter in with the melted butter. Sorry for the confusion.
Great cookies, I added lime zest and lemon extract. Yum, yum.
I made these cookies today. They are delicious but are not like the picture. They are thin and crispy. Delicious.
These are so good! I did add a little kayro syrup. They turned out so yummy.
Thanks for the suggestion.
Hi! Can I use maple syrup instead of vanilla extract?
Sure 🙂
Exquisite!! So very good, all of us loved them. Will do again. Thank you so much!
Could I substitute coconut oil for the butter?
Yes though it might change the texture and flavor a bit.
Is the 1/4 c brown sugar added in step 3 taken out of the 2 c brown sugar in ingredients list? Or is it in addition to? Thanks!
Yes, it’s taken out of the total of 2 cups. So you’ll use 1/4 cup in step 3 and the other 1 3/4 cups in step 4. Sorry for the confusion.
Really delicious. You need to be patient with the butter. Just used a cookie scoop and rolled them in some “sugar in the raw”. Very addicting cookie, I’m not sure that I am glad that I found the recipe because I can’t stop eating them. I look forward to making these for friends and family.
Can I make these without the white sugar? Will it change the baking composition too much?
I’ve not tested it using a substitute for the white sugar. Usually you can use agave nectar, coconut sugar or honey to substitute. If you decide to try, I’d love to know what worked. Thanks!
Just made these, they were great! The brown butter gave a nice nutty flavour. Great chewy/soft texture and appearance. I did use about 70% sugar from the original recipie just because I don’t like them too sweet 🙂
This recipe is pretty perfect but a few more things i’ll add here after some trial and error on my end:
-Chill your dough first, it does enhance the flavor of your cookies and makes this dough less sticky
-You can use light brown sugar, but dark brown sugar is definitely the way to go. Trust me
-You can substitute cornstarch for baking powder for an even chewier texture
-I find letting these bake for 10 minutes instead of the max 12 – 15 and letting them finish baking on the sheet pan for the remainder allows them to have a super soft center and crispy edges
-Cream cheese frosting was made for these cookies
All in all this is a totally swoon worthy recipe, my husband and co workers loved these!
Just made these with light brown sugar as that is all I had on hand. I had to cut the baking time to 10 minutes. Cookies are best straight out of the oven, however, once cooled, they are still really good, with a crisp edge and chewy middle.
These were AHHHHHmazing. I only had light brown sugar but it worked out pretty good. I’m definitely making these again!
I’m an amateur at baking. When I read “one large egg” and “one large egg yolk,” I’m not sure what that means. Could you explain?
You’ll want to use 1 whole egg and then add an additional egg yolk. Hope this helps.
You have to seperate the egg whites(clear part) and the egg yolk(yellow part)
Hi I was wondering if you had any ideas for a butter substitute? Like the cream cheese mixture?
I’ve not tested a butter substitute so I don’t have a recommendation. Sorry.
Use apple butter i did this and i tell you amazing
These came out great! The chewy inside and nice crispy top make this recipe well worth a bookmark. Will definitely be making these again!
Hi so I only have brown sugar on hand and no white sugar so would it be okay if I only used brown sugar or would that mess up the recipe? I plan to try this tomorrow and I hope it turns out delicious though!
It’ll work in a pinch though your cookies might be crispier. Hope you enjoy them!
Great cookie. My 5 dogs wait by the oven until the timer goes off and come and get me. They smell and taste amazing.
haha, smart dog!
Just made these. I left out the baking powder cause I forgot I had it. It turned out to be sooo many cookies & my fiancé has already eaten 4. I am so happy with how they all turned out. Still perfect without the powder! Will def make again!!!
I’m so glad they still worked out for you. Happy Holidays!
These were delicious, but mine got hard almost instantly. Thoughts on how to cut down on that? I’m hoping to take these to a cookie exchange so I need them to stay soft and gooey like they were at first! Yum!
Oh no! Make sure that you’re measuring the flour correctly. Adding too much flour or over-mixing the dough can lead to hard cookies. I hope this helps for next time.
Thanks for this super yummy cookie. We’re enjoying it now. Just wondering if it’s possible to omit the white sugar or if it’s possible to cut the sugar down as it’s just a tad too sweet? Thanks
I haven’t tested it but if you decide to try, just be careful not to reduce too much to make it bland.
These are amazing! Wanted to make cookies while the family was all gone but didn’t have any chocolate chips or anything- these are better! One question- how are people storing them? I have them in a Ziploc bag and after just a couple days they are ROCK hard 🙁 they were so soft and yummy right out of the oven! (Don’t get me wrong, we’re still devouring them, just dunked into coffee now, but curious if anyone else has run into this?)
One way to keep them soft is to keep a small piece of bread in the bag, or store in an airtight container in the fridge. I don’t keep them out at room temp past 2 days.
Is parchment paper necessary in this recipe
No, it creates a more nonstick surface but it is not necessary if you have clean, good quality nonstick pans. I use gold touch pans from WS and I can get away with no parchment. I just know many people have well loved pans and they will need parchment if theres baked on remnants of cookies past.
Thank you! This is the best brown sugar cookie recipe ever!
So glad they turned out and you liked them!
These cookies are amazing. I just have one question, in the directions it says to add the remaining brown sugar and the salt to the melted butter. It doesn’t mention separating the brown sugar. Is so much supposed to go in the flour and so much in the butter?
Sorry for the confusion. In the recipe instructions, step 3 states to use 1/4 cup of the brown sugar and then you’ll use the remaining brown sugar in step 4. I hope this helps!
Hello! I made this recipe and it turned great! Do you think adding chocolate chips would work? L
Absolutely! Let me know how they turn out!
I only had light brown sugar and salted butter on hand, but still fabulous! I halved the recipe (approximated) for just two of us, but wish I’d made more. Thank you!!
Haha that’s some will power to halve a cookie recipe! 😀 Glad you liked them!
Just done baking at this moment with this recipe.Looks yummy.I sprinkled coconut and raisins aling with thus cookies
Oooh that sounds yummy! I hope they turned out as good as they sound!
Cookies were wonderful. I messed up and didn’t melt the butter like instructions said. I creamed it with the sugar like you normally do with cookies. Had only light brown sugar so added a tablespoon of molasses. They turned out perfect thanks for a great recipie!!
Way to work it out on the fly! Thanks for sharing those hacks for others!
Really really great cookie! Adding to my favorites. It’s almost akin to caramel like in flavor. Perfect 10! Thank you.
So glad you like it! I agree – 10/10!
Hi Sabrina!
I cannot wait to make these cookies for my family. I plan on making them for our camping trip this coming weekend.
I’m just a little unclear on the amount of butter…
Is it 14 Tablespoons PLUS 1 3/4 sticks?
Because I know is isn’t equal to it! LOL
It’s just that I didn’t see a plus sign, and the only specified amount was the (10 T) to be browned in the skillet in step #2.
I am very excited to try these but I want to do them right!
Thank you for this delicious recipe and for your response, which I am sure will be forthcoming.
~S~
14 Tablespoons would be equal to 1.75 standard sticks of butter. (it’s 8 tbsp per stick) Hope this helps and can’t wait to hear how they turn out!
Delicious! I was looking for a recipe to use up some brown sugar and this was super easy! I also halved the recipe– the dough was a bit wet so I added an additional 1/3 cup of flour and they turned out perfectly! I was able to make 12 2 1/2″ cookies and have about six cookies worth of dough leftover. My fiance and I gobbled these up!!
So glad you liked them! They make a great date night treat!
So the only thing was that my dough was super dry. Like it needed more liquid. What should the consistency be? They also didn’t spread much. But they still taste delicious!!
This is a Cook’s Illustrated recipe. Thank you for sharing.
She stated that in her post.
These are amazing! I added pecans and omitted the sugar on top. It’s a great base recipe! I love that you can jazz it up with whatever you have in your kitchen. I also plans to make ice cream sandwiches with them 😉
Thank you so much for coming back to let me know Katie. Ice cream sandwiches sound like a perfect treat!
Just made a batch and tasted a cookie, and I must say… this recipe is fabulous! I’ve never been able to achieve a crinkly top before, but this recipe did it for me. Thank you for sharing 🙂
You’re welcome Lindsay!
These came out great! I’ve never made one before that had more sugar than flour in it, but it tasted so good. It’s like a middle ground between a sugar cookie and a caramel candy; the texture is almost candy-like, which is very interesting. The only problem, like some other people here have said, is that it was very hard not to eat all the dough!
It’s a true test of restraint, haha!
Your recipe doesn’t include the amount of flour needed. I used 2 1/2 Cups but what is recommended?
It’s listed right after the dark brown sugar. You’ll use 2 cups flour plus 2 tablespoons. Sorry you missed it. Hope you still enjoyed them.
Was worried these would turn it super sweet or too buttery but it ended up tasting AMAZING! LOVE this recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Marisa. Thanks for the 5 stars.
Simply amazing! I halved the recipe (using one egg and no egg yolk) because I can’t have that many cookies in my house, I live alone. Perfect and so yummy! I’m always looking for new brown sugar sweets. Thank you!
Such a smart idea! I’m so glad you enjoyed them. Thanks for coming back to let me know!
These smelled even more heavenly before they went into the oven, if that’s possible. Easy to make. I used an ice cream scooper, and flattened them with my hand before going in the oven for about 12.5 mins.
Glad you were able to be patient while they were baking, haha!
Just made the brown sugar cookies. Amazing! Wow!
So glad you enjoyed them, Pam.
Oh my God these cookies these cookies are so Amazing…I’m a Baker and these cookies is that and some…Thank you for sharing…
I am wondering if any of you have ever substituted a lower carb flour for any of these recipes–I am considering using almond flour-and splenda brown sugar–I have to watch my carbs closely–I will let you know how this works–
Yes, keep us posted. Thanks!
I have subbed almond flour for banana bread recently and it was awesome! Probably just as good for these cookies!
Love them
Oh my God these cookies these cookies are so Amazing…I’m a Baker and these cookies is that and some…Thank you for sharing…
So glad you love them, Michelle.
Okay, my biggest problem with these is:
if you eat all the dough, how are you supposed to get cookies out of it?
HOLY COW.
I’ve made so many brown sugar cookie recipes and this one is hands down – THE best. I love that these can be made in 30 minutes! I have, however, chilled the dough and that seems to up the brown butter flavor.
These are near the top of my “Most Favorite Cookies Ever” list. Thanks for this recipe!
Haha, maybe I should add a disclaimer! So glad you love them so much!
A tip I read years ago said if your recipe calls for dark brown sugar and you only have light, to add a tablespoon of molasses per cup of brown sugar. I’ve used it several times and it works well! My ideal cookie is slightly crunchy yet chewy in the middle and it looks like these cookies will be perfect!
Perfect!
I made this recipe and the cookies tasted so good but it was too sugary..could only have 1.
Can I use gluten free flour with this recipe?
I’ve not tested it but if you decide to give it a try, I’d love to know how it turns out. Thanks!
Can I use light brown sugar?
Yes, though it won’t have as intense of a flavor as using dark. I hope you enjoy them.
They turned out great with light brown sugar! So easy and yummy ??
Fantastic!
After making balls do you flatten them out or just put them in the oven that way?
I don’t flatten them but you could push down on each one just a bit if you’d like. Enjoy!
What about adding some crushed pecans & Heath bits? Sound good?
Sounds delicious to me!
I tried this recipe with some modifications and they came out delicious! Definitelt a hit at my house- it’s been 2 days and they are almost gone! So a big THANK YOU to Sabrina for inspiring me.
You’re welcome! So glad you all enjoyed them.
Hello! I tweaked your recipe and it came out amazing!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Love the consistency of the brown sugar cookies and they taste so good! Curious to try it with peanut butter and make it a peanut butter brown sugar she we cookie. Is hoping it doesn’t mess up how it comes out
Sounds amazing!
Can i use all ghee instead of butter?
I’ve not tested it yet but I don’t see why not especially because you’re melting the butter to start. If you decide to try, I’d love to know how they turn out. Good luck!
Hey great recipe, my cookies aren’t forming a dough? still very crumbly. how do i fix this?
Did you adjust any of the amounts of the ingredients? Usually crumbly dough indicates that more liquid is needed.
I had that issue too, following the instuctions to a T. I had to add some milk
Delicious, my new go to! I was wondering what size cookie cutter you would recommend for this recipe?
You can use any size cookie cutter that you want your cookie to be. Enjoy!
Does the dough need to be chilled if doing cutouts? Wasn’t sure if it would keep it’s shape if I didnt chill.
I wouldn’t recommend using this recipe for cut outs. They won’t hold their shape, sorry.
The instructions say to brown10 T of butter and add it to a bowl and then add the remaining butter to the same bowl–is this remaining butter cold, room temperature or melted?
Once you add the butter to the browned butter, it’ll automatically melt. No need to melt it before. Hope this clears things up.
Please indicate the amount of flour needed.
Thanks so much!
You should use 2 cups and 2 tablspoons of flour for this recipe. I hope you enjoy them!
Amazing cookies! I’m a cookie fanatic, I’ve not made a cookie quite like this, class of its own!
So glad you enjoyed them!
Must you roll these cookies out? I’m not a cookie cutter user, nor do I have a rolling pin.
No, you don’t have to roll it out. Just scoop dough into your hand and roll it into a ball. Enjoy!
the tips suggest to use cold butter but the first step is to brown the butter. did i misunderstand? anxious to try-they look great!
Thanks for catching that! You’re right, you’ll be browning the butter so no need to keep the butter cold.
what kind of flour should I use is all purpose okay??
Yes, I used All Purpose flour for this recipe.
Cookies are delicious but they bake up so thick. I’d prefer the flatter cookie shown with your recipe. Any idea how to get them to flatten more while baking?
Thanks!
Sounds like your dough might have been too cold. Try letting your dough get a bit warmer before putting them in the oven. So glad you enjoyed them!
They taste wonderful! Mine came out puffy, too. I made the dough and immediately started scooping. If you omit the baking powder would that help to make it spread rather than puff up? I like my cookies flatter and gooey/chewy.
I’m so glad they were still yummy! Next time, make sure you’re measuring the flour correctly. Don’t just scoop it into the measuring cup as too much flour causes puffy cookies. I like to lightly spoon it in instead. Hope this helps.
Can’t beat a homemade sugar cookie! So chewy and delicious!
I know, right?!
There is nothing like a good sugar cookie recipe and we loved this one so much! It’s a keeper!
So glad you loved it, Jennifer!
I love a chewy cookie, and these are perfect!
Thanks, Tara!
You had me at cookie but the brown sugar and browned butter is an incredible combination. I love how chewy these are. YUM!
So glad you loved them, Natasha!
I love how chewy these cookies are. Thanks for a great recipe!