Brown Butter M&M Cookies

Brown butter M&M cookies are a fun twist on my favorite chewy chocolate chip cookies recipe. The brown butter adds an irresistible nutty, caramel flavor that you're going to love!

Prep Time 1 30

Cook Time 10

Total Time 1 40

Servings cookies

Author Heather

Ingredients

1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
1 cup (213 g) brown sugar
½ cup (99 g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 ½ cups (300 g) all purpose flour *measured properly
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups (356 g) M&M's candies

Instructions

Browning butter

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and stir frequently. Butter will begin to foam and boil. After 4 to 5 minutes you will see brown flecks appear in the bottom of the pan. Continue to stir until butter is golden and flecks are a medium brown color. Watch closely, butter will brown quickly. The entire process takes about 5 to 7 minutes.
Remove butter from heat and pour into a bowl. Refrigerate for 15-25 minutes, or until butter is just solidified. You're looking for a room temperature or slightly cooler, solid butter.

Cookies

In a large bowl, add room temperature brown butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat until creamed and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla extract and beat until creamy and smooth, about 1 minute.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually stir dry ingredients into butter mixture until just combined. Add M&M's and stir until just combined.
Cover bowl or wrap dough in wax paper. Chill for at least one hour (24 hours or more is ideal) in the refrigerator. Refrigerating helps the flavors meld, creates a chewier texture, and firms up the dough so it spreads less in the oven.
Preheat oven to 350℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (do not grease your baking sheet, this causes the cookies to spread more in the oven). Set aside.
Scoop dough using a medium cookie scoop or shape by hand into 1.5 inch balls.
Place cookie dough balls 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 11-14 minutes, or until lightly browned around edges and across the tops. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Video

Notes

* How to measure flour properly: Use a kitchen scale to measure flour for accurate results every time. If you don't have a kitchen scale, use the spoon and level method. Stir the flour (especially if it's been packed down in a bag/container), then gently spoon into the measuring cup, leveling off the top with a knife. Scooping with a measuring cup compacts flour into the cup and adds up to 25% extra to the recipe, resulting in dry, bland cookies that don't spread properly.
Storing cookies: Cookies will keep for 5-7 days in a sealed container. To help keep cookies fresh, place a slice of bread in the container with the cookies. Replace the bread slice as needed.
Storing dough: Raw cookie dough will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days.
Freezing: Cookie dough balls (and baked cookies) freeze well, up to 3 months in a sealed plastic container or freezer bag. Allow frozen balls to thaw for up to 10 minutes on the baking sheet before baking, or add 1-2 minutes to the baking time.
Tips: Be sure to check out my 10 tips for baking cookies, based on reader comments and questions!

Nutrition