This brown sugar cookie is simple to make and incredibly tasty. With just a few pantry ingredients, you’ll get cookies that are crinkly at the edges, soft and chewy in the center, and full of deep butterscotch notes from brown butter and brown sugar. A sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top finishes them perfectly.
Despite the straightforward recipe, this dough is an excellent base that adapts well — I use it for many variations.
Ingredients & Substitutions
*Full recipe quantities are in the recipe card below.
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour for best texture; I don’t recommend substituting it unless you have a tested alternative.
- Sugar: Light brown sugar is recommended to keep the right chew and flavor. You can use dark brown sugar or a mix of granulated and dark brown in a pinch, but avoid reducing the total sugar amount.
- Butter: Salted butter adds flavor; if you use unsalted, add a small extra pinch of salt.
- Egg: Use a large egg at room temperature. If it’s cold, set it in warm water for a few minutes to warm up.
- Vanilla: Vanilla extract is essential for flavor — don’t skip it.
- Baking Powder: This recipe uses baking powder (no baking soda).
- Salt: I prefer flaky sea salt to finish the cookies; table salt works too but use a bit less because it’s stronger.
Tip: Weighing dry ingredients with a digital scale gives the most consistent results.
Step-By-Step Instructions
- Brown the butter: In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook the butter 5–10 minutes, stirring intermittently until it bubbles and foams. Continue stirring until the milk solids brown and settle on the bottom. Pour into a bowl and let cool a few minutes.
- Combine butter and sugar: Put the light brown sugar in a medium-large bowl, add the warm brown butter, and stir to combine and cool the butter slightly.
- Add egg and vanilla: Whisk in the egg and vanilla vigorously for 2–3 minutes until the mixture lightens in color and feels a bit fluffy.
- Fold dry ingredients: Add the flour, salt, and baking powder, then use a rubber spatula to fold just until no dry streaks remain.
- Chill the dough: Freeze the dough 15–30 minutes or refrigerate longer so it becomes scoopable and not runny.
- Scoop cookies: Form sixteen roughly 2-ounce cookie balls and place them at least 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet — these spread quite a bit.
- Firm the scoops: Chill the scooped dough 15 minutes (or longer) so the cookies spread less while baking.
- Bake: Bake one sheet on the middle rack at 325°F (163°C) for about 8 minutes. Remove briefly, tap the pan on the counter and use a round cutter or cup to gently nudge cookies into a round shape.
- Finish baking: Return the sheet to the oven for about 4 more minutes, until edges begin to brown. Give the pan another quick tap and reshape if needed. Let cool on the pan for at least 10 minutes, then sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
Tip: Centers may look slightly puffed when you pull them early — that’s okay; they’ll settle and finish as they cool.
For a paler look, bake on a light-colored metal pan. Dark pans brown bottoms faster.
How to Bake These Cookies (Convection vs Conventional)
Cookies are sensitive to oven temperature. I bake in convection at 325°F (163°C), which is roughly equivalent to 350°F in a conventional oven. Small changes in temperature will significantly affect spread, color, and texture, so experiment slightly to learn how your oven behaves. An oven thermometer is helpful if you suspect inaccurate temps.
General guidelines:
- If cookies spread too much: chill dough longer and/or increase oven temperature slightly.
- If cookies are too thick and don’t spread: lower the oven temperature and/or let dough warm a bit if frozen.
I prefer to underbake slightly so edges are set and centers remain soft. Tap the pan after removing from the oven; the centers should settle into dense, chewy cookies.
How to Get Perfectly Round Cookies
To make uniformly round cookies, immediately after removing the sheet from the oven use a round cutter, cup, or mug to gently nudge each cookie into a circle before the edges set. Work quickly and gently so you don’t tear the soft cookies.
Frosting Ideas
Cream cheese frosting is delicious with these cookies, but it requires refrigeration. Store frosted cookies in the fridge and bring them to room temperature for 1–2 hours before serving. If you prefer a no-fridge option, try a simple powdered sugar and milk glaze, dip in melted white chocolate, or use American buttercream (use half a standard recipe for a lighter topping).
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Scoop the dough into balls, chill them on a tray until firm, then freeze in a zip-top bag. Bake straight from frozen while the oven preheats. Use the same baking temperature and expect a slightly longer bake time.
You can swap in a dairy-free butter and test an egg substitute; I haven’t tested an egg-free version myself, so results may vary.
This base works with 1:1 gluten-free flour blends (e.g., King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill). The texture is good, with a slightly different gluten-free flavor profile.
Absolutely — chocolate chips, dried fruit, nuts, or other add-ins work well. Adjust quantities to preference so the cookie dough keeps its structure.
How to Store Cookies
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days. Refrigerating extends shelf life but can dry cookies slightly; warm refrigerated cookies in the microwave 5–10 seconds before serving to restore softness.
Thanks for reading — if you try these brown sugar cookies, I’d love to hear how they turned out. Happy baking!
Love, B
Chewy Brown Sugar Cookies
Equipment
- 1 bowl
- 1 whisk
- 1 small saucepan
- 1 cookie sheet
- 1 rubber spatula
Ingredients
- 113 grams salted butter, browned to 93 grams
- 133 grams light brown sugar, lightly packed (dark works too)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 150 grams all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- Pinch flaky sea salt, for finishing
Method
- Brown the butter in a small pot over medium heat for 5–10 minutes until bubbling and foaming. Continue stirring until milk solids brown and settle. Pour into a bowl and cool for a few minutes.
- Whisk the brown butter into the brown sugar in a medium-large bowl until combined.
- Add the egg and vanilla, then whisk vigorously 2–3 minutes until the mixture lightens.
- Fold in the flour, salt, and baking powder until no flour streaks remain.
- Freeze the dough 15–30 minutes or refrigerate about an hour. Scoop eight 2-ounce cookie balls (or sixteen smaller balls).
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C) convection (about 350°F conventional). Bake one sheet on the middle rack ~8 minutes, remove, tap the pan and gently round the cookies with a cutter, then return for ~4 more minutes until edges begin to brown.
- Remove, tap and reshape again if needed. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and let rest on the pan at least 10 minutes before transferring.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 31 g
Protein: 3 g
Fat: 12 g