These brown sugar cookies are completely different than any cookie Sydney and I have made before. This recipe calls for browning the butter. Browning the butter turns an ordinary cookie into a gourmet cookie. An ordinary cookie recipe can become extraordinary by browning the butter.
Browning the Butter
Browning the butter gives a rich and nutty flavor to the brown sugar cookies. Browned butter combined with dark brown sugar, instead of light brown sugar, gives a caramel flavor. It is always fun to experiment with new and creative ways of making both old and new recipes.

Brown butter is used in many french pastries and sweet treats. Brown butter is better known as hazelnut butter. As the butter starts to brown you can smell the nutty aroma. For those of you who drink hazelnut coffee, I am sure you know the exact aroma I am talking about.
It sounds like it could be complicated, but it is easy to brown butter. There is nothing to add into or mix into the butter. To make brown butter all you need is butter. Sydney and I prefer using salted butter because we like a little bit of salt married to all the sweetness.
Always cut the butter into small, even pieces for even cooking. This keeps the butter pieces that are small from scorching while the larger pieces continue to melt.

Not Too Hot!
You want to melt the butter over medium heat. You don’t want to use too high of a heat because you can scorch the butter. It is better to melt it slower than it is to melt it quickly. You want to whisk the butter continuously while it is melting. This also keeps it from scorching. This is not the time to multi-task! 🙂
We loved the dough in this recipe. It is so easy to handle and doesn’t stick to the counter or rolling pin. There is no need to use flour to keep the dough from sticking to the counter or rolling pin. This is nice because you don’t have that flour mess to clean up! We can all appreciate less mess to clean up!

Brown Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 14 tablespoons salted butter cut into small pieces
- 2 cups dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 extra large egg yolk
- 1 extra large egg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- sugar crystals for sprinkling on top of cookies
Instructions
- On the stove top, using a small pot, melt 10 tablespoons of the butter (cut into small pieces) over medium heat. Whisk continually until the butter melts. Pour into a bowl and add in the remaining 4 tablespoons of unmelted butter. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup of dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
- Get the bowl of butter that was set aside earlier. Add the remaining dark brown sugar and salt to the butter and whisk until creamy. Next, whisk in the egg yolk, egg and vanilla.
- Put the egg and butter mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir until dough forms.
- Roll dough out with a rolling pin, to 1/2-inch thickness. Use a cookie or biscuit cutter and cut out shapes and place on parchment lined baking sheets. Sprinkle generously with sugar crystals.
- Bake in preheated 350F oven for 8-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Leave on baking sheet for a couple of minutes and then transfer to cooling rack.
- Enjoy!
Your house will have the most amazing nutty caramel scent from these delicious brown sugar cookies. They almost have a caramel corn smell.
Taste Tester Approved
We had a young guy from our church be a taste tester for us on these. We are happy to report that he loved them and said he would take some more of them anytime we made another batch! Pretty good feed back! 🙂

I am a coffee lover beyond all, but I actually preferred having a tall glass of milk with these particular cookies. They just seemed to go together really well.
Let us know if you give this recipe a try and what you thought of using browned butter. We also love getting your feedback and knowing how you may have changed up the recipes to fit the tastes of your family. So please don’t hesitate to comment on our recipes. We truly appreciate it!
Before you go, we wouldn’t want you to leave hungry…so here are a few more recipes:
Gooey Caramel Cookie Bars
Italian Chicken Sandwiches
Easy Apple Crescent Dumplings
Have an awesome and baking filled day!
They sound so yummy. Think I will give these a try for my littles for Valentines Day!
I have never browned butter for cookies either.
What a perfect occasion! Let us know what you/they think!!