Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
These tasty brown butter chocolate chip cookie bars have a dense, soft, and chewy texture! They are generously packed with gooey chocolate chips. Infused with the rich essence of brown butter, they have a delightful toffee-like taste, further enhanced by a touch of sea salt on top. This recipe is truly unforgettable, offering the ultimate satisfaction in cookie bars!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- These brown butter chocolate chip cookie bars are warm and gooey!
- The brown butter adds a delicious toffee caramel flavor.
- This recipe is made with only pantry staple ingredients.
- They are great served warm, room temperature, or cold.
- Delicious with a scoop of ice cream!
- You will love these Millionaire Bars too.
- Kids and adults love these brown butter bars.
- This recipe is gluten free and nut free.
- Check out these Gluten Free Blondies for another fun dessert recipe!
Ingredients & Substitutions
These are the main ingredients and substitutions for these brown butter chocolate chip cookie bars. Scroll down to the recipe card for full ingredients list and instructions.
Use unsalted butter if possible. Stir constantly to prevent burning. Continue cooking until it has reached a golden brown color.
Both white sugar and light brown sugar add the sweetness.
Vanilla extract adds a delicious cookie flavor.
Only one egg is needed. For an egg free version, try these Vegan Blondies.
Use gluten free flour if you are gluten free like me. Otherwise, feel free to use all-purpose flour.
Baking soda helps these bars rise slightly.
Use dark chocolate chips for a rich and delicious contrast. Semisweet and milk chocolate chips can also be used.
Lastly, garnish with flaky sea salt. The sea salt, butter, and chocolate combination is amazing!
Taste & Texture
These brown butter chocolate chip cookie bars have the most rich flavors! They are buttery, toffee-like, caramel-like, chocolaty, and salty.
Each bite is better than the last.
These brown butter bars are dense and gooey.
How to Make
Step 1
First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper.
Step 2
Make the brown butter. Add the butter to a skillet over low medium heat. Continue stirring, until the butter becomes golden brown. Stir constantly to prevent burning.
Step 3
When the butter becomes golden, remove the pan from the heat. Pour into a small bowl and place in the fridge for 10 minutes.
Step 4
Meanwhile, gather the other ingredients. In a mixing bowl, combine the slightly cooled brown butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Stir to combine.
Step 5
Then, add in the vanilla and egg. Stir to combine.
Step 6
Add in the gluten free flour and baking soda. Stir together.
Step 7
Fold in the chocolate chips.
Step 8
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Smooth into an even layer.
Step 9
Bake for 20 to 22 minutes or until the edges are set and the middle still looks gooey.
Step 10
Finally, allow the brown butter chocolate chip cookie bars to cool for 1 hour before garnishing with sea salt, slicing, and serving.
Expert Tips & Tricks
Follow these tips and tricks to make the best brown butter chocolate chip cookie bars.
Constantly stir the butter until it has reached a golden brown color.
Scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the skillet. These are so flavorful!
The batter will be slightly thinner than regular cookie dough but slightly thicker than brownie batter.
Do not bake too long.
They are meant to be slightly gooey in the middle.
Allow these brown butter chocolate chip cookie bars to cool before slicing into.
Garnish with sea salt on top for the best flavor!
How to Serve & Store
Serve these brown butter chocolate chip cookie bars once cool enough to slice into.
They are delicious with ice cream, whipped cream, or topped with caramel.
I also love a drizzle of melted chocolate and peanut butter on top!
Store these cookie bars in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Brown butter tastes a little nutty, slightly like caramel, and like toffee.
These brown butter chocolate chip cookie bars taste like chocolate chip cookies with an added flavor of nutty toffee.
If you are not gluten free like I am, feel free to use all-purpose flour.
Equipment Needed
Pre-Cut Parchment Paper Sheets: These pre-cut parchment paper sheets are great for lining the pan.
Pyrex 3 Glass Mixing Bowls: These mixing bowls are my favorite for baking.
Pyrex Glass Measuring Cups: These cups are great for measuring ingredients.
Check out all of my kitchen favorites!
You May Also Like
- Gluten Free Cookie Dough
- Gluten Free Brownies
- Paleo Brownies
- Gluten Free Sugar Cookies
- Gluten Free Chocolate Cookies
If you make this brown butter chocolate chip cookie bar recipe, I would really appreciate a review! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Join my exclusive Facebook Group for a behind the scenes look. I would love for you to follow along! For more ideas, check out these Dessert Recipes.
Get the Recipe: Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 10 tbsp unsalted butter
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar, tightly packed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 ¼ cups gluten free flour, see note
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¾ cup dark chocolate chips
- sea salt, to garnish
Instructions
- First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper.
- Make the brown butter. Add the butter to a skillet over low medium heat. Continue stirring, until the butter becomes golden brown. Stir constantly to prevent burning.
- When the butter becomes golden, remove the pan from the heat. Pour into a small bowl and place in the fridge for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, gather the other ingredients. In a mixing bowl, combine the slightly cooled brown butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Stir to combine.
- Then, add in the vanilla and egg. Stir to combine.
- Add in the gluten free flour and baking soda. Stir together.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Smooth into an even layer.
- Bake for 20 to 22 minutes or until the edges are set and the middle still looks gooey.
- Finally, allow the bars to cool for 1 hour before garnishing with sea salt, slicing, and serving.
Notes
- Watch the butter closely. It becomes golden brown very quickly.
- Scrape the brown bits of the butter from the pan into the mixing bowl.
- If you are not gluten free, feel free to use regular all purpose flour.
- The dough should be a little thinner than regular cookie dough and slightly thicker than regular brownie batter.
- Do not overbake! The bars should look still gooey in the center.
- Allow them to almost fully cool before slicing into them.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days at room temperature.
- Check out all of my kitchen favorites!
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