Browned Butter Peanut Butter Cookies are perfectly soft and chewy, loaded with nutty flavor from peanut butter and luscious browned butter, and topped with a sprinkle of sea salt. They're quite possibly the best peanut butter cookies ever.
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Browned butter peanut butter cookies are the perfect cookies. They're deliciously chewy cookies and full of rich peanutty flavor with that soft, slightly sandy texture classic peanut butter cookies are known for.
But what makes them extra special is the browned butter.
What is Browned Butter?
Browned butter is butter that has been melted and cooked until the milk solids are golden and toasted. It has the most delicious nutty aroma and adds rich, deep flavor to your favorite recipes.
Try browned butter in baked goods like these browned butter snickerdoodles or your favorite cookies, frosting, breads, pancakes, and cakes. It's also delicious in savory dishes like vegetables, pasta sauces, casseroles, and mashed potatoes.
Best part, it's super easy to make. Keep scrolling, and I'll walk you through it.
Not in the mood for scooping and rolling cookie dough? Try these gooey peanut butter oatmeal bars or peanut butter bar cookies!
Why You're Going to Love This Recipe
- Soft and tender brown butter cookies with rich peanut butter flavor
- Easy one bowl peanut butter cookie recipe
- Perfectly soft and chewy peanut butter cookies
Ingredients
Unsalted butter. The process of browning butter will cause some to evaporate. Start with 9 tablespoons of unsalted butter to yield 8 tablespoons of browned butter. You may also use salted butter and adjust the salt accordingly to taste.
Brown sugar. I use dark brown sugar for the deep molasses flavor, but light brown sugar is also just fine.
Egg. Let the egg come to room temperature by setting it out on the counter for about 30 minutes or placing it in a cup of warm water for about 10 minutes.
Creamy peanut butter. I used creamy Skippy peanut butter.
Flaky sea salt. A sprinkle of flaky salt on top of the cookies adds crunch and a contrasting salty flavor.
You can also sprinkle coarse sea salt on top of the cookies when they come out of the oven. Flaky sea salt will not be absorbed during baking, but smaller sea salt crystals often are.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Melt cubed butter in a light-colored small saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously until foamy and bubbly. After 5-8 minutes, the foam will settle, and you'll notice brown specks and a nutty aroma. It's done!
Step 2: Remove browned butter from heat, transfer to a heat-proof bowl to halt cooking. Measure in a liquid cup to make sure you have ½ cup, and cool to room temperature -- or speed up in the refrigerator.
Step 3: In a large bowl, beat ½ cup of browned butter and sugars with an electric mixer on medium speed. Mix in the egg, then the peanut butter and vanilla extract. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
Step 4: With a cookie scoop or ice cream scoop, portion the dough into 2-tablespoon balls and place them on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Use your hand or silicone spatula to gently press the cookie dough balls into ¾-inch thick pucks. Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top of each cookie.
Step 5: Bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes or until the edges are set and the tops are very light golden brown. Do not overbake or the cookies will be dry.
Step 6: Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool the rest of the way.
Enjoy with a tall glass of cold milk or warm cup of coffee.
Expert Tips
- When making browned butter, some of the liquid will evaporate. Start with 9 tablespoons of butter so you can end up with 8 tablespoons of browned butter.
- Don't walk away from the stove when making browned butter -- it can go from toasted and lovely to burned and bitter in no time.
- Before scooping, let the dough sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes so the dough is easy to roll into balls.
- Chill the dough for 1-2 hours. This will allow the dough to absorb the moisture from the wet ingredients and give the cookies a softer texture.
FAQs
This brown butter peanut butter cookie dough doesn't spread, so why take the time to chill it? Even a brief 30-minute chill enhances the flavor and results in a softer, chewier texture. So, it's worth it for a better cookie experience!
Store baked cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to one week.
Yes! Browned butter is so much more flavorful than regular butter. The rich, nutty flavor of the browned butter amplifies the flavor of the peanut butter and makes the best peanut butter cookies.
You can use either salted or unsalted butter to make browned butter. In baking, unsalted butter is most often used so you can best control the salt levels.
Peanut butter cookie dough is quite thick and dense and doesn't really spread much. Most peanut butter cookie recipes call for flattening the dough with a spatula or the tines of a fork to allow the cookie to bake evenly.
More Delicious Peanut Butter Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Browned Butter Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 9 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 egg room temperature
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cup flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- flaky sea salt, optional
Instructions
- Make browned butter. Cut the butter into cubes and place it in a medium, light-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir while it becomes foamy and bubbly. After 5-8 minutes, it will begin to toast and you'll see little brown flecks. Immediately pour the butter into a heat-proof bowl to stop the cooking process. Measure the browned butter to make sure you have ½ cup. Cool to room temperature.
- Beat ½ cup browned butter and both sugars on medium speed until combined. Mix in the egg for one minute. Add the peanut butter and vanilla and mix for one minute. Mix in the flour, baking soda, and salt until just combined. Do not over-mix. Chill the dough for 1-2 hours, up to overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Let the dough sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes so it's easy to work with.
- Scoop 2-tablespoon dough balls and set them onto a baking sheet. Use your hand or a greased silicone spatula to gently press the cookie dough balls into ¾ inch thick pucks. Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes or until the edges are set and the tops are very light brown. The centers will still be very soft. Be careful not to overbake or the cookies will be dry.
- Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool the rest of the way. Store cooled cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to one week.
These peanut butter cookies were the BEST I have ever had! So delicious! All I had was honey peanut butter- and it tasted so good in this recipe!
Thank you so much for trying the recipe. I'm so glad you enjoyed the cookies -- and honey peanut butter sounds delicious!