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My vegan brown butter cookies have crisp edges, a warm caramelized flavor, and gooey half-melted chocolate chips. You’d never believe they’re made with no eggs OR dairy!
Need more vegan cookie recipes? Try my vegan Levain cookies, vegan shortbread cookies, and vegan double chocolate cookies next.
As much as I love a good vegan chocolate chip cookie, sometimes I need a more elevated version.
Que, my vegan brown ‘butter’ cookies. The vegan brown butter adds a slightly nutty and toffee-like flavor, and the chocolate chips take them to another level.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Real butter flavor. It’s amazing what you can do with plant-based butter nowadays!
- Simple ingredients. If you love baking vegan cookies, then you probably have everything on hand right now.
- The perfect texture. They’re soft yet chewy, with crispy edges and pools of half-melted chocolate chips. Sign me up!
Ingredients needed
- Vegan butter. Use good quality vegan butter (I like Miyoko’s Creamery), preferably from a block. Vegan butter from a spread often contains added water, which can make the cookies more firm than soft.
- Brown sugar. I tried this recipe with white granulated sugar, brown sugar, and a mix of both. I preferred using all brown sugar as it gave the cookies a deeper buttery flavor while keeping the centers soft and gooey.
- Dairy-free milk. I used unsweetened almond milk, but any plant-based milk works.
- Vanilla extract. A must for any good cookie recipe!
- All-purpose flour. Sifted to remove any clumps. Use gluten-free AP flour (with xanthan gum) if desired.
- Baking soda. To keep them from overspreading.
- Salt. Brings out the sweetness of the other ingredients.
- Chocolate. I like to use a chopped-up chocolate bar instead of chocolate chips. It helps ensure there are pools of chocolate. Luckily my vegan chocolate chips can be made into bars, then broken into chunks.
How to make vegan brown butter chocolate chip cookies
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Brown the butter. Add the butter to a small saucepan over medium heat. Let it simmer until bubbling, then reduce the heat to low. Mix the butter with a rubber spatula until it thickens and turns golden brown. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool in a bowl for 5-10 minutes.
Step 2- Mix the wet and dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, add the brown sugar. Pour the butter over the sugar, whisk to combine, then add the milk and vanilla.
Step 3- Combine. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix to combine. Let the dough mixture sit for 10 minutes, then fold in the chocolate. Cover the dough and chill for 30 minutes.
Step 4- Prep. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a cookie scoop, form 24 cookie dough balls.
Step 5- Bake. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes or until the edges lift from the baking sheet. Let them cool completely.
Arman’s recipe tips and variations
- Be patient with the butter. I tested a few different brands, and some took longer to caramelize. Keep an eye on it and stir often so the butter doesn’t burn.
- Top the cookies with more chocolate. For even gooier cookies, carefully remove the baking sheets from the oven 5 minutes before they’re done, top each cookie with a square of chocolate, and return them to the oven to finish baking.
- Switch up the mix-ins. Swap the chocolate for chopped walnuts, pecans, or vegan white chocolate chips.
Storage instructions
To store: Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. If you want to keep them fresher for longer, refrigerate them for up to one month.
To freeze: Place the cookies in a freezer-safe container and freeze them for up to six months.
More vegan desserts and treats
Vegan Brown Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour gluten free, if needed
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup vegan butter chopped
- 2 1/2 cups brown sugar or use a mix of white and brown
- 1/2 cup milk of choice I used unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup vegan chocolate chopped
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine your dry ingredients and mix well.
- In a small saucepan, add the chopped butter. On medium heat, melt it, until it begins to bubble. When it bubbles, reduce to low. Using a rubber spatula, mix the butter around until it thickens and goes a golden color. Remove from the heat and transfer into a glass bowl. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, add your brown sugar. Add the browned butter and beat together, until combined. Add the milk and vanilla extract and beat together, until smooth.
- Gently fold through your dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Let the dough sit for 10 minutes, to cool slightly. Add the chopped chocolate. Cover the dough and let sit for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Form 24 balls of dough and place on the two baking sheets.
- Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, or until the edges begin to look cooked.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
The cookies spread out more than you’d think, make sure to give a lot of space.
These are honestly the best cookies i’ve ever had. Even better than David Lebovitz’s recipe. Just follow exactly, including letting things sit. They turn out crispy yet soft, chocolatey, and delightful.
I have tried countless vegan cookie recipes and this is IT. She’s a legend, she’s an icon, she’s the moment! Seriously I have been brought to tears by my failed cookies but this recipe was so easy and unfussy and the cookies were phenomenal! I did half brown/half white sugar and def let the dough rest, 10/10! Can’t wait to try more recipes! Ty!
You are the icon and legend, Jess!
I made these and the texture is perfect! The problem I had was a baking soda taste. That seems to indicate some of the soda did not react. I will try reducing the amount of soda next time.
Vegan or not- best cookies ever! This is everything I could ever want in a cookie and it’s so perfectly balanced. Used country crock vegan butter sticks and the cookies turned out just like the ones pictured!!
Hi!! I cannot wait to make these!!! Omg I miss the brown butter cookies!!! Do you have a vegan butter you prefer?? I earth balance is good, although it has palm oil but it should work. Mykonos I think burns quickly.
I like Naturli- Easily the most similar to dairy based butter 🙂
I used Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1. I’m wondering if the amount of sugar could have made them spread too?
I tried the gluten free version of these, and while utterly delicious, they spread A TON in the oven. I even tried to chill the dough before baking and had the same result. Any advice?? Thank you!
Hi Stephanie! What brand GF flour did you use? 🙂
Sorry, I meant to leave this on your vegan brownie recipe. I’m making both of these things today. My daughter is on an elimination diet, and can’t have gluten, refined sugar, or dairy, but she can have eggs.
Sorry, one more question! If I’m using eggs instead of flax, should I reduce the amount of coffee? Not sure if the extra liquid volume from the eggs will ruin the recipe. I’m making them right now lol!
I’m going to try this with coconut sugar, since we’re attempting to do without refined sugar as much as possible. Any thoughts on whether this will work?
It will work, it just might not be as soft in the middle.
Hi, do you not need xanthan gum if using gluten free flour? Or should I look for a gluten free flour with it included?
yes, you would 🙂
Can almond flour be used? If so how much?
Not that I’ve tried
Hi! Your instructions say melt the chopped chocolate until it bubbles. You meant melt the chopped butter.
Lisa
Ahh thank you! Amended!