This Chewy Brown Sugar Cookies recipe consists of super soft brown butter sugar cookies and brown sugar buttercream frosting. Traditional sugar cookies are great, but adding brown sugar makes them even better!
Can’t get enough sugar cookies? Try my Best Sugar Cookies recipe too!
Brown Sugar Cookies, made with brown butter and topped with a yummy, caramel-like brown sugar frosting, are absolutely droolworthy. These golden-brown sugar cookies are perfectly chewy, and the sweet buttercream frosting on top is an exquisite finishing touch.
Aside from taste, the best part about this recipe is that it only takes about 30 minutes to make. In other words, for just half and hour of work, you get a batch of heavenly, pillowy soft sugar cookies to devour. Or share. Whichever option appeals to you more. 😉
These brown butter cookies are so good, you don’t even need to add the frosting if you’re short on time. But I highly recommend it – I mean, brown sugar buttercream frosting? It’s just too good to pass up!
The Brown Butter.
Just kidding, there are a few other reasons that I love making these brown sugar cookies so much.
- Quick and Easy: There’s just 25 minutes of prep work to do and 10 minutes of staring at the oven in an attempt to make the cookies bake faster… all in all, not too bad!
- Simple But Strong Flavors: They might not have add-ins, but don’t let that fool you. These sugar cookies are PACKED with sweet, caramel flavor. They’re addictive, to say the least.
- Versatile: You can make brown sugar cookies for any occasion: parties, barbecues, bake sales, just because, etcetera.
Recipe Ingredients
Most of these ingredients are probably already in your pantry or fridge (another great part about these cookies!). Make sure to take a look at the specific amounts in the recipe card below before starting.
For the Cookies:
- Butter: I like to use salted butter in these cookies, but feel free to use unsalted if you prefer.
- Sugar: This recipe requires both packed light brown sugar and granulated sugar.
- Flour: All purpose flour works best for these cookies.
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder: To ensure that the cookies have some lift and don’t turn out too flat.
- Salt: I like to use kosher salt, but table salt is fine too.
- Egg: To bind the cookie dough together – note that this recipe requires a whole egg and an egg yolk.
- Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract offers the best flavor.
For the Frosting:
- Sugar: Light brown sugar will add caramel notes to your frosting.
- Butter: Again, either salted butter or unsalted butter will work.
- Milk: I generally use 1 or 2% milk.
- Powdered Sugar: Make sure to sift your powdered sugar before adding it in.
Alright, let’s get into how to make these sugary brown butter cookies! Here’s they step-by-step process for both the cookies and the frosting:
For the Cookies:
- Preheat Oven to 350°: Start by lining a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Melt Butter: Heat your butter in a medium skillet over medium heat until melted. Then, slowly swirl the pan and continue to cook the butter until it becomes a nice, brown-caramel color. Let it cool for 15 minutes.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl and set aside.
- Add Brown Sugar: When the butter has cooled, mix in the light brown sugar with an electric mixer until no lumps remain (about 30 seconds).
- Blend in Wet Ingredients: Add the egg, yolk and vanilla and mix for another 30 seconds, until smooth.
- Mix Wet and Dry Ingredients: Slowly add in your flour mixture and mix on medium-low until incorporated.
- Prepare Sugar for Rolling: Combine the remaining brown sugar and the granulated sugar in a small bowl.
- Form Cookie Dough: Roll the cookie dough into balls and then roll them in the sugar mixture. Place your finished products on the lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.
- Bake: Bake your cookies for approximately 10-12 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown. Do not over-bake. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool.
For the Frosting:
- Boil Butter and Brown Sugar: Combine brown sugar and butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and then remove it from the heat and let it cool. The mixture will thicken slightly.
- Add Milk: With a hand mixer, beat in milk until the mixture is smooth. Slowly add in powdered sugar until the frosting has a spreadable consistency. Spread approximately 1 teaspoon on each cookie, and enjoy!
Tips for Success
As you can see, there are a couple more steps to these brown sugar cookies than to traditional sugar cookies. They’re so worth making, though, and they’re definitely doable for even novice bakers! Here are some extra tips that will help you tackle these sweet cookies:
- Swirl the Pan While Browning the Butter: Keep swirling the pan so the little solid bits don’t burn.
- Don’t Over-Mix the Batter: Over-mixing the batter can lead to dense, flat cookies.
- Don’t Over-Bake the Cookies: If you can see that the cookies are golden around the edges, but the centers don’t look quite done, still take them out. They will firm up as they cool on the warm baking sheet.
- Can I Use Dark Brown Sugar? Sure! Using dark brown sugar will result in cookies with more of a molasses flavor. (It will also slightly change the texture of the cookies – they should be a bit chewier.)
These sugar cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 5-6 days. They can also be kept in the fridge, if you prefer.
Definitely! You can freeze brown sugar cookies in an airtight container for 2-3 months. It’s also possible to make the dough ahead of time, freeze it for a month or so, and then make the cookies later. Just defrost the dough in the fridge about a day ahead of time, and then you’re all set!
There’s no such thing as too many sugar cookies, so give some of these other recipes a try, too!
- Brown Sugar Cut Out Cookies
- Chocolate Sugar Cookies
- Fruity Pebbles Sugar Cookies
- Easy Soft Sugar Cookies
- Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cookies
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 24 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Chewy Brown Sugar Cookies recipe consists of super soft brown butter sugar cookies and brown sugar buttercream frosting. Traditional sugar cookies are great, but adding brown sugar makes them even better!
Ingredients
Cookies
- 14 tablespoons salted butter (1 3/4 sticks)
- 1 3/4 cups packed light brown sugar
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
- 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
Frosting
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 cups sifted powdered sugar
Instructions
Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350° and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Heat butter in medium skillet over medium heat until melted. When butter melts slowly swirl the pan and continue to cook the butter until it becomes a nice, brown-caramel color. The swirling helps it from burning. Let cool for 15 minutes.
- Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl and set aside.
- When butter is cooled mix 1 3/4 cup light brown sugar and browned butter with electric mixer until no lumps remain, about 30 seconds.
- Add egg, yolk and vanilla and mix for another 30 seconds, until smooth.
- Slowly add in your flour mixture and mix on medium-low until incorporated.
- Combine remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a small bowl.
- Roll cookie dough into balls and then roll in sugar mixture.
- Place on lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Bake approx 10-12 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Do not over-bake.
- Transfer to wire rack to cool.
Frosting
- Combine brown sugar and butter in small saucepan over medium heat.
- Bring to a boil and continue cooking 1 minute. Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes. Mixture will slightly thicken.
- With hand mixer beat in milk until smooth. Slowly add in powdered sugar until spreadable consistency. ( I used all 2 cups).
- Spread approx 1 teaspoon on each cookie.
Notes
- To Store: These sugar cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 5-6 days. They can also be kept in the fridge, if you prefer.
- To Freeze: You can freeze brown sugar cookies in an airtight container for 2-3 months. It’s also possible to make the dough ahead of time, freeze it for a month or so, and then make the cookies later. Just defrost the dough in the fridge about a day ahead of time, and then you’re all set!
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 251
- Sugar: 33.6 g
- Sodium: 84.6 mg
- Fat: 8.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 42.8 g
- Protein: 1.7 g
- Cholesterol: 29.4 mg
Keywords: brown butter brown sugar cookies, brown sugar cookie recipe, brown butter sugar cookies, brown butter buttercream
I flattened the balls and they baked much better.I used a medium cookie scoop and got the right number of balls. They are ok without the frosting.
Will mix up frosting and give it a try.
How big are the bslks?1 T!
I wonder if I got the recipe wrong in regards to the frosting….I sifted then measured the powdered sugar and the frosting was very runny, so I added more powdered sugar. Was I supposed to measure then sift?
explain kosher salt and why doesnt make sense