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.
Can’t get enough sugar cookies? Try my Cut Out Sugar Cookies and Soft Sugar Cookies too!
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. They’re perfect for Christmas too, of course.
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 the step-by-step process for both the cookies and the frosting:
- Make the brown butter. Melt the butter over medium heat. Slowly swirl the pan and cook until it becomes a brown/caramel color. Cool for 15 minutes.
- Make the dough. Whisk the dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix the brown sugar into the browned butter, then add in the egg and vanilla. Slowly add in the flour mixture until incorporated.
- Roll in sugar. Combine the remaining brown sugar and granulated sugar. Form balls of dough then roll them in the mixture before placing 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet.
- Bake. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges begin to brown.
- Make the frosting. Combine the brown sugar and butter over medium heat. Bring to a boil then remove from heat to cool. Beat in the milk then slowly add the powdered sugar.
- Frost the cookies. Spread a teaspoon or so of frosting on each of the brown sugar cookies. Enjoy!
Tips for Success
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.)
Proper Storage
- Room temperature. These sugar cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 5-6 days.
- Fridge. They can also be kept in the fridge, if you prefer. They will still last for 5-6 days. This is ideal if your house is warm and may melt the frosting.
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
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.
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
do you have to use kosher salt? never heard of that in all my baking years in fact i hardly use salt at all. anxious to try
I like to use kosher salt because it’s a coarser grain salt and it helps me control the amount I am adding better. If you are using table salt decrease the amount by 1/4 teaspoon.
Beautiful little tasty delectimundos. The one thing I did wrong that I regret is that I used unsalted butter. Mine were flat because of this I think. Just wanted to pass that on for anyone who gives a poop.
I’d been wanting to try these for some time, but was waiting for an “occasion”. Silly me… finally couldn’t wait any longer yest & just made them “for us”. OMG!!! SOOOO good!!
I can’ trait to make these cookies. My Mom has been making a pumpkin cookie with a brown sugar frosting for 30 years. I always loved the frosting but the cookies were a little too cakey so looking forward to trying the chewy combination with the brown sugar frosting….sounds like a match made in heaven.
I just saw these on pinterest made by another blogger. When I saw that she adapted the recipe from you I had to come & see, then make them. Glad I did. They are AWESOME & I’ll be making these for our fundraiser at work because I know anything that I make of yours will sell out fast. Thanks Shelly!
Holy yum. So so good! I thought they might be a little plain, but man was I wrong. The sugar coating was a lovely touch too.
Just in case someone’s like me and new to browning butter, it bubbles quite ferociously if you don’t keep swirling or stirring (even on my gas hob’s lowest setting).
Thank you! 🙂
I usually NEVER comment after reading a recipe, but I have to share what my roommate thought about them.
“Oh…oh my God…wow..that’s…ohh…are there more?”
These are AMAZING. Can’t wait to bribe people with them!
Thank you!
Hey maybe you didn’t see my message.. I’d like to make these again today and hoped they would turn out better please see my previous comment. Thanks.
Ps the frosting was so great. Omg.
I made these today and had the same problems mentioned by a couple of commenters. Dough too crumbly, staying in balls as it cooked, and not being chewy. After my first dozen I knew I had to make some changes. I added 2 tablespoons of whole milk and the cookies were so much easier to form. Then before they went in I flattened them out with a glass. The cooking time was reduced (mine took 7 but my cookies were small). With these changes they tasted so much better…and looked like the picture. I don’t know if it is because my eggs were smaller, or because I am at a high elevation…but I followed the recipe to a T and kept checking over and over to make sure I hadn’t missed anything. They sure turned out yummy after I modified it just a bit.
Just Made these. At 10 mins my cookies were still balls I took then out and flattened them and put them back for a few more mins. They taste really nice bet not chewy. Not sure what I did wrong as followed your recipe. I was a little confused though as in your intro you say to mix the eggs into the flour and in the step by step it says the other way round. Would that make a difference? Thanks!
I made these cookies last night, and they taste very good, but are not chewy. I followed the directions, but even as I was making them, I thought I must have screwed something up. The dough was very crumbly and I had to kneed each ball into my hand to make them stick together. Maybe my eggs were too small or something? I figured it needed more liquid, or fat, or something. Anyone else encounter this problem?