If you’re looking for a holiday cookie that’s simple to make but looks like it came straight from a bakery display case, these Chocolate-Dipped Brown Butter Cookies are the perfect choice. They start with a soft, chewy brown butter cookie base — the kind that bakes up golden on the edges and perfectly tender in the center — and then get dipped in rich melted chocolate for the most beautiful, festive finish. A drizzle of extra chocolate takes them over the top, and you can decorate each cookie with Christmas nonpareils or a sprinkle of flaky sea salt to create the prettiest holiday assortment.
These cookies feel fancy without any complicated decorating. They’re easy enough for beginners, impressive enough for gifting, and versatile enough to customize for every celebration. The brown butter adds a deep, nutty, caramel-like flavor that pairs perfectly with the chocolate, and the decorations give each cookie that eye-catching holiday sparkle. Whether you’re filling cookie boxes, hosting a party, or just want something festive to snack on, these will instantly become a new tradition.
RECIPE TIPS
Chill the cookie dough: Cookie butter is naturally softer than peanut butter, so this dough needs a bit longer in the fridge to hold its shape. Chilling the dough for 30-45 minutes helps prevent overspreading and creates that soft, thick, chewy texture. I like to scoop the dough first and then chill the dough balls — it’s way easier than trying to scoop cold dough.
Cookie dough scoop I always get a ton of questions about what scoop I use, so I wanted to link the ones I used for this recipe! I like this set because it comes in 3 different sizes. For these cookies I used the medium size. Using a cookie dough scoop gives you perfect cookie dough balls that are even and therefore will bake evenly! Underbaking the cookies Underbaking is key to keeping these cookies soft and chewy. I bake mine for 11-12 minutes, just until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly underdone. Letting them cool on the hot pan finishes the baking gently without drying them out. If you prefer a firmer cookie, you can bake them a minute or two longer — they’ll still be delicious!
Baking sheet: For all of my cookie recipes you I suggest you use a cookie sheet. You can use a jelly roll however I find the edges of the cookies tend to brown a little faster and they bake differently.
HOW TO MAKE PERFECTLY ROUND COOKIES EVERY TIME
This trick is totally optional, but I use it every time I bake cookies to make them perfectly round. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven and while they’re still hot, use a large round cookie cutter (or even a glass or bowl slightly larger than the cookie) and move it around in a circular motion for 3–5 seconds. It gently reshapes the cookie so the edges are perfectly round. It’s quick, easy, and makes them look bakery-perfect every time.
How to Dip & Decorate
When the cookies have completely cooled, melt your chocolate of choice (dark, semisweet, milk, or white). Dip half of each cookie into the chocolate, let the excess drip off, and place them on parchment paper. Drizzle a little extra chocolate across the dipped side or the whole cookie for a beautiful finish.
While the chocolate is still wet, decorate however you like:
Christmas Nonpareils
Perfect for a festive pop of color and crunch. Dip the cookies in the chocolate and set them on wax paper for 2-3 minutes. Then drizzle a little extra chocolate on top of the dipped chocolate and immediately sprinkles on nonpareils or other sprinkles.
Flaky Sea Salt
Elegant and ultra-delicious — the salt enhances the brown butter and balances the sweetness of the chocolate. Sprinkle on before the chocolate hardens!
You can mix and match toppings for a pretty holiday assortment.
Storage
Once the chocolate sets completely, these cookies store wonderfully. Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days. If you’re stacking them, place a sheet of parchment paper between layers to prevent smudging. They also freeze well for up to three months; thaw at room temperature and enjoy.
These Chocolate-Dipped Brown Butter Cookies are the perfect holiday treat: soft, chewy, rich with brown butter flavor, and beautifully decorated without any complicated piping or designs. They feel festive and special, yet they’re incredibly easy to make — the kind of cookie you’ll want to add to your holiday rotation every year. Whether you top them with sprinkles or sea salt, they’re guaranteed to impress anyone who tries them. For more cookie recipes click here! I also made this same dough as M&M cookies and they were so good!
Chocolate Dipped Brown Butter Cookies
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 1 cup salted butter browned
- ¼ cup salted butter cold butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed down
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp corn starch
- ½ tsp kosher salt
For the dip:
- 10 oz Ghirardelli Melting Wafers I prefer milk chocolate but you can use whatever chocolate you want!
- 3 tbsp non pareils or flaky sea salt
Instructions
For the cookies:
- First brown the butter. Add 1 cup salted butter to a saucepan and melt over medium heat. Continue cooking after it melts; the butter will foam, sizzle, and eventually turn golden brown with toasted brown specks on the bottom. Once it smells nutty and caramel-like, remove it from the heat and immediately stir in the ¼ cup cold salted butter until fully melted. Allow to cool for 10–15 minutes until warm, not hot.
- In a stand mixer or large bowl, combine the slightly cooled brown butter mixture, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla. Mix on low until smooth.
- Add the eggs one at a time while mixing on low. Add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low just until the dough forms and flour is incorporated. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the regular and mini M&M’s. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and scoop 20 dough balls (I use a large 3 tbsp cookie dough scoop) Cover and chill for 30–45 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place 4 dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 11–12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers look slightly underbaked.
- These cookies will spread, so as soon as they come out of the oven, you can use a round cookie cutter to gently scoot them into a perfect circle to reshape. This step is totally optional, but I always do it! Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before dipping.
For decorating:
- Place wax or parchment paper down on a. flat surface. Melt chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 20–30 second increments, stirring until smooth. Dip half of each cooled cookie into the chocolate, letting excess drip off.
- Place on wax or parchment paper and drizzle extra melted chocolate over the top. If using, sprinkle the cookies with nonpareils, sprinkles, flaky sea salt, or even nuts or crushed candy canes. Let chocolate set completely before storing or packaging.
How much corn starch should be used? It looks like it got cut off