Brown Butter Caramel Honey Cookies (Print Version)
Rich, chewy brown-butter cookies with caramel, honey, pretzels and melty chocolate chips — sweet, salty, gooey.
# List of Ingredients:
→ Dairy & Fats
01 - 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
→ Sugars & Sweeteners
02 - 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
03 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
04 - 2 tablespoons honey
→ Eggs
05 - 2 large eggs
→ Flavorings
06 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
→ Dry Ingredients
07 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
08 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
09 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
10 - 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
→ Mix-ins
11 - 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
12 - 1/2 cup soft caramel candies, chopped
13 - 1 cup mini pretzels, roughly chopped
14 - Flaky sea salt for sprinkling (optional)
# Step-by-step Instructions:
01 - Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter foams and turns golden brown with a fragrant nutty aroma, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the browned butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and honey until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and fine sea salt until evenly distributed.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, folding gently just until combined. Do not overmix. Fold in the chocolate chips, chopped caramel candies, and chopped pretzels until evenly dispersed.
05 - Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight, to firm the dough and develop flavor.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
07 - Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop or spoon, portion dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing each mound about 2 inches apart.
08 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are golden brown and centers appear just barely set. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired.
09 - Allow cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The brown butter gives every bite a deep, toasty flavor that regular butter simply cannot touch.
- Pretzels and caramel together create that impossible sweet and salty balance people always crave.
02 -
- The caramel pieces will stick to your baking sheet if you skip the parchment paper, and cleaning that mess is genuinely upsetting.
- Chilling the dough is not optional if you want thick, bakery-style cookies instead of thin, crispy ones.
03 -
- Chop your caramel candies with a lightly oiled knife so they do not stick and clump together in one stubborn mass.
- If your dough feels too warm or sticky when portioning, pop the bowl back in the fridge for ten minutes and it firms right up.