Indulge in the best brown butter caramelized milk chocolate chip cookie recipe, quick and easy to make with kids.
These cookies are made from our master cookie recipe, so it’s easy, accurate, and foolproof. We created a recipe that is not just easy, it is also the best tasting sugar cookies ever.
Because I worked closely with fair-trade and organic certification programs, I always choose ethically sourced ingredients for my cookies — it’s better for farmers and tastes richer too. Each ingredient in these cookies is chosen with care. Organic butter from sustainable dairies, flour grown with soil health in mind, and sugar and chocolate harvested without rainforest encroachment all contribute to a recipe that is as responsible as it is delicious.
Updated:
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Table of contents
Ingredients
Using the best ingredients creates the best cookies. I name the brands I use in the recipe, so there is no guessing. There is a detailed explanation for why I use each brand on the “quality brands” page.
Making the best cookies requires the best ingredients. We have listed the brands for some of the ingredients because ingredients are everything. We have found that these brands give superior results. To make the best brown butter caramelized milk chocolate chip cookie recipe, we used some very special ingredients.
- Chocolate – Valrhona Dulcey Chocolate Pieces – This chocolate is truly decadent. Made from the finest quality cocoa beans, these chocolate pieces are crafted using a unique process that involves caramelizing white chocolate. This achieves a rich, golden hue and a buttery, toasty flavor. This distinctive taste profile sets them apart from traditional milk or dark chocolate, making them a standout ingredient in any cookie recipe. When added to cookie dough, Valrhona Dulcey chocolate pieces melt beautifully, creating pockets of creamy sweetness. This enhances the overall texture and flavor of the cookie. It is no wonder that these chocolate pieces are preferred by professional bakers and pastry chefs alike, as they undoubtedly elevate the taste and quality of any cookie they are used in.
- Macadamia Nuts – a delicious and special ingredient in cookies, known for their rich, buttery flavor and creamy texture. These unique nuts add a delightful crunch and nutty sweetness to any cookie recipe. When baked into cookies, macadamia nuts create a perfect balance of flavors that complement the sweetness of the cookie dough. Their smooth and creamy texture is a wonderful contrast to the crispy edges of the cookie. Macadamia nuts are a sophisticated and indulgent addition to any cookie.
- All-Purpose Flour – King Arthur Organic All-Purpose flour King Arthur responsibly sources the wheat for their flours, and it pays off in the taste and quality. They have a “never bleached” guarantee, which means their flours don’t have an off taste or unpredictable results that can be caused by bleaching. They also carefully calibrate the protein content, so the flour gives you the same results everytime.
- Sugar – Wholesome regenerative organic sugar produced from organic sugar cane fields that are green cut and are not burned or treated with herbicides or synthetic fertilizers. Burning sugar cane fields contributes to air pollution, climate change, and is also a major cause of the destruction of the rain forest.
- Milk, Cream, Butter – Horizon Organics – Milk, Cream and Butter that are produced organically, sustainably, and responsibly. You can taste the difference.
- Sunflower Oil – La Tourangelle Organic Regenerative Sunflower Oil is a great substitute for butter. The flavor works well in cookies, and the oil gives the cookies a fudgy center and crisp edges.
- Chocolate – Valrhona Chocolate is a high quality chocolate and the taste makes a really big difference. They produce chocolate that is grown sustainably, responsibly, ethically, and using regenerative practices. Most of Valrhona’s products are also gluten free and kosher.
- Salt – Diamond Kosher tastes cleaner and measures differently.
- Sorghum Syrup – We make our own brown sugar substitute by adding Golden Barrel Sorghum Syrup. More convenient than brown sugar and not made from sugar cane. It creates a taste like brown sugar but more like caramel than the molasses in brown sugar.
- Vanilla – Baker’s Imitation Vanilla Flavoring The flavor or real vanilla and imitation is indistinguishable when high heat is used. Double the usual amount of vanilla called for to improve the flavor.
No Affiliates Statement
We call this our “no affiliates” statement because we accept no advertising, have no affiliates and accept no payment. We are not paid to mention brands – we just love buying the best, sharing that information and saving the planet at the same time. The effort put into writing and photographing the blog is solely based on our dedication to the cause.
Sustainability
Sustainability isn’t just a philosophy—it’s grounded in science. With formal training in agriculture, including soils, irrigation, and integrated pest management, I approach ingredients with a deeper understanding of how they’re produced and how they impact the environment.
In this recipe, each ingredient has been selected with those principles in mind. In the ingredients section, I break down the agricultural and environmental considerations behind each one, so you can see how better choices lead to better outcomes—both in flavor and in sustainability.
Method for making Cookies
This recipe uses an easy, foolproof method that requires only a few minutes of active time. Check out our Master Cookie Recipe for a more detailed explanation on how this works.
- Measure the dry ingredients by weight
- Measure the wet ingredients by weight
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir together without overmixing.
- Chill the mixture
- Weigh out cookies
- Bake
This recipe uses our Master Cookie Recipe. An easy, foolproof, updated way of making cookies.
Why this Works
Made with melted butter instead of creamed butter, the dough comes together in minutes, producing cookies with crisp edges and a soft, tender center. A touch of oil keeps the interior moist, while measuring every ingredient in grams on a scale ensures accuracy, consistency, and a truly foolproof bake.
What makes this recipe exceptional isn’t just the flavor — it’s the commitment to sustainable, thoughtfully sourced ingredients. Choosing high-quality macadamia nuts and pantry staples supports responsible growers while elevating both taste and texture. If you’re looking for the easiest, most reliable macadamia nut sugar cookie recipe with bakery-level results, this is the one you’ll return to again and again.
Pairing Ideas & Variations
- Swap the nuts or chocolate — Try different types of chocolate or mix-ins..
- Add spice to the dough — A little bit goes a long way.
- Use for ice cream sandwiches — Pair with a vanilla ice cream made with our Master Ice Cream Recipe to make ice cream sandwiches.
RECIPE
Equipment
- Vollrath cookie sheet 17” x 14” cookie sheet
- Silpat silicone baking mat 11⅝” x 16½”; Fits a 17” x 14” cookie sheet
- cooling rack 11¾” x 17”; Fits a 17” x 14” cookie sheet
CHOOSING BRANDS:
For certain products, the choice of brand will make a big difference in the outcome of the recipe and in your carbon footprint. So, for those products, we have listed the brand. We are not paid to mention a brand and have no affiliates.
Ingredients
- 290 grams King Arthur unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 165 grams Horizon butter Measured after browned and cooled
- 300 grams Wholesome regenerative organic sugar
- 1 teaspoon Sorghum syrup
- 2 large eggs one whole egg and one egg yolk
- 1 Tablespoon Baker’s imitation vanilla flavoring
- 200 grams Valrhona Dulcey chocolate pieces rough chopped
- 200 grams Macadamia nuts toasted and rough chopped
Instructions
MAKE THE COOKIE DOUGH
- Gather all the ingredients on the counter to make sure you have everything you need. Make sure the butter is browned and cooled, the nuts are toasted and chopped and the chocolate is chopped.
- Place a medium sized bowl on the kitchen scale. Zero the scale and measure in the flour, baking soda, and salt (measure the salt and baking soda by scooping and then leveling by scraping a knife over the top of the measuring spoon.). Stir to combine completely (about a minute of stirring) and set the bowl aside.
- Place a large mixing bowl on the kitchen scale. Zero the scale and measure in the browned butter. Zero the scale and measure in the sugar and sorghum syrup. Stir to combine completely.
- Into a two small bowls, crack the eggs and separate so there is one egg white in one bowl and a whole egg and an egg yolk in the other bowl. Check for any pieces of shell and remove them using one of the egg shells as a scoop. Add the vanilla to the bowl with the whole egg and the egg yolk and stir with a fork to combine. (If the egg yolk did not break and there is no amount of egg yolk in the bowl with the egg white, reserve to use it for another recipe calling for egg whites. It can be frozen.)
- Add the egg and vanilla mixture to the sugar and butter mixture. Stir to combine completely. This will take about a minute.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter, sugar and egg mixture. Stir to combine, but just until the flour is incorporated. This will take about a minute. Do not overwork the batter.
- Add the chocolate pieces and nuts, reserving a few for placing on top of each cookie. Stir to combine, but just until incorporated. Do not overwork the batter.
- Cover with plastic wrap directly on the batter to make an airtight seal. Refrigerate the dough for at least three hours or up to three days.
BAKE THE COOKIES
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350° F for at least 20 minutes. Use an oven thermometer to check the temperature.
- Prepare a baking sheet with a silicon pad or parchment paper. Have a cooling rack and thin metal spatula ready.
- Using a kitchen scale, measure out 80 grams of cookie dough for each cookie and roll into a ball. Place them on the silicon baking mat on the baking sheet, leaving a two inch space between each ball. Flatten slightly with heal of your hand.
- Bake one sheet of cookies at a time, in the center of the oven. If your oven bakes unevenly, rotate the baking sheet halfway through baking. Bake until cookies are golden brown, but still puffy, and the centers are still soft, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Test for doneness by lifting a cookie with the metal spatula half way under the cookie to see if it is browned on the bottom and stays flat instead of bending or liquid in the middle. When they are done, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Allow the cookies to cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheet before transferring to the cooling rack. While the cookies are cooling on the baking sheet, use a ring that is a little bigger than the cookies to make them perfectly round. Place the ring over each cookie and use a slow, careful swirling motion to push the edges into a round shape, being careful not to cause the cookies to crack.
- Use the thin metal spatula to transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely before serving. Allow the cookie sheet to cool before putting another batch of cookies on it. the thin metal spatula to transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely before serving. Allow the cookie sheet to cool before putting another batch of cookies on it.
Notes
Nutrition
WHY THIS RECIPE IS A GAME CHANGER:
This recipe is a total game-changer — crafted with the finest [brand name] ingredients, simplified using a master recipe with pro-tested techniques from top chefs and bakers, and designed for deliciously sustainable cooking made easy.”
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