These brown butter walnut cookies are made with brown sugar, brown butter, and lots of toasted walnuts. These insanely delicious cookies are crispy on the outside and chewy in the middle. If you are a fan of walnuts, this will be your go-to cookie recipe.
About This Recipe
Brown butter walnut cookies are soft and full of toasted walnuts and incredibly easy to make. This is our family’s favorite walnut cookie recipe and I make it pretty regularly. Brown butter gives a rich toasted, nutty flavor to the cookies that makes them disappear quickly.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Easy to make: These cookies are beyond easy to make and you can find all the ingredients already in your kitchen. If you follow the instructions you can’t go wrong.
- Packed with flavor: These cookies are packed with goodness and perfect nutty flavor.
- Soft for days: Brown butter walnut cookies are crispy on the outside and chewy in the middle when freshly baked. They stay soft even after they cool down.
What You Will Need to Make Brown Butter Walnut Cookies
- Flour: All-purpose flour will work just fine in this recipe.
- Unsalted butter: By browning the butter you can add depth of flavor to your cookies.
- Walnuts: Toasted walnuts give a perfect crunch to every bite of cookies.
- Cornstarch: Adding cornstarch helps the cookies stay chewy and soft.
- Baking soda: Baking soda acts as a leavening agent in cookie dough.
- Granulated sugar: Granulated sugar adds sweetness and crispness to cookies.
- Brown sugar: Brown sugar adds moisture and a light caramel taste to baked goods.
- Eggs: Eggs add fat and structure to baked goods and help them rise.
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla extract adds flavor and taste to the cookies.
- Salt: Add salt to balance the sweetness.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Toast the walnuts: Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a small frying pan. Saute chopped walnuts with butter until fragrant for 2-3 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Make the brown butter: Brown butter makes everything delicious and gives a unique buttery taste to baked goods. In a saucepan, start heating the butter on low heat. Stir constantly with a spatula or wooden spoon. Keep a careful eye on your saucepan because butter burns easily. Cook butter over medium heat until the foam goes away and it is light brown in color. The brown butter smells nutty and rich. Allow the brown butter to cool but not solidify.
- Cream brown butter and sugar: Add cool brown butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar into a large mixing bowl. Using a hand-held mixer, beat on medium speed until creamy and smooth for 2-3 minutes.
- Blend in eggs and vanilla: Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat on medium speed till just combined.
- Make the cookie dough: Separately whisk together the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt. Add the flour mixture and the chopped toasted walnuts to the butter mixture and mix with a spatula or a spoon until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
- Bake the cookies: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a large ice cream scoop to shape cookies and place them 3 inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes until set, but not hard. They should be set on the edges and still soft in the middle. Remove cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes and then transfer them to the cooling rack.
Expert Tips
- Before starting, gather the ingredients and place them on the countertop.
- Measure the required ingredients accurately. The best and most accurate way to measure flour is using a digital scale. If you don’t have a digital scale, fluff up the flour in the container. Then spoon the flour into the measuring cup. Use the back of a knife, to sweep away the excess flour.
- Allow the brown butter to cool but not solidify.
- Chill the cookie dough in the fridge for at least 1 hour before baking. This will help the cookies to retain their shape while baking.
Storing
You can store these brown butter walnut cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
FAQs
What Is Browned Butter?
Browned butter is made by melting butter over medium-low heat until it turns golden brown in color and smells toasted. It adds a rich, caramelized flavor to the cookies.
Why Do My Cookies Spread Too Much?
Try chilling the dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before baking. If the cookie dough is not chilled, it will spread quickly in the oven.
Can I Add Chocolate Chips to the Cookies?
Absolutely! You can add chocolate chips to the dough to make your walnut cookies even more decadent. Simply mix in your desired amount of chocolate chips into the cookie dough before baking.
Did you like the brown butter walnut cookies recipe? Try my Biscoff cookies recipe as well! Leave your comment below and If you make this recipe, be sure to tag your photos #yummynotes 
Ingredients
- 1½ cups walnuts
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup + 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
Instructions
Step 1
Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a small frying pan. Saute chopped walnuts with butter until fragrant for 2-3 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Step 2
In a saucepan, start heating 1 cup of the butter on low heat. Stir constantly with a spatula or wooden spoon. Keep a careful eye on your saucepan because butter burns easily.
Step 3
Cook butter over medium heat until the foam goes away and it is light brown in color. The browned butter smells nutty and rich. Allow the brown butter to cool but not solidify.
Step 4
Add cool brown butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar into a large mixing bowl. Using a hand-held mixer, beat on medium speed until creamy and smooth for 2-3 minutes.
Step 5
Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat on medium speed till just combined.
Step 6
Separately whisk together the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt. Add the flour mixture and the chopped toasted walnuts to the butter mixture and mix with a spatula or a spoon until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
Step 7
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 8
Use a large ice cream scoop to shape cookies and place them 3 inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes until set, but not hard.
Step 9
They should be set on the edges and still soft in the middle. Remove cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes and then transfer them to the cooling rack.
