This brown butter miso chocolate chip cookies recipe has a lot going on in the best way. It starts with a classic brown butter chocolate chip cookie base. Then, I add white miso paste for an incredible umami element and finish with white and black sesame seeds for a bit of crunch and a subtly nutty taste. Lightly crisp around the edges with chewy centers and pools of melted, cookies don’t get better than this!
What Does Miso Do in Chocolate Chip Cookies?
First things first, if you’re unfamiliar, miso is a Japanese seasoning made with fermented soybeans and salt. Sold as a paste, it adds savory, salty, umami flavor to a variety of dishes, most often main courses like stir-fries.
However, when it’s added to sweets, something magical happens. I know it sounds strange if you’ve never had brown butter miso chocolate chip cookies, but trust me on this!
The savory element complements the rich butter and sweet chocolate perfectly, creating the perfect balance of flavors. The miso element is subtle, providing just a hint of savoriness that gives these cookies incredible depth.
And don’t worry if you’ve never worked with miso. I’ve tested this recipe countless times, tweaking it to perfection. I’ll share all my tips and tricks to guarantee you have success. You’ll feel like a professional baker by the time these come out of the oven!
More Delicious Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes
- Classic & Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Toffee Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Skillet with Brown Butter
Ingredients You’ll Need
Flour: Using a combination of all-purpose flour and bread flour is my secret to the best texture. The all-purpose flour gives the cookies structure, and the bread flour keeps them soft and chewy in the center. If needed, you can use only all-purpose flour. Or, for gluten-free brown butter miso chocolate chip cookies, use a 1-to-1 all-purpose gluten-free flour. KING ARTHUR and CUP 4 CUP are two great options.
Leaveners: I use both baking powder and baking soda to give the cookies a generous lift while maintaining a chewy texture and tender crumb.
Salt: Don’t skip this! Salt is crucial in the best desserts, enhancing the flavor of the rest of the ingredients and balancing the sweetness.
Unsalted Brown Butter: This adds rich flavor and moisture, giving the dough a delicious nutty flavor base.
White Miso: White miso is the ingredient that makes these cookies truly unique, adding a subtle savory, umami-rich flavor that balances the sweetness and enhances the nutty notes from the brown butter and sesame. Don’t worry, the cookies won’t taste overly savory.
Toasted Sesame Oil: Just a small amount of toasted sesame oil adds a warm, nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with the brown butter and miso. Be sure to use toasted sesame oil rather than regular sesame oil, which has a much milder flavor and won’t provide the same rich taste.
Sugar: I’m using both granulated sugar and light brown sugar. Both sweeten the dough. However, granulated sugar gives it structure, contributing to the lightly crisp edges. Then, light brown sugar adds a subtle molasses flavor and helps keep the cookies soft and chewy.
Egg: A whole egg and an extra egg yolk give the cookies structure while keeping the centers soft.
Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract enhances the ingredients and infuses the cookies with vanilla flavor.
Chocolate: I use a mixture of chocolate chips and roughly chopped chocolate so you get pools of melty chocolate and intact chips in every bite. I prefer dark chocolate for this recipe, but you can use whatever chocolate you like best.
Toppings: Flaky salt is a must on any chocolate chip cookie, if you ask me. Then, I add white sesame seeds and black sesame seeds for a subtle crunch and slight nutty flavor that enhances the savory elements of the dough.
How to Make Chewy Brown Butter Miso Chocolate Chip Cookies
Step 1. Make the brown butter. Heat cubes of butter in a small pan over medium heat until the butter turns amber in color. You’ll know it’s done when the popping slows, and you smell a nutty aroma. Transfer the butter to a heat-safe bowl. Make sure to get all brown bits at the bottom of the pan! That’s where all the magical flavor comes from.
Step 2. Whisk the dry ingredients. Sift the flour, leaveners, and salt in a medium bowl.
Step 3. Combine wet ingredients. Next, mix the cooled browned butter and white miso in a large bowl. Add both sugars, toasted sesame oil, and vanilla and beat to combine. I just use a hand mixer for this! Add the egg and egg yolk, and beat again.
Step 4. Combine the dough. Add the sifted flour mixture to the wet ingredients, and mix just until combined. Be careful not to overmix, or your cookies will be dense and tough! Fold in the chocolate.
Step 5. Chill the dough. Transfer the cookie dough to chill. This allows the flour to hydrate and enhances all the flavors. For the best results, I recommend chilling the dough overnight or for at least 4 hours. However, if you’re in a pinch for time, 45 minutes will work.
Step 6. Portion the dough. Scoop the cookie dough into balls. (I use a medium cookie scoop for this.) Then, roll the top of each cookie in black and white sesame seeds.
Step 7. Bake. Arrange the cookie dough balls on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, leaving space between each piece. This prevents them from sticking together as they bake. Transfer your miso chocolate chip cookies to the oven, and bake just until the edges are set and the center is soft. Top with flaky sea salt.
Step 8. Cool and serve. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet to cool and set, and enjoy!
My Top Tips & Tricks
- Use room temperature ingredients. Allow your egg to sit out and come to room temperature before you begin. This allows it to blend seamlessly into the dough so you don’t overmix, which can cause dense, tough cookies.
- Don’t overmix the cookie dough! Stir just until no streaks remain. Otherwise, your brown butter miso chocolate chip cookies will turn out dense and tough.
- Measure your flour carefully. For the best results, I recommend using a food scale. However, if that’s not an option, the spoon and level method also works.
- Don’t skip chilling the dough. For the best taste and texture, I recommend letting it chill overnight. However, if needed, a 30-minute chill will work just fine.
- Avoid overbaking. Every oven is different. So, keep a close eye on your cookies, and remove them as soon as the edges are set. They’ll continue to bake slightly and set as they cool in the pan!
- Shape the cookies. As soon as they’re out of the oven, use a cookie cutter or a large glass to shape the cookies into perfect circles. To do so, place the cutter or cup over each cookie, and gently swirl it around the edges to shape and smooth them. This creates perfect bakery-worthy circles!
How to Store
Once cool, transfer cooled, baked cookies to an airtight container or sealable bag, and store them at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Can I Freeze Miso Chocolate Chip Cookies?
Yes! Freeze baked or unbaked cookies for up to 3 months.
To freeze unbaked cookies: Portion the dough, and freeze the balls on a baking sheet. Then, transfer the balls to a freezer-safe container or sealable bag. Bake from frozen, adding an extra minute or two as needed for the centers to set.
To freeze baked cookies: Let them cool completely. Then, transfer them to an airtight container, placing a sheet of parchment paper between each cookie to prevent sticking. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature to serve.
Even More Cookie Recipes You’ll Love
- Old Fashioned Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
- Soft & Chewy M&M Cookies with Brown Butter
- S’mores Cookies
- Brown Sugar Cookies
- Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies (with Blueberry Cheesecake Topping!)
- Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies
I hope you love my Brown Butter Miso Sesame Chocolate Chip Cookies! They’re crisp around the edges, soft and chewy in the center, and have a unique sweet, savory, nutty flavor that’s out-of-this-world delicious. If you do give this recipe a try, I want to know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @butterloveandsalt on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews help support Butter, Love & Salt and make it possible for me to continue to create delicious recipes.
Brown Butter Miso Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
Brown Butter Miso Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup bread flour can sub for all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 10 tbsp unsalted butter diced
- 2 tbsp white miso
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 yolk
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips more if desired
- 3 oz dark chocolate bar cut in bitesize chunks (I use Lindt)
- flaky salt to top
Topping
- 1 tbsp white sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp black sesame seeds
Instructions
- Make the brown butter: Cut the butter in small pieces and heat the butter in a small pan on medium heat for about 3-5 minutes until the butter turns an amber color. The butter will first foam and start to pop. Then, brown bits will begin to form in the bottom of the pan. Once browned and popping slows, it is ready. You should smell a nutty aroma. Scrap the butter (and all the of those magical brown bits into a heat-safe bowl and let rest for about 15 minutes.
- In a medium mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, and the cooled brown butter and white miso and mix until combined. Then, add the granulated sugar, light brown sugar, toasted sesame oil, and vanilla and beat with a hand mixer for 2 minutes.
- Add the egg and yolk. Beat until well combined (about 30-60 seconds).
- Add your “sifted flour mixture” into your wet batter and mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until combined. Be sure not to over mix.
- Fold in your chocolate.
- Transfer the cookie dough to a fridge and let chill for at least 45 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate and obtain those beautiful flavors (Pro tip: Allowing your dough to refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight) will result in the best flavored cookie; however, 45 minutes works just fine.)
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a nonstick baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Remove your chilled dough from the refrigerator and using a medium (2 tablespoon sized) cookie scooper, scoop the cookie dough and roll the top of the cookies in the black and white sesame seeds. Then, place the dough on the lined parchment. The dough should be about 2 inches apart.
- Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are set and the center is soft. Use a cookie scoot to shape the cookies into the perfect circle. Then, top with flaky sea salt. Let rest for about 10-15 minutes or until set.
- Once cooled, enjoy and feel free to add a comment on my blog! Also, be sure to share your photo on instagram and tag @butterloveandsalt! We would love to see how your cookies come out!
Nutritional Information
Recipe by: Chavez Adams / Butter, Love & Salt | Photography by: Meg McKeehan
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