Name: Brown Butter Cookie Bars
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 16 bars
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 0.5 cup salted butter*; 0.75 cup brown sugar; 1 whole egg; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 0.5 tsp baking powder; 0.25 tsp salt; 0.5 cup semisweet chocolate chips; 0.25 tsp flakey salt to sprinkle on top

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Brown Butter Cookie Bars

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Ingredients

Warning0 allergens identified

Instructions

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Instructions

Melt the salted butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring frequently until the butter is chestnut brown in color and has a nutty aroma. It is completely normal for the butter to sputter, bubble, and foam during the process. Pour into a heat-safe bowl or container and let cool for 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line a 9x9-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving the edges to hang over the sides.

Whisk together the slightly cooled brown butter and brown sugar. Add the egg and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt, mixing just until no streaks of flour remain. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, spread into the corners, and level with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 18-25 minutes or until golden around the edges. Sprinkle with flakey salt and then let cool for at least 10 minutes before lifting out of the pan using the parchment paper as handles. Slice into 16 bars once cooled. Enjoy!

Nutrition

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Tips & Tricks (5)

Brown Your Butter Properly 🧈
Cook butter over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, swirling occasionally, until it turns golden with a nutty aroma—don't let it burn. Cool it completely before mixing into your dough to prevent cooking the eggs.
Chill Dough for Better Texture 🧊
Refrigerate your dough for at least 30 minutes before spreading into the pan; this prevents excessive spreading and creates a chewier, more structured bar.
Don't Overmix Your Batter ✋
Mix just until combined after adding flour and baking powder to avoid developing too much gluten, which results in tough, dense bars instead of tender ones.
Strategic Flaky Salt Placement 🧂
Sprinkle flaky salt on top immediately after baking while bars are still warm; this allows it to adhere and creates a perfect sweet-salty contrast that enhances chocolate flavor.
Cool Completely Before Cutting ✂️
Allow bars to cool in the pan for at least 2 hours before cutting into clean squares; cutting too early causes crumbling and uneven edges.