
Brown Butter Toffee Cookies are rich and buttery and oh-so-good! With indulgent toffee bits in every bite, these crunchy cookies made with brown butter are absolutely amazing.
These are also frequently referred to as butter toffee cookies or butter brickle cookies. But no matter the name, they all have chopped up pieces of totally delicious toffee inside!

Like Andes Mint Cookies, this recipe uses melted butter to produce thin and crisp cookies. However, Brown Butter Toffee Cookies take the melted butter one step further – but don’t let the brown butter intimidate you. It really is easy to make, and the extra step is totally worth it. The brown butter adds a caramel flavor with a hint of nuttiness.
Brown Butter Toffee Cookies are crispy with a melt-in-your mouth buttery edge. Similar to Butterscotch Shortbread Cookies, Peanut Butter Shortbread Cookies, and Vanilla Biscotti, these thin toffee cookies are perfect for dipping into coffee, hot cocoa or milk.
With their crispy texture and thin stature, these cookies are easy to stack on a plate or in a cute bag to give to friends and neighbors.

Why You’ll Love Brown Butter Toffee Cookies
- Incredible Toffee Flavor
- Thin and Crunchy
- Keep Well
- Great for Gifting
- Similar to Pepperidge Farm Thin and Crispy Toffee Cookies – but so much better!
Ingredients and Substitutions

- Unsalted Butter – Gives cookies their perfect texture. Can use salted butter, but make sure to omit salt.
- All-Purpose Flour – The flour gives the cookies structure, and in this cookie the ration between flour and butter produces a thin, crunchy cookie. Read about measuring flour here.
- Baking Soda – This is our leavening agent that will cause a small rise during baking, but then fall when cooling, for the thin crispy effect.
- Salt – A little salt works well with the sweetness of cookies. Omit if using salted butter or if sprinkling cookies with flaky salt before baking.
- White Granulated Sugar –
- Light Brown Sugar – Pack brown sugar for measuring. The richness and caramel-like flavor of brown sugar is perfect for these toffee cookies. Can use dark brown sugar if desired.
- Light Corn Syrup – Helps give the cookies their light consistency. Can replace with honey or molasses – these substitutions may slightly alter the flavor of the dough.
- Egg – Use a large egg to bind the ingredients together.
- Vanilla Extract – I love using pure vanilla extract for a delicious depth of flavor that works to support and enhance all of the other flavors.
- Toffee Bits – Crush your own leftover toffee or buy a bag of toffee bits.
Variations
- Toffee Pecan Cookies – Add chopped pecans in with the toffee bits, so that together the pecans and toffee equal 1 cup. You’ll need to reduce the amount of toffee bits.
- Pretzel Toffee Cookies – Crush pretzels into small chunks and combine with toffee bits. Again, the two mix-ins need to equal 1 cup total.
- White Chocolate Toffee Cookies – Mix white chocolate chips with toffee bits for a total of 1 cup combined and stir into cookie dough for an extra elegant and smooth flavor and texture.
- Add Sanding Sugar – Combine with toffee bits to equal 1 cup, then add to dough for a sweet and sparkly crunch.
How to Make Thin Toffee Cookies in 4 Easy Steps
- Prep – Preheat oven and line large baking sheets with parchment.
- Brown Butter – Melt butter on the stovetop and swirl over medium heat until it’s brown in color and achieves a nutty aroma.
- Make Dough – Mix ingredients until just combined.
- Bake – Bake cookies rotating halfway through so they bake evenly. Allow to cool a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Shortcuts
- Buy a bag of crumbled toffee bits – next to the chocolate chips in the store.
- Don’t have time to brown the butter? Just melt the butter and use it that way. It’s still delicious, but I highly recommend browning the butter for an amazing caramel flavor when you do have time.
- Make the dough up to 3 days ahead of time. Store covered in the fridge. When ready to bake, let the dough warm a little and then bake as usual.
Tips
- For thinner cookies, reduce to 1¼ cups of flour.
- Add thick flakes of sea salt just before baking to take them over the top.
- Using a cookie scoop creates a consistent size and allows them to bake evenly.
- Rotating the baking sheet helps the cookies bake evenly.

Frequently Asked Questions
Brown butter adds another level of flavor and richness. It will add undertones of caramel and nuttiness to your.
You can use homemade toffee or buy toffee bars or toffee chips. If chopping your own toffee, crush it down to the size of mini chocolate chips. You can use plain toffee or chocolate-covered toffee if you want your cookies to have chocolate in them.
You don’t need to chill the dough – just make it and then bake it. You certainly can chill the dough, but these cookies don’t need it.


Brown Butter Toffee Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, (one stick)
- 1⅓ cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup white granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped toffee bits
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt butter and swirl (don’t stir) as needed. When it becomes brown in color and has a nutty aroma, remove from heat.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt.
- Add butter, white sugar, brown sugar and corn syrup. Beat until combined.
- Blend in egg and vanilla until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Fold in toffee bits.
- Using a medium cookie dough scoop (or 2 tablespoons of dough) roll into a ball between your palms and place on cookie sheet. Cookies will spread, so allow at least 2” from the edge and other dough balls, 4 per large sheet.
- Bake 5 minutes and then rotate cookie sheets. Bake 6 minutes longer for a total of 11 minutes.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool 3-5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
Video
Notes
- Cookies will rise, but fall when removed from the oven.
- Make them gluten free using King Arthur measure for measure flour.
- For thinner cookies, reduce to 1¼ cups of flour.
- Add thick flakes of sea salt just before baking to take them over the top.
- Using a cookie scoop creates a consistent size and allows them to bake evenly.
- Rotating the baking sheet helps the cookies bake evenly.
Aunt Netta says
Texture is chewy and crisp at the same time. Salt flakes on top make the flavor perfect. I flattened each dough ball a bit before topping with salt flakes. A 3-TBLSP dough scoop results in impressive 5 inch diameter cookies. Easy to make, delicious to eat, great for kids to take to school because there are no nuts, this recipe is a hit.
Agnes says
Can’t wait to try these cookies