Better Than Takeout Brown Butter Coffee Toffee Cookies with Sea Salt Topping
Better Than Takeout Brown Butter Coffee Toffee Cookies with Sea Salt Topping are crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and loaded with toffee bits and coffee flavor. After making these many times, I’ve discovered the trick to perfecting these cookies is to brown the butter and use instant coffee for an extra boost of flavor. The result is a cookie that’s both crispy and chewy, with a rich, deep coffee flavor that’s irresistible. Keep reading for my best tips or jump to the recipe card. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Easy Gnocchi and Broccoli Bake with Creamy Cheese Sauce and Creamy Garlic Mushroom Stuffed Shells Recipe for Dinner.
Why This Better Than Takeout Brown Butter Coffee Toffee Cookies with Sea Salt Topping Is Pure Comfort
- Crispy edges with a chewy center
- Rich coffee flavor with a hint of toffee
- Easy to make with simple ingredients
- Better than takeout taste at home
What You'll Need for Better Than Takeout Brown Butter Coffee Toffee Cookies with Sea Salt Topping
Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups toffee bits
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
📝 Ingredient Notes
- Instant coffee: Dissolve in the vanilla extract before adding to the batter.
🛒 Tools & Equipment I Recommend
- Silicone Baking Mats — Prevents cookies from sticking and burning → See on Amazon
- Kitchen Scale — Ensures accurate ingredient measurement → See on Amazon
How to Make Better Than Takeout Brown Butter Coffee Toffee Cookies with Sea Salt Topping
- Brown the butter: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it turns golden brown and smells nutty. Remove from heat and let it cool.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Combine wet ingredients: In a large bowl, cream together cooled browned butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then stir in dissolved instant coffee and vanilla extract.
- Combine ingredients: Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Fold in toffee bits.
- Chill and bake: Chill dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving about 2 inches between cookies. Sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Cook's Tips for Perfect Better Than Takeout Brown Butter Coffee Toffee Cookies with Sea Salt Topping
- Pro Tip: Browning the butter adds a rich, nutty flavor to the cookies.
- Common mistake and fix: If your cookies are dry, you may have overbaked them. To prevent this, keep an eye on them and remove them from the oven when the edges are just golden brown.
- Pro Tip: Chilling the dough helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
- Pro Tip: For an extra boost of coffee flavor, you can use espresso powder instead of instant coffee.
Storing & Reheating Better Than Takeout Brown Butter Coffee Toffee Cookies with Sea Salt Topping
Short-Term Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Make-ahead tip: Dough can be made ahead and chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freezing Better Than Takeout Brown Butter Coffee Toffee Cookies with Sea Salt Topping
Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
How to Reheat Without Drying It Out
Oven: Reheat in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5-10 minutes. Microwave: Reheat in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
Recipe Notes
- Chef tip: For an extra boost of coffee flavor, you can use espresso powder instead of instant coffee.
- Best substitution: If you don't have toffee bits, you can use chopped Heath or Skor bars instead.
- Make-ahead: Dough can be made ahead and chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Scaling: This recipe can be doubled to make a larger batch.
- Troubleshooting: If your cookies are dry, you may have overbaked them. To prevent this, keep an eye on them and remove them from the oven when the edges are just golden brown.
Want to level up this recipe?
Stand Mixer — Makes creaming butter and sugar a breeze → Check price on Amazon
Better Than Takeout Brown Butter Coffee Toffee Cookies with Sea Salt Topping
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups toffee bits
Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Brown the butter: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it turns golden brown and smells nutty. Remove from heat and let it cool.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Combine wet ingredients: In a large bowl, cream together cooled browned butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then stir in dissolved instant coffee and vanilla extract.
- Combine ingredients: Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Fold in toffee bits.
- Chill and bake: Chill dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving about 2 inches between cookies. Sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Chef tip: For an extra boost of coffee flavor, you can use espresso powder instead of instant coffee.
- Best substitution: If you don't have toffee bits, you can use chopped Heath or Skor bars instead.
- Make-ahead: Dough can be made ahead and chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Scaling: This recipe can be doubled to make a larger batch.
- Troubleshooting: If your cookies are dry, you may have overbaked them. To prevent this, keep an eye on them and remove them from the oven when the edges are just golden brown.
Storage
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- Freezer: Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
- Oven reheat: Reheat in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5-10 minutes.
- Microwave reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
- Make ahead: Dough can be made ahead and chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 150
- Protein: 2g
- Fat: 8g
- Carbs: 18g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 100mg
- Cholesterol: 30mg
- Sat. Fat: 5g
Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.
Better Than Takeout Brown Butter Coffee Toffee Cookies with Sea Salt Topping FAQs
If your cookies are dry, you may have overbaked them. To prevent this, keep an eye on them and remove them from the oven when the edges are just golden brown.
Yes, the dough can be made ahead and chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months.
If you don't have toffee bits, you can use chopped Heath or Skor bars instead.
Yes, using espresso powder will give the cookies an extra boost of coffee flavor.
If your cookies are spreading too much, it may be because the dough was not chilled before baking. Chilling the dough helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
A Warm Final Note
I can’t wait for you to try Better Than Takeout Brown Butter Coffee Toffee Cookies with Sea Salt Topping and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!
