Brown Butter Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Brown Butter Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Soft, thick, bakery-style cookies made with nutty brown butter and finished with a smooth, lightly tangy cream cheese frosting. These cookies have crisp edges, plush centers, and perfectly smooth tops ,ideal for any occasion.

If you love classic brown butter cookies but want something a little more elevated, these cookies are the answer. Browning the butter adds a subtle caramelized depth that pairs beautifully with the creamy frosting, creating a cookie that feels both nostalgic and indulgent.

Why You’ll Love These Cookies

• Made with brown butter for rich, nutty flavor

• Thick and soft with smooth, frostable tops

• No chilling overnight—just 30–60 minutes

• Perfect for anytime you want a bakery-style treat at home

Ingredients You’ll Need

Brown Butter Cookies

• Salted butter

• Brown sugar

• Granulated sugar

• Eggs

• Vanilla extract

• Cake flour

• All-purpose flour

• Cornstarch

• Baking soda

• Salt

Cream Cheese Frosting

• Unsalted butter

• Cream cheese

• Vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

• Powdered sugar

• Salt

(Full measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below.)

How to Brown Butter (Don’t Skip This!)

Browning butter might sound fancy, but it’s simple and totally worth it. As the butter melts and cooks, tiny specs (milk solids) will fall to the bottom and begin to toast and turn golden brown, creating a warm, nutty aroma and deeper flavor.

Pro tip: Let the butter cool before mixing. Using butter that’s too warm can cause the cookies to spread too much in the oven.

Tips for Perfect Frosted Brown Butter Cookies

• Use cake flour + all-purpose flour: This combo creates a soft, tender cookie that still holds its shape.

• Chill the dough: Even 30 minutes makes a huge difference in thickness and texture.

• Shape the dough into pucks: This encourages even spreading and smooth tops.

• Scoot the cookies: Right out of the oven, gently swirl a round cutter around each cookie to make them perfectly round.

• Cool completely before frosting: Cream cheese frosting will melt if the cookies are even slightly warm.

Make Them Your Own

• Add festive sprinkles or sanding sugar on top

• Pipe frosting with a pipping tip for a bakery finish

• Add a touch of lemon zest or almond extract to the frosting for a flavor twist

Storage Tips

• Store frosted cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days

• Bring to room temperature before serving for the best texture and flavor

Print

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Brown Butter Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Yield: 20

Author: Jaegar Desjardin

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 12 MinTotal time: 32 Min

These soft and buttery brown butter cookies have lightly crisp edges finished with a rich cream cheese frosting. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup salted butter (2 sticks) + 2 tablespoons - see notes
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups cake flour
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature
• 8 ounces of cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (can substitute for extract)
• 3 cups of powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Make the brown butter: Add the butter to a saucepan over medium heat. Melt completely, then continue cooking, stirring frequently, until brown specks form and the butter smells nutty. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl, scraping in the browned bits. Cool until opaque and soft.
2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. Cream the butter and sugars: In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the brown butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium until combined, 1-2 minutes.
4. Scrape down the bowl. Add the eggs and the vanilla extract and mix until just combined.
5. Add the dry ingredients: scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the cake flour, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt to the mixer and mix on low until just combined and no flour streaks remain. The dough will be thick—don’t overmix.
6. Chill the dough: Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30–60 minutes.
7. Scoop the dough: Use a large cookie scoop to scoop the dough. Roll into a ball, then gently press into a thick puck shape and place on a prepared cookie sheet.
8. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 12–14 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers still look soft. Let the cookies cool before frosting.
9. For the frosting: In a large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Using a hand mixer, beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1–2 minutes. Add the vanilla bean paste and salt and mix to combine. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar. Once incorporated, increase speed to medium and beat until smooth, fluffy, and spreadable. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
10. Frost the cookies: Once the cookies are completely cool, spread or pipe the cream cheese frosting on top. Finish with sprinkles or a light dusting of sugar if desired. Enjoy!

Equipment

1. Stand mixer
2. Hand mixer
3. Large Bowl
4. Cookie sheet
5. Parchment paper
6. Cookies scoops
7. Wire rack
8. Spatula

Notes

• This recipe uses an extra 2 tablespoons of butter to account for moisture loss during browning.
• Cookies must be fully cooled before frosting to prevent melting.
• For perfectly round cookies, gently “scoot” them with a round cutter immediately after baking.