Brown Butter Toffee Cookies Recipe & DIY Treat Bags
Sharing an easy Brown Butter Toffee Cookies recipe (perfect for your cookie swaps) and DIY treat bags to gift them in!
There’s something undeniably magical about the smell of freshly baked cookies during the holidays, and brown butter toffee cookies might just be the ultimate treat to spread that magic. With their rich, nutty flavor from browned butter and the sweet crunch of toffee, these cookies strike the perfect balance between indulgent and irresistible. They’re everything you want in a holiday cookie—chewy, crisp, buttery, and utterly unforgettable. Whether you’re baking for a cookie tray, a cookie exchange, a party, or just to treat yourself, these cookies are sure to be the star of the season.
But why stop at just baking? Turn these cookies into a thoughtful holiday gift by packaging them in a DIY treat bag that’s as special as the cookies themselves. With a few simple supplies, you can create a charming presentation that elevates your homemade goodies to gift-worthy status.
Whether you’re gifting or keeping them all to yourself (no judgment!), these brown butter toffee cookies and their adorable DIY packaging are the perfect way to celebrate the sweetness of the season. Let’s dive into this recipe from our newest contributor, Sprinkles for Breakfast. (If that doesn’t sound Sugar & Cloth appropriate, we don’t know what does.) So get those ovens preheated!
Ingredients Needed to Make Brown Butter Toffee Cookies
- Flour
- Light brown sugar
- Unsalted butter — Browned and slightly cooled
- Granulated white sugar
- Egg
- Cream of tartar — Helps achieve that soft, chewy texture while also giving a slight tang that balances the sweetness. Don’t skip it. As with snickerdoodle cookies, it’s a key ingredient in the recipe!
- Baking soda
- Plain greek yogurt — Adds moisture and tenderness to the cookies without making them heavy. It’s a great way to keep the interior soft while the exterior stays crisp. Make sure to use unsweetened yogurt for the best results.
- Vanilla extract
- Cinnamon
- Salt
- Toffee pieces — Use store-bought toffee bits or chop up your favorite toffee candy bar. If you want a nuttier flavor, opt for toffee pieces with almonds. Stir them in gently at the end to keep them from breaking up too much.
How to Make Brown Butter Toffee Cookies
1 — Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C), and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2 — Brown the butter: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, whisking constantly. It will foam before turning golden brown, with brown specks forming at the bottom. Once the butter is browned, immediately transfer it to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Let it cool for about 5 minutes.
3 — Mix the wet ingredients: Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the browned butter and mix until well combined. Then, mix in the egg, egg yolk, Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
4 — Combine the dry ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, cinnamon, and salt) to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined.
5 — Gently fold in 1 cup of toffee pieces with a spatula.
6 — Use a medium cookie scoop or spoon to portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing the cookies about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers look slightly underbaked.
7 — Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately sprinkle them with the remaining toffee pieces. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Brown butter perfection: Browning the butter adds a deep, nutty flavor that makes these cookies extra special. To do it right, melt the butter over medium heat, stirring often, until it develops a golden-brown color and smells wonderfully toasty. Watch it carefully to avoid burning! Let it cool slightly before mixing with the sugars.
- Chill the dough: If time permits, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes (or up to 24 hours).This step enhances flavor and prevents the cookies from spreading too much during baking.
- Baking tips: Space the cookie dough balls at least 2 inches apart on the baking sheet to allow for spreading. Bake until the edges are golden, but the centers are still slightly soft—about 8-10 minutes. They’ll firm up as they cool!
- Customizing the flavor: For extra holiday flair, sprinkle a little flaky sea salt on top before baking or drizzle the finished cookies with melted chocolate. You can also mix in a handful of chopped pecans or walnuts for added crunch. Brown butter toffee chocolate chip cookies are another popular combo. So simply add chocolate chips to the cookie dough!
- Storage: Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, or freeze the dough balls for a quick bake-and-serve option whenever you need a sweet treat.
How to Make DIY Christmas Treat Bags for Your Cookies
Materials and tools needed:
- Kraft bags — We used 5″ x 7.5″ bags.
- Lavender or rosemary leaves
- Pencil
- Red, green and brown stamp pad
For the tree:
1 — Place leaf down on the green ink pad. Using a paper towel, press down to make sure leaf if fully covered in ink.
2– Put the leaf down on the bag, and use paper towel to press down and stamp.
3 — Repeat slightly next to the first stamp.
4– Dip pencil eraser into red ink. Randomly stamp ornaments all over the tree.
For Rudolph:
1 — Place leaf down on the brown ink pad. Using a paper towel, press down to make sure leaf if fully covered in ink.
2 — Put leaf on the bag, use paper towel to press down and stamp.
3 — Repeat 2″ away from the first stamp.
4 — Dip pencil eraser in red ink.
5 — Stamp a red nose.
For the heart:
1 — Using a pencil, lightly draw a heart shape on the bag.
2 — Dip pencil eraser in red and green ink, alternate stamping dots around the heart shape.
3 — Erase leftover pencil marks.
These treat bags are perfect for letting the kiddos help, are they not?! Plus it’s a cute way to keep them occupied and away from sneaking peeks at the presents under the tree.
Brown Butter Toffee Cookie Recipe
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Medium saucepan
- Mixer
- Cookie scoop
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cup flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter browned
- 1 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp plain greek yogurt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/3 cup toffee pieces 1/3 cup for topping
Nutrition
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C), and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, whisking constantly. It will foam before turning golden brown, with brown specks forming at the bottom. Once the butter is browned, immediately transfer it to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Let it cool for about 5 minutes.
- Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the browned butter and mix until well combined. Then, mix in the egg, egg yolk, Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, cinnamon, and salt) to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined.
- Use a cookie scoop or spoon to portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing the cookies about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers look slightly underbaked
- Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately sprinkle them with the remaining 1/3 cup of toffee pieces. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Don’t forget to share your Brown Butter Toffee Cookies with us on Instagram using the hashtag #sugarandclothloves. We always love seeing all of your creations! Looking for more quick and delicious recipes? You can find them all right here!
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