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These are one of my absolute FAVORITE cookies. It's the kind you make when a regular chocolate chip cookie feels well… unfinished.

In these brown butter chocolate chip miso cookies, the brown butter brings warmth and the miso brings depth. Together, they create a cookie that tastes familiar at first bite, then quietly different. Rich without being heavy. Sweet with a savory undertone that makes you reach for another. See my How to Brown Butter Guide for step-by-step photos!

Miso is one of my overall go to ingredients in the kitchen. When something tastes flat, when a dish feels like it’s missing a note, I add miso. It doesn’t make food taste salty. It makes it taste complete. It’s umami in its softest form. In these chocolate chip cookies, miso doesn’t announce itself. It deepens the brown butter. It sharpens the chocolate. It makes people say, “What is in this? Toffee? Caramel?”

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Ingredients to make Brown Butte Miso Chocolate Chip Cookies

• Unsalted Butter
  Browning the butter transforms it from creamy to nutty, caramel-scented, and complex. This is the backbone of the cookie’s flavor.
• White Miso (Shiro Miso)
  White miso is mild, slightly sweet, and creamy. It adds depth without making the cookie savory. You’ll find it in the refrigerated section of most grocery stores, near tofu or fermented foods. Asian markets always carry it. Trader Joes has it as well.
• Milk Powder
  Toasted into the brown butter, it amplifies that nutty, bakery-style richness.
• Espresso Powder
  You won’t taste coffee. It simply deepens the chocolate and rounds the sweetness.
• Brown Sugar + White Sugar
  Brown sugar gives chew and caramel notes. White sugar adds sparkle and helps the edges crisp.
• Cornstarch
  Creates that plush, bakery-style center.
• Chopped Chocolate
  Bars melt into pools. Chips hold their shape. Use what you love.
• Miso Sugar Topping
  A small kiss of miso on top concentrates the flavor right where your first bite lands.

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How to Brown Butter (The Right Way)

1. Place the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat.
2. Let it melt completely, then continue cooking. It will foam, then quiet.
3. Swirl the pan occasionally. Watch for golden bits forming on the bottom.
4. When it smells nutty and looks amber, remove from heat.
5. Immediately stir in the espresso powder and milk powder.

You want golden, not burnt. Think toasted hazelnut, not coffee ash.

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Step-by-Step Instructions to make Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Miso Cookies

1. Brown the butter and pour into a large mixing bowl. Immediately stir in espresso powder and milk powder. Let cool 10-15 minutes until warm to touch, not hot.
2. Whisk in brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla until glossy.
3. In a small separate bowl, whisk the egg, yolk, and miso until completely smooth. Add to the butter mixture and whisk to emulsify. (we are mixing separately so the miso fully dissolves with the eggs and doesn't clump in the batter) 
4. In another bowl, whisk flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cornstarch.
5. Fold dry ingredients into wet just until you see small streaks of flour.
6. Stir in chocolate till there are no more flour. Do not overtax!
7. Chill dough 30 to 60 minutes.
8. Mix miso sugar topping, set aside.
9. Scoop 2 to 3 tablespoon portions. Evenly spread  small dabs of miso sugar on top of the cookie dough.
10. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10 to 11 minutes until edges are set and centers are soft.
11. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack.

FAQ

Why do I mix the eggs and miso separately?
Miso is thick and concentrated. If you add it directly to the bowl, it can cling in little pockets and bake unevenly, giving you salty streaks instead of smooth depth. Whisking the miso with the egg and yolk first dissolves it completely. That mixture then emulsifies into the butter and sugar, so the miso becomes part of the dough’s foundation, not a surprise note.

What does miso do to cookies?
It adds umami depth. The cookie tastes richer and more complex, not savory.

What kind of miso should I use?
White (shiro) miso. It’s mild, slightly sweet, and perfect for baking.

Do I need to chill the dough?
Yes. It firms the butter, controls spread, and improves flavor.

How do I prevent my cookies from spreading too much?
Chill the dough, measure flour accurately, and bake on cool pans.

Can I skip the miso?
You can, but you’ll lose the signature depth that makes these special.

How do I make them extra chewy?
Use brown sugar, don’t overbake, and let them finish setting on the pan.

What is the best way to brown the butter?
Use a light pan, watch the milk solids, and remove as soon as it smells nutty.

What other ingredients pair well with this?
Tahini, sesame, espresso, dark chocolate, rye flour, pecans.

How should I store them?
Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze baked cookies for 2 months.

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Other Brown Butter Cookies to Try!

Brown Butter Miso Caramel Cookies

Brown Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies