All the brown butter recipes you'll ever need! What to do with brown butter? If you're looking for a brown butter recipe, you're in the right place, because there are so many uses for brown butter: desserts like brown butter cookies or brown butter brownies, or savory brown butter dishes! The possibilities for brown butter uses are endless!
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And for more recipes to try, check out my collections of Recipes with Lemon Curd, Biscoff Recipes, and Bundt and Pound Cake Recipes!
Jump to:
- Brown Butter Recipe Ideas
- What would you use brown butter for?
- What does brown butter taste like?
- The Best Brown Butter Recipes
- Brown Butter Sugar Cookies
- Brown Butter Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
- Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls
- Gluten Free Blondies with White Chocolate Chunks
- Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls
- Sweet Potato Pop Tarts
- Mini Carrot Cake
- Pineapple Bars with Cream Cheese and Coconut Drizzle
- Pineapple Banana Bread
- Triple Chocolate Brownies
- Brownie Blondies Recipe
- Carrot Pound Cake
- Chai Spice Bundt Cake
- Pumpkin Spice Donuts
- Butter Pecan Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Brown Butter Cake with Nutella Buttercream Frosting
- Spiced Banana Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- Fancy Rice Krispie Treats with Brown Butter and White Chocolate Ganache
- Brown Butter Peach Tart
- Rum Pound Cake with Brown Butter Glaze
- Oatmeal Cookie Bars with Brown Butter and Salted Nutella Swirl
- Banana Blondies with Brown Butter Frosting
- Sour Cream Pumpkin Bread with Maple Brown Butter Glaze
- Lemon Caper Pasta With Brown Butter Sauce
- No Chill Gingerbread Cookies with Stout and Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- Instant Pot Brown Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Eggnog Bread Pudding with Brown Butter Rum Sauce
- Velvety Sour Cream Pound Cake
- Black Quinoa in Sage Brown Butter Sauce
- Banana Cinnamon Pancakes with Maple Brown Butter Glaze
- Pumpkin Ravioli with Brown Butter And Sage
- Brown Butter Pumpkin Cake
- Rainbow Carrots in Tarragon Brown Butter
- Brown Butter Snickerdoodles
- Roasted Acorn Squash + Browned Butter
- Easy Fudgy Brown Butter Brownies
- Vegan Brown Butter Garlic Gnocchi (Gluten-Free)
- Insanely Delicious Brown Butter Layer Cake
- Brown Butter Sage Cornbread
- Brown Butter Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
- Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto with Sage Browned Butter
- Raspberry and Almond Browned Butter Financiers
- Lemony Brown Butter Salmon and Rosemary Potatoes with Garlic Asparagus
- Frequently Asked Questions
- 💬 Comments
Brown Butter Recipe Ideas
If you’re not already obsessed with brown butter, you’re about to be. As I break down in my How to Make Brown Butter post, browned butter (also known as beurre noisette) is regular butter cooked until the butter melts until the milk solids toast into little browned bits. That simple cooking process turns butter into something nutty, rich, and completely irresistible.
This collection of brown butter uses shows off just how versatile it can be. Whether you’re baking brown butter desserts or using it in savory cooking, brown butter is the best part of the recipe. It just takes your cooking to another level.
What would you use brown butter for?
Once you know how to make browned butter, you’ll want to stir it into everything from brown butter cookies to savory brown butter dishes like pasta sauce. As you'll see below, it's so versatile!
Brown butter desserts like brown butter cake, brown butter ice cream, or brown butter cookies and brownies are to die for, and there are so many savory brown butter dishes you can make! Brown butter recipes like pasta, brown butter mashed potatoes, or brown butter gravy take your entire meal to the next level!
What does brown butter taste like?
Brown butter has a nutty, caramel-like flavor with hints of toasted hazelnuts. It’s richer and more complex than regular butter, which is why it transforms baked goods and sauces.
The Best Brown Butter Recipes
Brown Butter Sugar Cookies
This old fashioned brown butter sugar cookies recipe makes the perfect cutout cookie for any occasion. The nutty flavor of brown butter takes classic sugar cookies to the next level, making them some of the best brown butter cookies you’ll ever bake.
Brown Butter Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
This old fashioned brown butter sweet potato pie combines sweet potatoes, brown sugar, and nutty browned butter in a black-bottom crust. It’s one of the best brown butter recipes for the holidays and a must-bake if you love classic browned butter desserts.
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
These soft and chewy brown butter chocolate chip cookies are topped with flaky sea salt and baked in a small batch of eight. They’re the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe!
Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls
These gooey pumpkin cinnamon rolls are filled with pumpkin spice, browned butter, and pecans, then topped with brown butter cream cheese frosting. It’s one of the coziest brown butter recipes for fall and the perfect browned butter dessert for pumpkin season.
Gluten Free Blondies with White Chocolate Chunks
These almond flour blondies are rich and chewy, made with nutty brown butter, toasted macadamias, and creamy white chocolate. It’s one of the most decadent brown butter recipes and a must-try for anyone who loves indulgent browned butter desserts.
Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls
These apple pie cinnamon rolls are stuffed with warm apple filling and topped with a rich brown butter cream cheese icing. It’s one of the best fall brown butter recipes and a cozy browned butter dessert you’ll want all season long.
Sweet Potato Pop Tarts
These homemade sweet potato Pop Tarts are quick and easy thanks to frozen sweet potatoes and store-bought pie crust. They’re a fun twist on fall baking and one of those brown butter recipes that doubles as a cozy browned butter dessert for the holidays.
Mini Carrot Cake
This mini carrot cake is rich and perfectly sized for a smaller gathering. With brown butter cream cheese frosting, it’s one of the most irresistible brown butter recipes for spring holidays or as a cozy browned butter dessert any time of year.
Pineapple Bars with Cream Cheese and Coconut Drizzle
These pineapple bars are soft and tangy with a sweet brown butter coconut drizzle. They’re a tropical twist on brown butter recipes and an easy browned butter dessert to brighten up any season.
Pineapple Banana Bread
This banana bread is extra flavorful with brown butter, brown sugar, toasted pecans, and a hint of pineapple. It’s one of the most unique brown butter recipes and a cozy browned butter dessert that works for breakfast or holiday baking.
Triple Chocolate Brownies
These triple chocolate brownies bake up with a gooey center and perfectly crisp edges. They’re a must-try recipe with brown butter and one of the best examples of browned butter baking for anyone craving a decadent treat.
Brownie Blondies Recipe
These fudgy brownie blondies swirl chocolate and blondie batter with nutty brown butter for the ultimate dessert bar. It’s one of the best brown butter brownies and a perfect example of brown butter recipes for baking when you want something rich and unique.
Carrot Pound Cake
This carrot pound cake is made from scratch with pineapple and finished with a rich brown butter cream cheese glaze. It’s one of the best brown butter cake ideas for spring gatherings and a cozy browned butter dessert to enjoy year-round.
Chai Spice Bundt Cake
This vanilla chai bundt cake is spiced with chai flavors and finished with silky brown butter icing. It’s one of the most flavorful brown butter recipes you'll be baking for fall gatherings.
Pumpkin Spice Donuts
These baked pumpkin spice donuts are soft and full of brown butter flavors, and finished with a sweet maple brown butter glaze. It’s one of the coziest brown butter recipe ideas and a seasonal favorite for anyone who loves fall baking.
Butter Pecan Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
This butter pecan layer cake is made with brown sugar, toasted pecans, and the nutty depth of browned butter. A rich brown butter cream cheese frosting brings it all together into a classic brown butter cake for the holidays.
Brown Butter Cake with Nutella Buttercream Frosting
This brown butter cake is soft and flavorful, layered with creamy Nutella buttercream for a decadent finish. It’s a simple brown butter recipe that feels bakery-worthy and a delicious option for anyone who loves brown butter desserts.
Spiced Banana Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
This spiced banana cake is soft, flavorful, and topped with a rich brown butter cream cheese frosting. It’s one of those brown butter recipes that’s easy enough for a weekend bake but special enough to share.
Fancy Rice Krispie Treats with Brown Butter and White Chocolate Ganache
These Rice Krispie treats get a boost of flavor from brown butter, making them even more addictive than the classic version. They’re quick to stir together and disappear just as fast.
Brown Butter Peach Tart
This peach pie tart has a buttery shortbread crust, juicy peaches, and a nutty brown butter crumb topping. A drizzle of brown butter icing makes it a summer dessert you’ll want to bake on repeat.
Rum Pound Cake with Brown Butter Glaze
This pound cake is baked with Jamaican rum and finished with a brown butter rum syrup and glaze. The result is a rich, flavorful dessert that shows just how well brown butter pairs with tropical flavors.
Oatmeal Cookie Bars with Brown Butter and Salted Nutella Swirl
These oatmeal cookie bars are baked with brown butter and swirled with Nutella for an easy, decadent treat. They’re rich, flavorful, and simple enough to make anytime a craving hits.
Banana Blondies with Brown Butter Frosting
These blondies are made with ripe banana, brown butter, and sweet white chocolate for a fudgy, decadent bite. They’re an easy twist on a classic bar dessert that feels both cozy and indulgent.
Sour Cream Pumpkin Bread with Maple Brown Butter Glaze
This pumpkin loaf is full of warm fall spices and topped with a sweet maple brown butter glaze. It’s an easy bake that captures all the best flavors of the season.
Lemon Caper Pasta With Brown Butter Sauce
This lemon butter caper sauce blends briny capers with nutty brown butter and a squeeze of lemon. It’s a quick and easy brown butter dish that turns simple pasta into something special.
No Chill Gingerbread Cookies with Stout and Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
These no chill gingerbread cookies are spiced with stout and topped with tangy brown butter buttercream frosting. They’re a holiday-ready treat that brings a little twist to a classic cookie.
Instant Pot Brown Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes
These brown butter mashed sweet potatoes are creamy, flavorful, and easy to make on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot. With maple syrup and warm spices, they’re a quick side dish that feels perfect for holiday dinners.
Eggnog Bread Pudding with Brown Butter Rum Sauce
This eggnog bread pudding is baked with toasted pecans and dark rum, then finished with a rich brown butter rum sauce. It’s a festive holiday treat that feels indulgent and comforting.
Velvety Sour Cream Pound Cake
This sour cream pound cake has a tender crumb, warm vanilla flavor, and stays moist for days. A rich browned butter glaze adds a sweet, salty finish that makes this classic brown butter dessert feel fresh and modern.
Black Quinoa in Sage Brown Butter Sauce
This black quinoa in sage brown butter sauce is quick to make and full of cozy fall flavor. It’s an easy brown butter dish that works as a protein-packed main or a simple side.
Banana Cinnamon Pancakes with Maple Brown Butter Glaze
These banana pecan pancakes are topped with a rich maple brown butter glaze for a brunch-worthy finish. They’re fluffy, flavorful, and the perfect way to make a weekend breakfast feel special.
Pumpkin Ravioli with Brown Butter And Sage
This homemade pumpkin ravioli is served with a nutty brown butter sage sauce and topped with toasted hazelnuts. It’s a cozy vegetarian dinner and one of those easy brown butter dishes that feels perfect for fall.
Brown Butter Pumpkin Cake
This pumpkin cake is tender, spiced, and layered with maple pumpkin butter for extra fall flavor. A rich brown butter cream cheese frosting makes it a cozy dessert to enjoy all season long.
Rainbow Carrots in Tarragon Brown Butter
These rainbow carrots are roasted and tossed in a nutty brown butter sauce for a colorful, flavorful side dish. Elegant enough for the holiday table but simple enough for weeknight dinners, they’re a versatile way to use brown butter.
Brown Butter Snickerdoodles
These brown butter snickerdoodles are soft, cinnamon-sugar cookies with an extra layer of nutty flavor from browned butter. They’re a cozy bake that always disappears fast.
Roasted Acorn Squash + Browned Butter
This roasted acorn squash with brown butter is an easy side dish that delivers rich flavor. Simple for weeknights yet elegant enough for the holiday table, it’s a savory brown butter recipe you'll love!
Easy Fudgy Brown Butter Brownies
This brown butter brownies recipe bakes up rich and fudgy with a deep nutty flavor from browned butter. It’s a simple twist that turns classic brownies into an unforgettable dessert.
Vegan Brown Butter Garlic Gnocchi (Gluten-Free)
This vegan brown butter garlic gnocchi comes together fast with a simple dairy-free sauce and tender gluten-free gnocchi. It’s a quick, comforting brown butter dish that works for weeknights but also feels special enough for date night.
Insanely Delicious Brown Butter Layer Cake
Brown butter brings a deep, nutty flavor that transforms a simple vanilla cake into something special. It’s a subtle twist that turns an everyday bake into a cake worth remembering.
Brown Butter Sage Cornbread
This brown butter sage cornbread is baked with herb-infused butter for a soft, flavorful crumb. It’s a simple twist on classic cornbread and an easy brown butter recipe to serve with dinner or at the holiday table.
Brown Butter Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
These brown butter pumpkin oatmeal cookies are soft and full of cozy autumn flavor. The nutty richness of brown butter pairs with pumpkin and oats for a cookie that feels warm and comforting.
Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto with Sage Browned Butter
This butternut squash risotto is creamy and comforting, finished with a swirl of sage brown butter. It’s a cozy side dish that works just as well for a fall dinner as it does for a holiday gathering.
Raspberry and Almond Browned Butter Financiers
These financiers bake up quickly with a tender center and a caramelized shell. The browned butter adds a rich, nutty flavor that makes these little cakes unforgettable.
Lemony Brown Butter Salmon and Rosemary Potatoes with Garlic Asparagus
This salmon dinner pairs crispy roast potatoes and tender asparagus with lemony brown butter and fresh rosemary. It’s an easy brown butter dish that feels bright and flavorful without much effort.
10 cozy recipes. No stress. All the fall flavor.
Let’s make this your easiest, coziest baking season yet. Inside this ebook, you’ll get:
- 10 simple, foolproof fall dessert recipes
- Cozy flavors like pumpkin, chai, apple, and brown butter
- Step-by-step instructions made for beginners and busy bakers
- Bonus: fall flavor pairing guide and printable fall grocery list
Frequently Asked Questions
Some of the most popular brown butter recipes are brown butter cookies, brownies, and simple cakes, but savory brown butter dishes like pasta with brown butter and sage or brown butter mashed potatoes are just as delicious. Starting with cookies or pasta is an easy way to taste the difference browned butter makes.
The trick is cooking butter over medium heat until the milk solids at the bottom of the pan turn golden brown and have a nutty aroma. Stir or swirl the pan often, and take it off the heat as soon as it turns deep golden to avoid burning.
Brown butter can be used in desserts like blondies, pies, and frostings, or in savory recipes like risotto, roasted vegetables, or cornbread. It’s one of the easiest ways to add rich flavor to both sweet and savory dishes.
Rice Krispie treats, brownies, and simple loaf cakes are all easy recipes with brown butter. On the savory side, roasted vegetables or brown butter pasta are great beginner-friendly dishes.
Brown butter adds a nutty, caramelized depth of flavor that regular butter doesn’t have. It makes baked goods taste bakery-style and gives savory brown butter dishes a warm, rich finish.
Brown butter desserts include cookies, cakes, blondies, bars, and frostings. It’s especially good in fall and holiday baking when you want flavors that feel cozy and indulgent.
Yes! Brown butter is delicious in pasta sauces, mashed potatoes, risotto, roasted squash, and even with seafood! This list includes easy brown butter dishes that are simple enough for weeknights but elegant for entertaining.
Yes, brown butter can be made in advance and stored in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for a few months. Melt it again before using in baking or cooking.
In baking, you may need to add a little liquid, like milk or water, since browned butter loses some moisture during the browning process. For cooking and sauces, usually no adjustment is needed unless the recipe calls for it.
Not quite. Brown butter is golden and nutty, while burnt butter is blackened and bitter. The key is to use a light-colored pan and remove your liquid gold from the heat at the right time and quickly transfer it to a heatproof bowl so that the residual heat from the pan doesn't ruin those toasty flavors.
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