7 Recipes Made Better with Brown Butter (2024)

FAQs

Does brown butter make things better? ›

Some call it liquid gold; we say this one-ingredient wonder is a cook's secret weapon—and it's the ultimate fall flavor.

We recommend using a shiny pan with a silver finish or a cermaic coated pan because it allows you to see the transition as the butter melts down and changes color from light to dark golden brown more easily.

Is Brown Butter Better for You Than Regular Butter? Brown butter and regular butter have similar nutritional profiles. However, brown butter does have a slightly different flavor that some people prefer. It is a matter of personal taste whether you prefer one over the other.

Chill the butter in the refrigerator until totally solid, about 1 hour, then get ready for longer-term storage. Pre-browned butter can be stored in airtight containers in the fridge for up to two weeks, but it'll last for up to three months in the freezer.

Maple syrup and brown butter are a perfect pairing. The sweetness of the syrup helps balance the richness of the brown butter. Sandwich the mixture between fluffy pumpkin cakes to create this easy fall dessert recipe.

They're FULL of flavor, so be sure to scrape them all in with your browned butter.

Stir the butter the entire time to keep it moving. Once melted, the butter will begin to foam and sizzle around the edges. Keep stirring. In about 5–8 minutes from when you started (depending on the amount of butter you used), the butter will turn golden brown.

Add 1 tablespoon (14g) water (or other liquid) for every 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons, 113g) of butter used. Failing to add this extra liquid may yield a somewhat greasy final result, especially in something like chocolate chip cookies. For the biggest bang, use brown butter in butter-forward baked goods.

The indelicate sibling of ghee, brown butter (buerre noisette, in the French) is simply butter that's been heated until the milk solids have turned browned and nutty-tasting—no clarification, no straining, no nothin'.

Those solids ultimately sink down and turn brown as they caramelize on the bottom of the pan. As this happens, it unlocks the nutty flavors brown butter is known for. But when the process goes too far, those same solids develop a burnt, acrid taste.

Is it okay to use burnt brown butter? ›

YES! Those little flecks of brown you see in your browned butter are toasted milk solids. They're FULL of flavor, so be sure to scrape them all in with your browned butter.

Although brown butter can be stored on your counter, it will last much longer in the refrigerator—up to 3 months.

You can (and should!) make brown butter in advance and store it until needed. Pour brown butter into a heat-safe bowl, then after it cools to room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container. Brown butter will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks or in the freezer for up to three months.

Brown butter is regular butter cooked a bit longer than usual until the milk solids toast and turn brown. You'll cook the butter just past the melting point. Browning butter creates a magical toasty flavor you don't get with regular melted butter.