16 Ways to Make Everyday Dishes Better with Brown Butter

brown butter snickerdoodles
Photo: Photographer: Isaac Nunn, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn

Browned butter is the secret ingredient your favorite recipes just might be missing. So simple and often overlooked, it has the power to elevate your everyday recipes, sweet or savory. When it comes to making brown butter, there's nothing much to it—grab your favorite butter and saucepan and watch it carefully on the stove. Then, throw the delicious concoction into one of these recipes that rely on brown butter, and you're sure to be impressed. From our Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies and Brown Butter Blondies, to savory fare like Pumpkin Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter, you'll find that it really does belong everywhere. So get to browning and get ready for recipe requests from all of your guests to roll in.

01 of 16

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Jennifer Causey

Recipe: Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

If chocolate chip cookies are always sure to be a hit, then you better believe this brown butter version will fly right off the table.

02 of 16

Best Brown Butter Blondies

Brown Butter Blondies
Victor Protasio; Food Stying: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Recipe: Best Brown Butter Blondies

Think of these as a giant chocolate chip cookie with even better butter.

03 of 16

Brown Butter Snickerdoodles

brown butter snickerdoodles
Photographer: Isaac Nunn, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn

Recipe: Brown Butter Snickerdoodles

Warm cinnamon meets the rich flavor of brown butter in a rendition of everyone's favorite sugar cookie.

04 of 16

Pecan Pie Cake with Brown Butter Frosting

Pecan Pie Cake
Photographer: Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist: Kay Clarke Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners

Recipe: Pecan Pie Cake with Brown Butter Frosting

Now, you'll never have to choose between pie and cake ever again. The tender cake and pecan pie filling are swathed in a generous layer of Brown Butter Frosting, and guests will be coming back for seconds.

05 of 16

Brown Butter Cornbread

Brown Butter Cornbread
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Brown Butter Cornbread

Elevate the humble cornbread with the addition of some nutty brown butter. Serve alongside a pot of chili for a comforting meal.

06 of 16

Hummingbird Snack Cake with Brown Butter Frosting

Hummingbird Snack Cake with Brown Butter Frosting
Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke

Recipe: Hummingbird Snack Cake with Brown Butter Frosting

A spin on the classic, this snack cake requires just one bowl and is slathered in Brown Butter Frosting for just the right mix of sweet and spice.

07 of 16

Mathew Rice's Brown Butter Snickerdoodles

Brown Butter Snickerdoodles
pinterest.com

Recipe: Mathew Rice's Brown Butter Snickerdoodles

Nashville chef Mathew Rice shares his snickerdoodle recipe.

08 of 16

Brown Butter-Maple-Pecan Blondies

Brown Butter-Maple-Pecan Blondies
Linda Pugliese

Recipe: Brown Butter-Maple-Pecan Blondies

Turn your blondies up a notch with the addition of sweet maple syrup and crunchy pecans.

09 of 16

Lisa Cericola's Herbed Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes

Lisa's Herbed Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes
Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Recipe: Lisa Cericola's Herbed Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes

Our Senior Food Editor says these are required on her Thanksgiving table. Once you get a taste, they'll be on yours, too.

10 of 16

Butter Toffee-Pecan Layer Cake

Butter Toffee-Pecan Layer Cake
Greg DuPree

Recipe: Butter Toffee-Pecan Layer Cake

Warm toffee notes, creamy frosting, and nutty brown butter make this cake a sure hit.

11 of 16

Brown Butter Sweet Potato Pie

50 Best Thanksgiving Brown Butter Sweet Potato Pie
Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Brown Butter Sweet Potato Pie

Brown butter lends the well-loved sweet potato pie extra dimension and depth.

12 of 16

Butter Pecan Layer Cake with Brown Butter Frosting

Butter Pecan Layer Cake with Browned Butter Frosting
Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Butter Pecan Layer Cake with Brown Butter Frosting

Three layers of tender pecan cake meet nutty brown butter frosting—ideal for every birthday party and the Thanksgiving sideboard.

13 of 16

Grits and Greens with Brown Butter Hot Sauce

Grits and Greens with Brown Butter Hot Sauce
Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Grits and Greens with Brown Butter Hot Sauce

Proof that brown butter belongs everywhere.

14 of 16

Amanda Mack's Apple-Almond Spice Cake with Brown Butter Frosting

Amanda Mack’s Apple-Almond Spice Cake with Brown Butter Frosting
Gabriela Herman

Recipe: Amanda Mack's Apple-Almond Spice Cake with Brown Butter Frosting

Pile this loaf cake high with apple chips and toasted almonds—but not before giving it a generous drizzle of icing.

15 of 16

Bourbon-Chocolate Cake with Browned Buttercream Frosting

Bourbon-Chocolate Cake with Browned Buttercream
Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop styling: Lydia Pursell

Recipe: Bourbon-Chocolate Cake with Browned Buttercream Frosting

Bourbon, chocolate, and brown butter come together in an irresistible combination.

16 of 16

Chocolate-Zucchini Cake

Chocolate-Zucchini Cake
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Chocolate-Zucchini Cake

Rich, dense chocolate cake gets a moisture boost from plenty of zucchini. The whole thing is topped with crunchy pistachios punctuating the layer of brown butter frosting.

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