Edible Cookie Dough

This brown butter edible cookie dough recipe is safe to eat and perfect for when you are craving cookie dough. You get the classic, buttery taste of your favorite cookie dough, but without the worry—no eggs, no baking, just the best cookie dough that you can eat! It is perfect for a quick treat, a delicious ice cream topping, or even a homemade gift.

I was the one who waited in the kitchen with bated breath hoping to get the last little bit of chocolate chip cookie dough left in the large yellow mixing bowl after my Mom scooped out the cookie dough on the pan.

I’ve always loved chocolate chip cookies, and whenever anyone asked me what my favorite food was, my answer was quick and decisive: chocolate chip cookies. The first recipe I ever posted on Modern Honey almost 9 years ago was my famous Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe that I worked for so long to perfect!

A few years ago I was asked to teach a cooking class on delicious Valentine’s treats. I taught how to make homemade chocolate truffles and chocolate chip cookie dough truffles, which were edible chocolate chip cookie dough, rolled into a ball, and dipped in chocolate. Heavenly!

All of these years later and I have yet to share my delicious browned butter chocolate chip cookie dough recipe with you! It is about time.

Ingredients:

You only need 7 ingredients to make this cookie dough you can eat! You don’t need any baking soda or baking powder since you aren’t baking this dough. And no eggs either! See the recipe card below for ingredient amounts.

• Salted Butter: To infuse more flavor into the cookie dough, I like to melt and brown the butter in a saucepan. Just watch it carefully as you don’t want it to burn or for too much liquid to evaporate from the butter. If you don’t use salted butter, you will need 1/8 teaspoon of salt.
• Brown Sugar: I prefer to use DARK brown sugar when making this dough but you can use light golden brown sugar as well.
• Sugar: This recipe calls for granulated sugar. Make sure to really stir into the melted butter to allow the mixture to become perfectly smooth.
• Vanilla Extract: I like to use a Mexican vanilla extract.
• Milk: I suggest using 2% or whole milk but any milk will do. To make this dairy-free cookie dough, you can use oat or almond milk.
• Flour: I use all-purpose flour and make sure you treat it ahead of time to make it safe to eat. All of the details on how to treat flour by heating it are below.
• Chocolate Chips: I love to use semi-sweet chocolate chips or a mix of milk chocolate and semi-sweet in this recipe.

How to make Homemade Cookie Dough:

• Melt Butter. There are two ways to melt the butter…browning the butter in a saucepan or melting the butter in the microwave. The microwave will take less time but I suggest using 50% power to keep the butter from splattering (in the photo below, I microwaved the butter in a microwave-safe bowl.
• If browning the butter, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Watch carefully as the butter melts and starts to turn a deeper color. Don’t overcook or you risk burning the butter and too much liquid evaporating. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

• Whisk sugars into the butter. This is an important step to add the brown sugar and sugar while the butter is still warm, not hot. When sugars are whisked together with butter, the heat from the butter begins to melt the sugars, creating a smooth and glossy mixture. The sugars starts to dissolve and the brown sugar adds a deeper, caramel flavor. Set aside to cool for 5-10 minutes.

• Treat (heat) the Flour. See below on how to treat the flour two ways — in the microwave for a quick and easy way or in the oven.
• Once the butter and sugar mixture has slightly cooled, add vanilla extract and milk and mix until smooth.
• Fold in flour. If you are using salted butter, you may not need salt. If you are using unsalted butter, add 1/8 teaspoon. Check the temperature of the dough BEFORE adding the chocolate chips or if it is too warm, the chocolate chips will melt.

• Eat the dough right away or cover and let it chill in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes to allow it to set-up more.
• See below for more mix-in ideas, how to store, and how to use edible cookie dough.

Oven Method:

1. Spread the Flour: Evenly spread the flour on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and bake the flour for 5-7 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
2. Cool Completely: Let the flour cool completely before using it in your cookie dough.

Microwave Method:

1. Microwave in Intervals: Place the flour in a microwave-safe bowl and heat it in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval. Continue until the flour reaches 165 degrees. Check the Temperature: Use a food thermometer to check the temperature, ensuring it’s heated evenly.

Tips to Prevent Burning:

• Use a Lower Power Setting: If your microwave has a lower power setting, consider using it to heat the flour more gently.
• Stir Frequently: Stir the flour after each interval to distribute the heat evenly and prevent hotspots, which can cause burning.

Tips for Making the Best Cookie Dough you can Eat:

1. Treat the Flour Properly: This step is to ensure your flour is safe to eat raw. Make sure it reaches the correct temperature to kill any potential bacteria.
2. Adjust the Texture: If your dough is too thick, add a bit more milk. If it’s too thin, you can add a bit more flour (just make sure it’s been heat treated).
3. Customize the Dough: Feel free to mix in your favorite ingredients like white chocolate chips, mini M&M’s, peanut butter chips, or crushed Oreos to make your dough even more delicious.

How to use Brown Butter Cookie Dough:

Ice Cream Topping: Sprinkle small chunks of edible cookie dough over your favorite ice cream for a decadent treat.

Cookie Dough Truffles: Roll the dough into balls, dip them in melted chocolate, and let them set for a delicious homemade truffle.

Put in Jars: Scoop the dough into jars, add a cute label, and give it as a homemade gift or just eat it as a yummy dessert.

Cookie Dough Recipes:

Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream

One Bowl Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Best Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip