Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies makes approximately 4 dozen cookies
Adapted from Joy the Baker’s Best Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon molasses
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans, optional
coarse sea salt, to sprinkle on top (I prefer Maldon)
Melt 1 stick of the butter in a skillet (using a metal or light color bottomed pan lets you have better control over when the butter is done). You want to keep your eye on the butter, heating until it has crackled and begins to get brown bits at the bottom. Stir often, and once the butter is amber brown pour it into a small bowl to stop the cook process. Allow to cool completely, 15-20 minutes.
In a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer) beat the remaining stick of butter with the brown sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla extract and molasses, then the cooled brown butter as well as the granulated sugar. When this is mixed, add the egg and egg yolk. Finally, add the dry ingredients (flour, salt and baking soda) and beat until everything is just mixed.
Fold in the chocolate chips and pecans, if using. Spread the dough onto a large piece of wax paper and loosely wrap the extra paper over the top of the dough. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and set the oven racks to the center and upper third positions.
Scoop approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, flattening the top slightly to create a surface for the sea salt. Repeat, leaving space between the cookies to spread as they bake. Sprinkle with sea salt.
Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, until they’re golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
Logan’s Notes
-Chilling the dough really makes a difference here. Everything has a chance to meld together, and the dough is easier to handle when shaping blobs to bake.
-Take the time to plan ahead and let your butter reach room temperature, ensuring easier mixing.
-Browning butter is a little scary but Joy’s got you covered here.
-I always take cookies out of the oven a minute or two before I think they look done. Why? They’ll slightly keep cooking until they are cool, meaning that you’ll end up with an end product that is slightly crisper than it was initially when it came out of the oven. I also recommend transferring your cookies to cooling racks immediately.
