Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 180 g plain flour
• 0.25 tsp baking soda
• salt (1 pinch)
• 100 g butter
• 150 g brown sugar
• 80 g white sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 medium eggs
• 150 g dark chocolate chips (or bars or discs)
• 1 tbsp heavy cream
• sea salt (a pinch, for topping)
• ice cream (for serving)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a baking tray with baking paper. Note that this recipe makes 4-5 large cookies, so plan to bake only 4 at a time to ensure they are well spaced.

2. 2

   Add the butter to a small saucepan and melt it over medium heat. Continue cooking while stirring regularly. The butter will foam, then begin to smell nutty and turn golden brown as the milk solids toast at the bottom of the pan.

3. 3

   Once the butter has a golden color and a rich, caramel-like aroma, remove the saucepan from the heat. Pour the brown butter into a heatproof bowl and allow it to cool slightly; it should still be liquid and warm, but not hot. (Alternatively, you can melt the butter in the microwave if you do not want browned butter).

4. 4

   In a separate bowl, whisk together the 150g brown sugar, 80g white sugar, and 2 medium eggs until combined.

5. 5

   Whisk in the cooled brown butter and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until the mixture is glossy and thick.

6. 6

   Whisk in 1 tablespoon of heavy cream.

7. 7

   Fold in the dry ingredients (180g plain flour, 1/4 tsp baking soda, and a pinch of salt) until just combined, being careful not to overmix.

8. 8

   Fold in 150g of dark chocolate chips, bars, or discs until evenly distributed.

9. 9

   Refrigerate the dough for up to an hour if possible, or proceed to bake right away. Portion the dough into balls of approximately 90g each.

10. 10

    Place the dough balls on the prepared tray, ensuring you do not overcrowd the pan (bake 4 at a time).

11. 11

    Bake for approximately 12 minutes at 180°C until the edges are set and golden but the centers are still soft.

12. 12

    While the cookies are still warm, place a glass or bowl over each cookie and swirl it in a circular motion to shape them into neat rounds.

13. 13

    Top ice cream with a warm cookie and a pinch of sea salt. Serve immediately.

Notes

For the best texture, do not overmix the dough once the flour is added. The cookies will continue to set as they cool, so removing them while the centers are soft is key to a chewy result.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• baking
• chocolate chip cookies
• brown butter
• sweet
• snack