Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter (cubed)
• 2.25 cup all-purpose flour (mixed with other dry ingredients)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup brown sugar (packed)
• 0.5 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract (recipe is forgiving if you add extra)
• 1 large egg (room temperature)
• 2 large egg yolks (provides chewy texture)
• 1.5 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet or dark)

Steps

1. 1

   Cube the butter and place it in a pot over medium heat.

2. 2

   Melt the butter slowly until it begins to pop and foam. Continue cooking until the butter reaches a clear stage with a new layer of foam on top and the milk solids at the bottom turn brown and fragrant.

3. 3

   Transfer the browned butter, including all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan, into a large mixing bowl. Set aside to cool slightly.

4. 4

   In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, and salt).

5. 5

   Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the bowl with the browned butter. Mix by hand (no mixer required).

6. 6

   Stir in the vanilla extract.

7. 7

   Add one whole egg and two egg yolks to the mixture.

8. 8

   Mix vigorously with speed until the mixture reaches a thick, 'goo' consistency.

9. 9

   Fold in the mixed dry ingredients until just combined.

10. 10

    Fold in the chocolate chips.

11. 11

    Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours (or overnight) to firm up.

12. 12

    Scoop the chilled dough into balls. For best results, freeze the dough balls and bake them from frozen.

13. 13

    Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake the frozen cookie dough balls until the edges are golden but the centers remain soft, approximately 10-12 minutes.

Notes

The author emphasizes that browning the butter and using extra egg yolks are key for the chewy texture. The dough should be chilled for at least 2 hours, but overnight is preferred. Baking from frozen helps prevent the cookies from spreading too thin.

Nutrition per serving

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