Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
So, this lovely family moved into my neighborhood last October, and I told myself I would bake them a pie as a welcoming gesture. Well, I never baked that pie. For them, that is. I baked a lot of pies since October, but I ate them all. Anyway, I’ve recently run into this family in our local park and we had a nice conversation. They seem sweet and normal, and their boys are my sons’ ages! Even though they’re not technically new to the area anymore, I’ve decided to bake them some brown butter chocolate chip cookies as a welcome-to-the-neighborhood gift. Here’s the thing though, I feel a little self conscious about doing this. First of all, what if this family is against sugar? And butter? And chocolate? And everything I stand for? Second, what if she has enough friends and she doesn’t want to make new ones? And third, what if I end up eating all the cookies on my way over to her house, and when she answers the door and sees a large plate with only crumbs on it…. Well, I can kiss that potential best friendship good-bye.
I was inspired to make brown butter chocolate chip cookies by the amazing Joy and her delicious food blog Joy The Baker. I combined her technique with Ghirardellis‘ recipe from the back of their chocolate chip bag and tweaked it just a bit. What emerged from my oven was a smooth textured, caramelize-tasting cookie that also had a sea salty finish, thanks to the sea salt I sprinkled on each one before baking.
Okay, let’s do it. First I browned a stick of butter in a saucepan. Always brown the butter over medium to low heat. As it begins to smell nutty, immediately pour the amber-colored butter in a clean bowl to stop it from cooking. Set aside to cool for 20 minutes.
In the mean time, cream the brown sugar and a stick of softened butter for about 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in the vanilla extract. Finally, add the granulated sugar and melted brown butter. Mix until smooth.
Add the eggs one at a time.
Scrape down the bowl. By hand, mix in the flour and then the chocolate chips.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!
- 2 1/4 cups (312 g) All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks or 226 g) Unsalted Butter, softened and divided
- 3/4 cup (170 g) Brown Sugar
- 3/4 cup (150 g) Granulated Sugar
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 1/2 cups (190 g) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
- Sea Salt for sprinkling
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Place 1 stick of butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium to low heat. The butter will melt, then bubble up and turn a greenish yellow color. Swirl the saucepan to encourage even cooking. After a few minutes, it will begin to brown and smell less buttery and more nuttier. Once this happens, pour the butter in a clean bowl, brown bits and all, and set aside to cool, about 20 minutes.
- Using a standing mixer, cream the brown sugar with the remaining softened stick of butter until smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in the vanilla extract. Finally, add the granulated sugar and melted brown butter. Mix until smooth.
- At a lower speed, mix in each egg.
- Once the eggs are incorporated, detach your bowl from the mixer, and using a wooden spoon, hand mix in the flour, and then the chocolate chips.
- Wrap up the cookie dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or as long as 3 days.
- When ready to bake, scoop out the dough onto your lined-cookie sheets, and sprinkle a pinch of sea salt over each one.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.
- 2 cookie sheets
- Standing mixer with paddle attachment
- Medium-sized saucepan
- Small ice cream scoop
- Parchment paper
