Brown Butter Cookie Recipe

• ⏲️ Prep time: 15 min
• 🍪 Baking time: 11 min
• 🍽️ Servings: 11+

Ingredients

• 1¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 14 tablespoons unsalted butter (1¾ sticks)
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cups packed dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 2-3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1¼ cups semisweet chocolate chips
• ¾ cups chopped toasted pecans

Before You Begin

Avoid using a nonstick skillet to brown the butter; the dark color of the nonstick coating makes it difficult to gauge when the butter is browned. Use fresh, moist brown sugar instead of hardened brown sugar, which will make the cookies dry. This recipe works with light brown sugar, but the cookies will be less full-flavored.

For High-Altitude Baking:

• Problem: Cookies spread too much in the oven.
  • Solution: Use less sugar. Increase the oven temperature and decrease the baking time.
• Problem: Cookies are too dry.
  • Solution: Add an extra egg or yolk.

Directions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375℉.

2. Line 2 large (18x12 in) baking sheets with parchment paper.

3. Whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.

4. Heat 10 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted (2 minutes). Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma (1 - 3 minutes).

5. Remove skillet from heat and, using heat-proof spatula, transfer browned butter to large heat-proof bowl.

6. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter into hot butter until completely melted.

7. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated.

8. Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining (30 seconds).

9. Let mixture stand (3 minutes).

10. Repeat steps 8 and 9 of whisking and standing 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny.

11. Using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined (1 minute).

12. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts, giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.

13. Divide dough into 16 portions, each about 3 tablespoons. Arrange 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets, 8 dough balls per sheet.

14. Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (11 minutes), rotating baking sheet halfway through baking (5:30 minutes).

15. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely before serving.

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