Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Once again, it’s cookie time!  But first let me explain why these cookies may be the best ever.  So. . .I’m a fan of butter.  Like, a lot.  It’s kind of my slow jam.  And this new browned butter craze?  Yeah, this is like my 1940’s-Judy Garland-swing dancing-jam.  I am using browned butter in everything I make.  Everything.  If you also love roasted, nutty, caramelly (yes, that is a word) flavors then you totally see me point.  If those things don’t send you into a preliminary food coma, who are you?  Definitely get yourself to an intervention.  Browned butter is the way to go and you all need to jump on the bandwagon.

I’ve been dying to make something with browned butter and since I had never done it before (gasp!) I think cookies are a safe avenue for adventurous cooking.  I am a lover of homemade-candy and have been doing it for years.  But I still get nervous every time that I will ruin it in the simmer phase.  I haven’t yet, but I still get anxious.  I may have a teeeeeeny bit of anxiety when it comes to mostly everything I do ever the little things.  But luckily I have the most supportive boyfriend who, for some reason, sticks around to calm my nerves.  And for this reason I make cookies.  Because he is a guy and guys love cookies.

{butter being browned}

And these cookies.  Wow.  Everyone love cookies and everyone and their goldfish will love these.  As I mentioned before, browned butter turns something delicious into crazyamazing.  I am totally sold.  The caramelly, sweet that comes out in the pre-bite and the after taste totally makes this cookie experience unlike any other.  I used double chocolate with these cookies and it is the best decision I have ever made.  A little milk, a little dark, and these cookies become a little decadent.

{you can never have too much chocolate}

So between the browned butter, the double-duty chocolate, and the multiple sugars, these cookies are definitely needing a little love from all cookies fans.  Go make these now.

Ingredients

Adapted from How Sweet It Is
Makes: about 20-24 cookies

• 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 12 tablespoons of unsalted butter, browned and cooled (see below)
• 1 cup brown sugar, only gently packed
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 oz super dark chocolate 70%, plus 0.5-1 oz for garnish
• 2 oz milk chocolate 34%, plus 0.5-1 oz for garnish
• 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips, plus more for garnish

How to Brown Butter
Cut the butter into 1 inch slabs and add it to a skillet on low heat. Whisk the butter until melted, and then continuously stir by moving/swirling the skillet (keep it movin’!) until butter begins to turn a rich brown and brown bits start to float up from the bottom of the pan. This takes about 5-15 minutes. Once the butter turns a nice carmely color and/or has a toffee, nutty smell to it, it is done.  Remove immediately from heat and let sit until cool (room temperature).  I put it in the fridge to speed up this process.

Make Cookies
1. Preheat the oven to 325 F degrees
2. In a mixing bowl (or large-medium sized bowl) combine the brown butter and sugars. Then mix in the egg + egg yolk and vanilla extract.
3. Add flour and baking soda together. This is very thick cookie dough, so it is best to combine with a spatula when it gets too thick.
4. Fold in all of your chocolate (except for the amount set aside for garnishing).
5. Scoop out about 2 tablespoons worth of dough and roll it into a ball. Then rip the ball in half. Place one half (ripped side down) onto a cookie sheet and then place the other half (ripped side up) onto the first half. Repeat for each cookie, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie on the cookie sheet.
7. Bake cookies for 13-16 minutes or until the edges start to get slightly golden brown. (Mine took about 15 minutes).
8. Immediately after you take them out of the oven, garnish your cookies with a couple chocolate chunks that you set aside earlier by pressing them into the cookie. This will make your cookies look full (and awesome).
9. Let them sit on the cookie sheet for 1-2 minutes and then transfer to a cookie rack and allow the cookies to cool completely.
10. Yum!