Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Some days you have plans to go on a run and then it rains.  And not just a little sprinkle, like a summer storm with thunder and lightning.  What’s a girl to do?  I could do one of the many pilates DVD’s laying around the apartment or do one of the many exercise apps I have on the iPad or I could make cookies.

I’ll make cookies.

And this is NOT the time to be picky about what type of cookie to bake.  I’m only using ingredients that can be found in the apartment.  If I’m not going outside to run, I’m sure as hell not going outside to the grocery store!  There was a bag of chocolate chips in the cupboard calling my name, so I took a look around the apartment to make sure I have the rest of the ingredients:

butter? – check!

flour? – not a lot, but just enough, check!

brown sugar – not enough light, oh, but I have some dark, it’s going to work!

eggs, baking soda, salt, vanilla, sugar – check, check, check, check, check!!!!!

We’re good to go!  I turned to my trusted Baking Illustrated cookbook, because obviously the Internet goes out when it storms, and looked up the chocolate chip cookie recipe.  There were two choice; thin & crispy or thick & chewy.  Come on?  Is that really a choice?  Only girls that go running in the rain would choose a thin & crispy cookie, I’m thick & chewy and that’s how I like my cookies!

The recipe seemed a little boring, so let’s brown the better.  Done!  After burning my thumb getting the cookies off the tray I decided to wait a few minutes before I indulged.  And indulge I did!  A luscious, thick, and chewy treat for my mouth.  The nuttiness from the butter, the sweet molasses flavor from the dark brown sugar, and the tenderness on my tongue, scrumptious!  Next time it rains, do yourself a favor and bake some delectable cookies.

Print the Recipe!

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yield – 14 (1/4 cup cookies)
Adapted from Baking Illustratrated – page 434 – Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

17 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups + 2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt + more for sprinkling on top
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Melt the butter on the stovetop and allow to bubble and brown.
2. Whisk together the flour, soda, and salt in a small bowl.
3. Add all the sugars to a large bowl and pour in the browned butter.  Stir with a wooden spoon to combine thoroughly.
4. Stir in the egg, the yolk, and the vanilla.
5. Add in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
6. Mix in the chocolate chips.  Use a 1/4 cup ice cream scoop to portion the dough into 14 pieces.
7. Split each piece of dough in half and smoosh together the smooth sides (jagged sides on top and bottom).  Place 7 cookies per baking sheet and sprinkle the top of each cookie with some Kosher salt.
8. Bake for 18 minutes.
9. Let cool on a wire rack or eat warm!