Food

C is for cookie

WE have such fond memories and emotional attachments to chocolate chip cookies.  The smell of cookies baking usually transport you back to a good memory, a person in your life that baked those cookies for you and a time that was special or meaningful in your childhood. A lot of really great memories in a small handheld treat. Simple, warm, comforting. I think we can all use a little simple and some kindness right now.    

I ran into a friend in town the other day and she said she was intimated to try my latest blog post about baked sushi; and please can I post something not so scary! Why yes, yes, I can.

These brown butter chocolate cookies are a small batch cookie.  They recipes only makes 12 cookies – there is something about one pan and one batch that just make these cookies feel special without being too fussy or scary.

Now for your questions:  Do I have to brown the butter?  No – but why wouldn’t you?  It doesn’t take that long and it gives these cookies a nutty, caramelized, toffee vibe that is worth the 20 extra minutes to brown AND cool your butter.

Do I have to wait for the brown butter to cool?  Yes – yes, you do.  Otherwise, you get runny, flat, overly crispy cookies and then you’re sad – so please cool your butter.

Can I use regular chocolate chips instead of chunks – yes, that you can do.  But there is something about a chocolate chunk or chocolate baking discs!  Chunks of chocolate make this delicious pooling on the top of your cookies that helps the salt stick to the chocolate, that’s why we are here – so buy the good stuff!

Why is YOUR salt so pretty?  Because it’s Maldon – flaky sea salt –not scary – but delicious and crunchy, and it makes these cookies so delicious. 

Cookies are best shared – or eaten in one sitting. I will leave that up to you; that’s why there are no storage directions with these cookies.

“No one can sleep if a bunch of chocolate chip cookies sings all night in the cupboard.” – Snoopy, Charles M. Schulz

Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Serving Size:
12 cookies
Time:
30 minutes
Difficulty:
Medium
Serving Size:
12 cookies
Time:
45 minutes
Difficulty:
Medium

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, sliced
  • 1/2 cup tightly packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp. flaky sea salt, plus topping
  • 1/2 tsp. espresso powder, optional
  • 1/4 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 1/4 cups dark chocolate chunks, divided

Directions

  1. Place butter in a medium skillet. Melt butter over medium heat, swirling occasionally until foamy, browned and nutty, 3 to 4 minutes. Pour browned butter into a small bowl and cool to room temperature.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
  3. Beat cooled brown butter with granulated and brown sugars for 2 minutes or until well combined and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and egg; beat for 30 seconds, or until completely combined, pale and fluffy. 
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, espresso powder, baking powder and baking soda. Add flour mixture all at once to wet ingredients. Beat until just combined. Fold in 1 cup chocolate chunks.
  5. With a medium cookie scoop, scoop rounded cookie dough into the prepared baking sheet and flatten slightly, press remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chunks onto the tops of the cookies. Place baking sheet in the refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  6. Remove baking sheet from the refrigerator and bake cooled cookies for 9-12 minutes, or until set around the edges and barely golden brown, cookies will look under done and soft. This is ok.
  7. Remove cookies from the oven, and if desired, while the cookies are still warm, use the ring of a large mouth canning jar to ‘scoot’ them into a round shape. 
  8. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and cool in the baking sheet pan for 5 to 7 minutes; then transfer cookies a cooling rack. 

12 thoughts on “C is for cookie”

  4. I’m an oatmeal raisin cookie girl and I’m still drooling over these. Hang on while I grab a wipe for my screen 😂

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  5. I noticed you didn’t include nutritional info…therefore they are zero calorie…health food even! Yes! I’m making these tomorrow!

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      1. Made these yesterday. Absolutely outstanding, and I’m kind of a chocolate chip cookie snob 😊

  6. I was reading this and imagining your voice – that was just as comforting as the cookies ♥️

    Reply

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