Monday, February 11, 2013

Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have a problem. A chocolate chip cookie problem.

Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies by freshfromthe.com

No matter how many I make, I will always try a new recipe, even if there's one that I really like already. Why? I don't know. I mean, just let me list off the various ones I have tried (and enjoyed!): Jacque Torres, Molasses, Soft & Chewy, Otis Spunkmeyer style... I'm nuts! Except no, because I never put nuts in my chocolate chip cookies. Sacrilege! 

All I know is that I saw this recipe for browned butter chocolate chip cookies, and knew I had to try it. Browning butter is probably one of my favorite scents in existence. You can't argue with me on this one, you just can't. Them's the rules.

Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies by freshfromthe.com


Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients
  • 2 sticks plus 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon molasses
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Cooking Directions
  1. Brown 1 stick plus 1 Tbsp butter in a medium saucepan. When it's to that brown color, quickly dump it into another bowl to stop the cooking (you don't want it to burn!) and set it aside for the moment. Be sure to get all those browned bits, though, they are yum.
  2. In your mixer, beat together the granulated sugar and the other stick of softened butter until they are light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add in the molasses and vanilla and mix until combined, then add in the brown sugar and the cooled browned butter, beating for about two minutes to combine.
  3. Next, beat in your egg and egg yolk for about a minute. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda, then dump that in your wet ingredients and slowly mix together. Once they're just combined, fold in the chocolate chips. If you want, add in nuts at this point, but I don't do that nonsense. Now, please, for the love of cheese puffs, stick this in the fridge for 30 minutes. You won't regret it.
  4. While that's in the fridge, preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, get your rack in the center of the oven. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. After the 30 minutes are up, scoop out some dough onto your baking sheet. Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes until edges are light brown, but the middle still a little light. Let those sit on the pan for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely, or just shove straight into your gullet, whatever you so desire.
Recipe via Joy the Baker Cookbook

In photos:


Brown 1 stick plus 1 Tbsp unsalted butter. You do this over medium heat. It foams and pops and there will probably be some bits on the bottom of the pan when its done. Remove this to a bowl to cool while you start the rest.


Beat together the other stick of butter and the cup of sugar for 3-5 minutes until it's fluffy.


Add in the vanilla and the molasses.


Then add in your brown sugar and that cooled browned butter, with all the browned little bits!


Next up: the egg and egg yolk.


In a separate bowl, whisk together your flour, salt and baking soda, then add that all at once to the wet dough. Mix it slowly until just incorporated.


Fold in your chocolate chips, then stick that baby in the fridge for 30 minutes. While that's in the fridge, preheat your oven to 375F, and put some parchment on your pan.

Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies by freshfromthe.com

Scoop out the dough onto your parchment-lined pan, and bake for 12-14 minutes until they look golden brown around the edges and still a little light in the middle. Let them sit for 5 minutes before you put them on a cooling rack or gobble them up direct from the pan. These have a crisp edge to them. They're not as soft as I generally like my chocolate chip cookies, personally, but the browned butter does give it a nice, slightly nutty, zing. It also seems to make them taste a tad saltier to me, so I suggested you use 1/2 tsp salt rather than a full teaspoon. Unless you like salty, then by all means go full teaspoon power!

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