WHAT’S INSIDE:
browned butter - it’s not “brown butter” though I understand that the title totally misleads you. browned butter is traditional butter that has been cooked down to evaporate the water and caramelize the milk solids, creating this gorgeous liquid-gold rich, nutty butter. this is what takes these cookies to a whole new level.
brown sugar - unlike white granulated sugar, brown sugar actually still contains a small amount of molasses. have you noticed how the brown sugar tends to clump and stick together while white sugar doesn’t? that’s the molasses adding stickiness to the brown sugar. and it adds a delicious deeper flavor and moisture to these cookies.
flour - yup, just plain ol’ all-purpose flour here. nothin’ fancy.
chocolate chips - go crazy here. there’s no such thing as too many chocolate chips. you can use dark, milk, or a combination of the two.
salt - salt! essential. cookies are sweet, and salt helps to both enhance that sweetness, as well as the other prominent flavors in this recipe specifically, and balance out each flavor.
RECIPE
1 ½ sticks unsalted grass-fed butter (¾ cup)
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 large pasture-raised egg, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour OR 1 ½ cup + 1 tbsp whole-wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅔ cup dark chocolate chips, plus extra for topping
Brown the butter. In a small skillet or saucepan, slowly over medium heat, melt 1 stick (½ cup) of butter. Chop the remaining ½ stick (¼ cup) of butter into small cubes. Reduce the heat and stir the butter, scraping down the sides of the skillet. Watch as the butter turns from yellow to light gold to amber, and some foam appears. Continue stirring until you see little brown specs in the bottom of the skillet. Turn the heat off completely, remove the skillet from the heat, and stir in the cubed butter. Set aside and cool to room temperature.
Combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl - the flour, baking soda, sea salt, and cinnamon. Stir in the ⅔ cup chocolate chips and set aside.
When the butter has cooled, mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth. Working in batches, add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix after each addition until all the dry ingredients are incorporated. Cover the bowl tightly with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes, or until slightly firm.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a 2-ounce cookie scoop, scoop portions of the dough onto the baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap (reuse what you used before!). Refrigerate again for 40 minutes.
When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F. Space the cookies with 2 inches between each portion on the baking sheet. Transfer the rest of the dough to a ziploc bag or airtight container until ready to bake. Bake for 9 minutes, then remove from the oven and place a few extra chocolate chips on top of each cookie, and place them back in the oven for 1-2 more minutes. The edges should be golden and the centers gooey. Let them cool completely on the baking sheet - this is where they finish baking, so don’t remove them before they’ve cooled!
Serve immediately, and store the rest in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Remaining dough can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 12 months.
Enjoy!
