Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
I'm on a lifelong search for the perfect chocolate chip cookie, so I thought I'd give a recipe that involved browned butter a try. To be fair, I don't really care about arriving at the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe, it's the tasty journey that matters. These do require overnight refrigeration, but patience pays off if you can stand it. The cookies are nutty, buttery and what my husband called "chunchy" -- that's right in between chewy and crunchy. They make a fine ice cream sandwich too. I had one slathered with espresso ice cream.
Do you have a favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe?
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe adapted from Food and Wine
2 sticks unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 large egg yolk
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat until it is browned and nutty-smelling, about 5 minutes. Transfer the butter to a small bowl and let it cool to room temperature. Pour through a sieve, leaving the darkest sediment behind.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the browned butter with the granulated and light brown sugars at medium speed until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl halfway through, about 7 minutes. Beat in the whole egg, egg yolk, milk and vanilla. At low speed, beat in the dry ingredients, scraping down the bowl as needed. Mix in the chocolate chips and toasted pecans. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop 1/4-cup mounds of cookie dough onto baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the cookies are just firm and golden brown on the bottom. Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool.
I've seen this whole "browned butter" business tossed around a lot lately, guess I'll have to try it now that chocolate chip cookies are involved.
ReplyDeleteBrowned butter makes everything better. With chocolate chip cookies, I've found that leaving the dough to chill overnight makes everything better, too. Which is to say, I'll be trying this recipe ASAP!
ReplyDeleteI want to recommend using the bittersweet chocolate chip and the mini Hershey kiss instead of semisweet chips. I am stuck on that version combined with the brown butter this could be the ultimate recipe.
ReplyDeleteI always have to stop and see whenever I see anything with Brown Butter! These look fabulous!
ReplyDeleteThat's it!! I've been looking for a good excuse to make some chocolate chip cookies....thank you for providing it! Never tried browned butter.....
ReplyDeleteYUM! How delicious! xoxo
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Can't wait to try the browned butter goodness in this cookie recipe. Let's give chocolate chip cookies a boost. This is gonna be a blast!
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