Can I use salted butter?

Yes. If using salted butter, omit the additional salt in the recipe. You can still top with flakey sea salt if desired.

Do I have to chill the dough?

Yes....and no. Allowing the dough to rest before baking gives the dough time to hydrate and helps marry all of the flavors together. You'll get a slightly thicker, chewier cookie with a more complex flavor if the dough is chilled. If you bake the cookies right away, they will bake up flatter and thinner with less chew. If possible, try to chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.

I don't have nonfat dry milk powder. Will the cookies taste the same?

Omitting the dry milk powder will alter the flavor and texture of the cookies slightly. Nonfat dry milk powder adds a rich, caramely flavor to cookies and is the secret ingredient takes these brown butter cookies from pretty good to perfectly irresistible! The good news is, milk powder (also called powdered milk) will stay fresh for months if properly stored so one package will make many batches of cookies!

Can I use a mixer to make the cookie dough?

I don't recommend it. When you use a mixer to combine the ingredients, you incorporate air into the dough which makes a fluffier cookie. For a chewier, denser cookie, mix the dough by hand using a spatula or wooden spoon.

Absolutely! Feel free to add chopped nuts, pecans or even walnuts. A handful of chopped toffee bits or a teaspoon or two of espresso powder would be delicious too!

Can I make these gluten free?

Yes. Keep in mind that the flavor and texture will be slightly different if using a gluten free flour.

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies - Browned Butter Blondie

Description

A sophisticated twist on the classic chocolate chip cookie. These brown butter chocolate chip cookies have buttery crisp edges, chewy, chocolatey centers and are filled with a rich, caramely deliciousness that only brown butter can deliver.

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespooons nonfat dry milk powder
2/3 cup (133 g) granulated sugar
3/4 cup (150 g) light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg, plus one egg yolk, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/4 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 ounces chopped semi-sweet chocolate
5 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
flakey sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)

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Instructions

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir every minute or so until fully melted.
As the butter melts it will start to foam and you’ll want to stir it a bit more frequently while keeping one eye on the pan at all times. The butter can go from light golden to totally burnt in seconds so the pan does require a steady watch. As the butter begins to foam and bubble it will make a low crackling sound. Keep stirring and watch for golden brown bits to form in the pan.
Once the butter turns a toasty brown color the crackling sound will stop and you’ll smell a toasted, nutty aroma that is heavenly. You’re looking for a golden brown, amber color in the center of the pan. Little bits of milk solids will fall to the bottom of the pan and grow darker the longer you leave the butter over the heat.
Remove the pan from the stove top and carefully transfer the hot butter (and all the brown bits at the bottom of the pan) to a medium bowl.
Set the bowl of brown butter over a larger second bowl filled with ice. Add two tablespoons of water and 2 tablespoons of non-fat dry milk powder. Whisk to combine. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Begin whisking the brown butter vigorously. It will begin to return to a more solid state. Continue whisking for 4 to 5 minutes until the mixture thickens and resembles a thick paste.
Add the light brown sugar and granulated sugar. Whisk to combine well, about 30 seconds.
Add the vanilla and eggs, mixing until fully incorporated.
Add the dry ingredients, folding the dough together using a large spatula or wooden spoon. Do not over mix. Stop when a few streaks of flour remain.
Add the chopped chocolate and chips, folding together just until combined. The dough should be soft.
Using a large cookie scoop, portion the dough into 2.5 ounce balls. Set on a parchment lined cookie sheet and chill for 3 hours or overnight.
Bake the cookies at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are set and the centers look slightly underbaked but not raw. Do not over bake.
Remove the cookies from the oven and use a cookie cutter or the inside of a fork to carefully “scoot” the edges of the cookies toward the center so that the cookies are round and uniform in size. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Sprinkle with flakey sea salt before serving if desired.

Notes

Store cookies tightly covered for up to 4 days.

May be frozen. Defrost at room temperature before serving.