Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Our favorite cookie recipe! Avoid using a nonstick skillet to brown the butter: the dark color of the nonstick coating makes it difficult to tell when the butter is browned. And don't rush step #3. Store-bought chocolate chips are waxy, which is not ideal for this recipe. Best results come from bulk chocolate in the ~60% cocoa range, cut into chunks no larger than a dime. For extra flair, chop 10% of the chocolate very finely to sprinkle on top of the cookies right before baking. Use fresh, moist brown sugar instead of hardened brown sugar, which will make the cookies dry. This recipe works with light brown sugar, but the cookies will be less flavorful. After years of using silpats, I've found the resulting texture with cookies is clearly inferior to using parchment paper. These cookies seem to "melt" and spread out too much in the oven when using silpats. WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Our perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe had to produce a cookie that would be moist and chewy on the inside and crisp at the edges, with deep notes of toffee and butterscotch to balance its sweetness. Melting the butter gave us the chewiness we were looking for. Cutting back on the flour and eliminating an eggwhite also improved texture and brought the brown sugar flavor to the fore. To give our chocolate chip cookie recipe the crisp edges and toffee flavor we wanted, we let the sugar dissolve in the batter for 10 minutes, then baked the cookies at a high temperature so the edges darkened while the centers stayed soft. High-Altitude Problem: Cookies spread too much in the oven. Solution: Use less sugar. Increase oven temperature and decrease baking time. High-Altitude Problem: Cookies are too dry. Solution: Add an extra egg or yolk.

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% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Step 2

2. Whisk flour and baking soda together in a medium bowl; set aside.

Step 3

Heat 10 tbsp butter in 10" skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and, using heatproof spatula, transfer browned butter to large (not XL) heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tbsp butter into the hot butter until completely melted.

Step 4

3. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Let mixture stand 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny. Lick the whisk and toss it in the sink.

Step 5

Using a rubber spatula, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (if using), giving dough a final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain. 730g batter + 215g chocolate.

Step 6

4. Divide dough into 11⁄2 tablespoon portions (~35g each, or use a #40 disher). Arrange 1" to 11⁄2" apart on prepared baking sheets, 12 dough balls per sheet. Typically yields about 30 cookies.

Step 7

5. Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 10 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely before serving.