Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
If you're a cookie lover like me, you know the struggle. All the recipes being touted as “the best,” give me FOMO!
I’m always searching for that next, could-be-better recipe. This weekend, I decided to put an end to my cookie indecisiveness and create a recipe that encompasses all the best features of top recipes. I put in a ton of research (and math converting everything to a baseline amount of grams of flour!) and, oh my goodness, this is truly the best cookie I’ve ever made in my life! My recipe combines the best techniques into one perfectly chewy and crunchy cookie.
Overview:
I gathered tips from top-rated recipes and came up with a game plan. Here's what makes these brown butter salted chocolate chunk cookies so special:
1. Extra Egg Yolk
I learned from Broma Bakery to add an extra egg yolk to the dough for more chewiness and softness.
2. Browned Butter
Inspired by the brilliance of Claire Saffitz, I browned the butter and whipped it over an ice bath with heavy cream.
3. Extra Vanilla:
A cookie secret I picked up over a decade ago from Journey to Crunchville is to add a full tablespoon of Vanilla.
Knead to Know
Use half bread flour
Swap half of the all-purpose flour for bread flour into the mix. Bread flour has a higher protein content resulting in a chewier, thicker texture. I learned this trick from The New York Times infamous 36-hour recipe. Unlike that lengthy incubation periods, this recipe delivers the perfect texture without the need a multi-day project (who has that kind of patience anyways for cookies?).
Knead to Know
Your dough needs to chill
Since chocolate chip cookies have some rather melty ingredients, it’s important not to skip the 30 minute chill time on these. Firming the cookie up in the fridge not only lowers the temp of the dough to keep them from spreading, but the flavors in the dough also incorproate and it will slightly dry out (a good thing in this case!)
Recipe:
Crispy Chewy Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Browned Butter
Yield: 2 dozen cookies
Difficulty: Simple but with some new tricks
Time: 1 hour prep to mouth
The perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe combining browned butter, whipped cream, bread flour, extra egg yolk, and a shot of vanilla for the ultimate cookie in just one hour.
Ingredients
2 sticks (227 g) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons (28 g) heavy cream
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (124 g) sugar
2/3 cup (136 g) brown sugar
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup (130 g) all-purpose flour
1 cup minus 1 tablespoon (130 g) bread flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons Kosher salt, plus extra for topping
About 1 cup (240 g) dark chocolate, chopped
Method
Step 1:
Melt the butter over medium heat until golden brown. Place ice in a large bowl and set another bowl with the melted butter on top of the ice. Whisk the butter until it cools down and then add the heavy cream, whipping until the butter reaches its original fluffy, chilled texture.
Step 2:
Sift together all the dry ingredients except salt and whisk in the salt. Set aside.
Step 3:
On low speed, add the sugars to the whipped butter, being careful not to overmix. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla, and gently combine.
Gradually add the dry mixture one large spoonful at a time on low speed, leaving some streaks of flour in the dough.
Stir in the chopped chocolate using a spoon.
Step 4:
Use a small scoop to form one dozen cookie balls, evenly spaced, on a large baking sheet. Repeat on another pan to make a total of 2 dozen cookies.
Chill the cookie balls in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Step 5:
Bake the cookies for 7-8 minutes, keeping a close eye on them and removing them from the oven when the edges just begin to brown. Allow the cookies to cool.
Hope you love it!
No more FOMO for me when it comes to cookies — I'm sticking to this one! Let me know if you give these a try. Check out my original Instagram post here.
