These chocolate chip brown sugar cookies are buttery, chewy, molasses and vanilla spiked, with the nutty flavor of brown butter and plenty of melty chocolate chips.

Photo byRebecca Blackwell/ ofbatteranddough.com

I think you are probably already aware, but might I just say that the combination of brown butter and brown sugar is magical?

Both brown butter and brown sugar add layers of complex flavors which transform simple baked goods like chocolate chip cookies into something so much more interesting and delicious than your typical cookie.

I'll give you five excellent examples:

1. These little brown sugar cookies are outrageously soft and chewy with an intense toffee-like flavor that comes from brown butter, brown sugar, and vanilla.
2. This brown butter cake has a toasty, complex, almost smokey flavor laced with caramel. How do we get all those delicious flavors in there? Why yes. Brown butter and brown sugar.
3. These soft chocolate chip pistachio cookies are filled with the rich, warm, cozy flavors of brown butter and brown sugar plus cardamom, vanilla, and almond.
4. Same goes for these massive brown butter chocolate chip pecan cookies which are extra thick with a soft, gooey center loaded with milk chocolate chips and crunchy toasted pecans.
5. And these brown butter white chocolate chip cookies are soft and chewy with a rich toffee flavor that just melts in your mouth.

So this recipe is just one more in a long list of delicious treats that get their buttery, toasty, molasses and caramel flavor from the combination of brown butter and brown sugar.

In other words, you already know they are going to be good.

Photo byRebecca Blackwell/ ofbatteranddough.com

Recipe: Chocolate Chip Brown Sugar Cookies

This recipe was originally published on ofbatteranddough.com. For step-by-step photos showing how to make these cookies, please see the original recipe: Chocolate chip brown sugar cookies

• 14 tablespoons (198 grams) unsalted butter
• 2 cups + 2 tablespoons (135 grams) all purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 ¾ cup (373 grams) packed dark brown sugar + an additional ¼ cup (53 grams) for coating the balls of cookie dough
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt (or ½ teaspoon of table salt)
• 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste
• ½ teaspoon almond (optional)
• 1 cup (177 grams) mini chocolate chips
• ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar

1. Brown the butter: Cut 10 tablespoons (141 grams) of butter into chunks and put it in a light-colored saucepan. (Dark pans make it difficult to tell when the butter is browned.) Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the butter is melted and begins to boil. As you stir, pay attention to the color of the butter underneath the foam. When it's done, the butter beneath the foam will be golden brown with dark brown specks on the bottom of the pan and will smell nutty. Once browned, pour the butter into a large mixing bowl. Be sure to scrape all the brown flecks from the bottom of the pan into the bowl - those brown specks contain a lot of flavor.
2. Cut the remaining 4 tablespoons (57 grams) of butter into four pieces and add to the bowl with the brown butter. Stir until all the butter has melted then set the bowl aside to allow the butter to cool for 15 minutes.
3. Heat the oven to 350 F (177 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. Add 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon of baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon of baking powder to a small bowl and stir with a wire whisk to combine.
5. Add 1 ¾ cup packed brown sugar (be sure to pack it down into the measuring cup) and ¾ teaspoon kosher salt to the melted butter. Beat with a wire whisk until completely combined.
6. Add the egg, the egg yolk, 1 tablespoon of vanilla and ½ teaspoon of almond extract (optional) and beat with a wire whisk until the mixture is completely smooth.
7. Add the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula just until barely combined. Add the chocolate chips and stir until mixed evenly throughout the dough.
8. Add ¼ cup brown sugar and ¼ cup granulated sugar to a small bowl and stir to combine.
9. Form the cookie dough into balls that are roughly the size of ping pong or golf balls - about 40 grams of dough per ball. Roll the cookie dough balls in the sugar and place on your parchment lined baking sheet. Space the cookies at least 3 inches apart.
10. Bake the cookies in the center of the oven for 12 - 14 minutes. When done, they will appear set but still slightly underdone in the center.
11. Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes, until they've firmed up enough to be transferred with a spatula to a wire rack. Allow to cool completely then store the cookies in an air tight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

For more of my recipes, visit alittleandalot.com and ofbatteranddough.com.

Photo byRebecca Blackwell/ rebeccablackwell.com

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