Brown Butter and Smoked Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

<ul class="ingredients-main-list"><li class="ingredients-single-item">225g unsalted butter</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">200g smoked brown sugar (or dark muscovado sugar)</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">100g granulated sugar</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">2 large eggs, room temperature</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">2 tsp vanilla extract</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">280g all-purpose flour</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">1 tsp baking soda</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">¾ tsp fine sea salt</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">225g high-quality dark chocolate, roughly chopped</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling</li></ul>

<ul class="equipment-main-list"><li class="equipment-single-item">Light-colored saucepan (to better see butter browning)</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Stand mixer with paddle attachment</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Baking sheets</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Silicone baking mats or parchment paper</li></ul>

<ol class="no-list-style"><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 1</h4>Begin by browning your butter. Place the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. The light color helps you monitor the browning process. As it melts, the butter will begin to foam and sizzle – this is the water content evaporating. Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom of the pan. After about 5-7 minutes, you'll notice golden brown specks forming and the butter will emit a nutty, toasty aroma. The moment it smells intensely nutty and turns amber, remove it from heat immediately to prevent burning. Pour into a heat-resistant bowl, making sure to scrape all the browned bits (these contain tremendous flavor). Let cool for 10-15 minutes until still liquid but not hot.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 2</h4>In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cooled brown butter, smoked sugar, and granulated sugar. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes until well incorporated. The mixture won't become as fluffy as with regular creaming because the melted butter can't trap as much air, but this contributes to the cookies' chewy texture.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 3</h4>Add the eggs one at a time, mixing for 30 seconds after each addition. The mixture should look glossy and slightly thickened. Beat in the vanilla extract until just combined.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 4</h4>In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and fine sea salt. Add this dry mixture to the butter mixture in three additions, mixing on low speed just until no flour streaks remain. Overmixing develops gluten, which can make your cookies tough rather than tender.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 5</h4>Fold in the chopped chocolate by hand using a sturdy spatula. Using chopped chocolate instead of chips creates delicious chocolate layers throughout the cookies. Some pieces will be larger, creating pockets of melted chocolate, while the tiny shards will disperse throughout the dough, flavoring every bite.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 6</h4>Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, up to 72 hours. This resting period is crucial – it allows the flour to fully hydrate and the flavors to develop complexity. The butter solidifies, preventing excessive spreading during baking, while the sugars gradually dissolve, contributing to better caramelization and texture.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 7</h4>When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 180°C and line baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper. Let the dough sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes to slightly soften – it should be firm but scoopable.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 8</h4>Scoop dough into 60g portions (about 3 tablespoons) and roll into balls. Place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 7-8cm between each cookie to allow for spreading. Sprinkle each dough ball with a few flakes of sea salt, which will enhance both the chocolate flavor and the caramel notes from the brown butter and smoked sugar.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 9</h4>Bake for 11-13 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Look for cookies with golden brown edges but centers that still appear slightly underbaked – they'll continue cooking on the hot baking sheet. For bakery-style cookies with beautiful ripples, you can gently bang the baking sheet on the counter once or twice when you remove it from the oven, which deflates the cookies slightly and creates those appealing ridges.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 10</h4>Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will be quite soft when hot but will set as they cool. For the perfect texture contrast of chewy centers and crisp edges, enjoy a few while still slightly warm, and store the rest in an airtight container for up to 5 days.</li></ol>