On a cold winter day, there is nothing better than warm chocolate chip cookies with hot cocoa or cold milk. Almost everyone has a favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe Some cookies may be completely crisp; some may be very soft. I like mine crisp on the outside and ooey, chewy, chocolatey on the inside. In this version, I have added a twist: These cookies were made with browned butter that adds a big flavor burst, but they are still crisp on the outside and chewy and chocolatey on the inside. Warning: If you eat one, you will want more!
THE INSIDE SCOOP
When both volumetric and weight measures are provided, the volumetric measures should be considered approximations. The standard measure for a cup of flour is 120 grams. By volume, this measure will typically be less than 1 cup. When baking, it is always best to use a food scale to measure dry ingredients, especially flour. However, if you don’t have a food scale, sift the flour three times, then spoon the flour into a measuring cup and use the flat edge of a knife to level it off. This should result in a cup of flour that weighs about 120 grams.
Brown Butter- So Good Musicians Rap About It!
American butter is 16%-18% water, 2-4% milk solids plus sometimes salt, and about 80% butterfat. When butter is browned, the water cooks out of the butter and the fat becomes more concentrated and takes on an amazing nutty flavor. However, removing the water and concentrating the fats create quite a challenge in finding the right balance between the fats, flours, and additional ingredients in baked goods. The weights for most ingredients is the most accurate way of achieving desired results.
To brown butter: Do NOT use a non-stick or dark colored skillet to brown the butter. It is essential to be able to determine the color of the butter as it browns. Once the butter melts and the water evaporates, the butter will brown quickly and can burn easily if not removed from heat in time.
Before browning the butter, place a plastic container in a bowl filled with a couple inches of ice water. Do not use a metal or glass container as the browned butter can pick up a metallic taste as it cools and a glass container can crack. Be sure the inside of the container remains dry. Once the butter browns to a golden color, it needs to be cooled immediately, otherwise it will continue to cook and can burn.
As the butter browns, it will become somewhat foamy and browned milk particles will sink to the bottom. The browned milk particles have a wonderful nutty flavor and are good to include in the cookies. However, if the butter has burned slightly, pour the browned butter through a small sieve and into the container. This method will remove most of the burnt milk particles.
When you are done, you will have a beautiful, deep golden brown butter with darker milk particles on the bottom. The darker milk particles are completely useable and very flavorable.
Let the browned butter cool completely and become firm, but not hard. Once the water is cooked out, browned butter will become much harder than the original butter if chilled. Browned butter adds an excellent flavor to most foods that are cooked in butter. I typically brown a pound of butter at a time and store the extra for the next time I want it. To store, cover and refrigerate. Note: Butter can be browned several days in advance.
For this recipe, measure out 205 grams of the firm, room temperature browned butter.
Just a Few More Notes:
Dark brown sugar is necessary for this recipe because dark brown sugar has a higher moisture content than light brown sugar or granulated sugar, due to the greater amount of molasses left in the sugar, and replaces some of the moisture that was removed from the butter. Four teaspoons of water are added to the cookie dough, also, to replace the water cooked out of the butter.
Avoid incorporating excess air into the cookie batter by gently folding the wet and dry ingredients together.
I always recommend lining baking sheets with parchment paper. Parchment paper helps to improve uniform browning on the bottom of baked goods, and it ensures that the cookies will be removed from the baking sheet easily.
For a uniform appearance and even baking, roll the cookie dough into balls and flatten slightly. Space cookies 3″ apart on the baking sheet so they can spread while baking.
Be sure to bake cookies only 15 minutes; DO NOT OVERBAKE! Overbaked cookies will be very dry.
A delightful Chocolate Chip Cookie that is LOADED with chocolate chips and made with Browned Butter! In one word: YUM!!!!! Make the Browned Butter: Fill a medium bowl with approximately 1 -2 inches of ice water. Place a plastic container in the middle of the ice water, making sure to keep the inside of the plastic container dry. Place the butter in a skillet (do not use a non-stick pan or a pan with a dark lining) and place over low heat; cook until butter sticks are melted. Continue cooking, occasionally stirring gently, until butter develops a golden color and browned milk solids begin to settle on the bottom of the pan. This may take 15-20 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and pour the browned butter into the plastic container sitting in the bowl of ice water. This will prevent the hot butter from continuing to cook and thus, burning. Let the butter cool until it has solidified and cooled to room temperature. To Make the Cookies: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the 205 grams of prepared browned butter and the dark brown sugar on low speed. Add the eggs, water, and vanilla; mix on low speed until eggs are completely incorporated and mixture is light. By hand, stir in the flour mixture. Measure out 1 ounce of dough (about the size of a walnut) and flatten slightly for each cookie. Place on lined baking sheets, spacing cookies about 3” apart. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes, until cookies just begin to brown around the edges. Cookies will be soft to the touch. Let cookies cool on the baking sheets for 3-4 minutes until firm, then transfer to a cooling rack. Repeat until all of the cookie dough has been baked. Let cookies cool completely, if you can wait that long, or at least until they are cool enough that they won’t burn your mouth! Enjoy! Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
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A delightful Chocolate Chip Cookie that is LOADED with chocolate chips and made with Browned Butter! In one word: YUM!!!!! Make the Browned Butter: Fill a medium bowl with approximately 1 -2 inches of ice water. Place a plastic container in the middle of the ice water, making sure to keep the inside of the plastic container dry. Place the butter in a skillet (do not use a non-stick pan or a pan with a dark lining) and place over low heat; cook until butter sticks are melted. Continue cooking, occasionally stirring gently, until butter develops a golden color and browned milk solids begin to settle on the bottom of the pan. This may take 15-20 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and pour the browned butter into the plastic container sitting in the bowl of ice water. This will prevent the hot butter from continuing to cook and thus, burning. Let the butter cool until it has solidified and cooled to room temperature. To Make the Cookies: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the 205 grams of prepared browned butter and the dark brown sugar on low speed. Add the eggs, water, and vanilla; mix on low speed until eggs are completely incorporated and mixture is light. By hand, stir in the flour mixture. Measure out 1 ounce of dough (about the size of a walnut) and flatten slightly for each cookie. Place on lined baking sheets, spacing cookies about 3” apart. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes, until cookies just begin to brown around the edges. Cookies will be soft to the touch. Let cookies cool on the baking sheets for 3-4 minutes until firm, then transfer to a cooling rack. Repeat until all of the cookie dough has been baked. Let cookies cool completely, if you can wait that long, or at least until they are cool enough that they won’t burn your mouth! Enjoy! Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
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