Browned Butter Sugar Cookie

By mbmitch

Ingredients

• 14 tablespoons unsalted butter (1-3/4 sticks)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar (about 1-3/4 ounces)
• 2 cups packed dark brown sugar (14 ounces), divided*
• 2 cups + 2 tablespoons, unbleached all-purpose flour (about 10 1/2 ounces)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Step 1

1) Adjust oven racks to middle and lower middle position. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 large (18 by 12-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper. In shallow dish or pie plate, mix granulated sugar and 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, rubbing between fingers, to combined. Cover with plastic wrap. Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder together in medium bowl. Set aside.

2) Heat 10 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted. Continue to cook, swirling pan constantly until butter it is golden brown (it should smell nutty), 1 to 3 minutes. Watch butter carefully as it can go from brown to burnt quickly. Remove from heat and pour browned butter to large heat-proof bowl. Add remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and mix until melted. Cool for 15 minutes.

3) Add remaining 1-3/4 cups brown sugar and salt to bowl with cooled butter. Mix until no sugar lumps remain, scraping down sides of bowl with rubber spatula. Add whole egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract, mixing well to incorporate. Batter should go from a dark brown color to light. Scrape down bowl. Add flour mixture and mix to just combined. Give dough one final stir with spatula to distribute any remaining dry ingredients.
Divide dough into 24 portions, each about 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoon ice cream/cookie scoop works well here). Shape into balls. Working in batches, roll 12 balls in sugar/brown sugar mixture to coat. Distribute 6 dough balls per baking sheet.

4) Bake two sheets at a time, rotating half way though, until cookies are browned and puffy, about 12 to14 minutes. Edges of cookies should start to set and centers will look soft (cookies will look raw in cracks). It is important not over-bake.

5) Cool cookies on baking sheet 5 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack and cool completely. Repeat above steps, starting with rolling remaining dough balls in sugar mixture. Baking pans can be re-used after baked cookies have been removed. Parchment can also be re-used for second batch. Cookies can be stored in an air tight container. Yield 24 cookies.