American
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chewy brown butter chocolate chip cookies with restored butter moisture, a whole egg plus yolk, chopped 60–70% chocolate, and flaky salt.
24 servings · 25 minutes prep · 12 minutes cook
Ingredients
Main
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 16 tbsp unsalted butter, for browning
- 1 1/2 tbsp water, to replace moisture lost while browning the butter
- 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 12 oz chopped 60–70% bittersweet chocolate, chopped into irregular shards
- 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt, for finishing before baking or immediately afterward
Directions
Method
- Whisk all purpose flour, baking soda, and kosher salt in a bowl until evenly combined.
- Melt the unsalted butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring and scraping the bottom, until the milk solids turn deep golden and smell nutty. Remove from the heat and carefully stir in the water; it may sputter. Cool until the brown butter is opaque and slightly thickened, not merely room temperature.
- Whisk the cooled brown butter with the dark brown sugar and granulated sugar until glossy and thick. Beat in the whole egg and yolk, then mix in the vanilla extract.
- Fold in the dry ingredients just until no floury streaks remain, then fold in the bittersweet chocolate so the irregular shards are distributed throughout. Cover and refrigerate the dough for 24 hours so the flour hydrates and the flavor deepens.
- Heat the oven to 350F. Scoop 2 tbsp portions onto parchment-lined sheet pans, leaving room for spread. Sprinkle lightly with the flaky sea salt now, or reserve it for the moment the cookies leave the oven.
- Bake until the edges are golden and the centers still look soft, 10-12 minutes. If reserved, sprinkle immediately with the flaky sea salt. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack.
