Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

By Ben · cooked up in Sprig

These aren't your standard chocolate chip cookies. The secret is browning the butter until it's nutty and fragrant, then mixing it with both brown and muscovado sugars for complex caramel notes. Each cookie gets a sprinkle of flaky sea salt that crystallizes on top as they bake, creating little bursts of salinity against the sweet, chewy interior. The kind of sophisticated treat that turns a simple dessert course into something memorable.

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted European butter
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup muscovado sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups bread flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

• 8 oz dark chocolate, chopped into irregular chunks
• 4 oz milk chocolate, chopped into chunks
• 1 tablespoon flaky sea salt

Instructions

1. Place butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly with a whisk, watching carefully as butter melts, foams, and the foam subsides.
2. Continue cooking until butter turns golden brown and smells nutty, with brown bits on the bottom - about 8-10 minutes. Pour into a bowl including all brown bits and let cool for 30 minutes until room temperature but still liquid.

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the cooled brown butter, both sugars, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth and glossy, about 2 minutes.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk bread flour, baking soda, and kosher salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix just until combined - don't overmix.
3. Fold in both chocolates gently. Cover dough and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight - this is crucial for preventing spreading and developing flavor.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop dough into 3-ounce portions using an ice cream scoop, spacing 3 inches apart.
5. Sprinkle each cookie with flaky sea salt before baking. Bake 10-12 minutes until edges are golden but centers still look slightly underbaked.

1. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes to set, then transfer to a wire rack.
2. For restaurant presentation, place each warm cookie on individual dessert plates with a small scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce if desired.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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