merrifood

Browned butter sugar cookies

Posted by merrifood on September 3, 2012 · 4 Comments 

So it’s been too long, and I have an amazing amount of food exploration stories to share, from markets in Manila and Singapore to enjoying Spanish tapas in Manila and authentic French food in Cebu…but alas, the pace of life right now is such that I barely have 5 minutes a day to myself, much less to write blogs about all these amazing experiences.  I’ll try to find the time!  But for now, you’ll have to content yourself with another cookie recipe (mostly because I miss making cookies so much).  These are one of my rare non-chocolate creations but are absolutely delicious due to the addition of browned butter, the best thing to ever happen to butter.  Definitely easy enough to make on your average night, this is just a nice mid-week (or happy Monday) treat.

Browned butter sugar cookies (adapted from Let’s Dish)

I made a half recipe, so it just made about 15 cookies.

Ingredients
7  tablespoons / 100 g butter
1/8 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed dark brown sugar, divided
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon table salt
1 large egg
1/2 tablespoon (so 1.5 teaspoons) vanilla extract

Directions

So, first you have to brown the butter.   Browning butter makes pretty much everything taste better and I highly recommend it.  It’s really easy to do – just put the butter in a pot, turn it to medium heat, and watch it melt.  After it’s melted it will start to bubble and foam, turn the heat down and keep an eye on it, stirring frequently.  Eventually (after about 5 or so minutes) it will start to give off this amazing hazelnutty aroma – then it’s done.  Watch it carefully if it’s your first time browning butter because you don’t want it to burn.  I typically take it off the heat and put the pot in the refrigerator for at least 5 minutes to cool.  If you want to brown the butter in advance and save it for later, that’s fine too – it will solidfy, but just use a fork to break it up.

Heat the oven to 180 C / 350 F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or coat with cooking spray).  In a small bowl, mix the sugar with 1/8 cup brown sugar and set it aside.

Add the remaining brown sugar and salt to the somewhat cooled butter and mix until no lumps remain.  Then add the egg and vanilla and mix until thoroughly combined.  Add the baking soda, baking powder, and flour and mix until combined – you should be able to pick up pieces of the dough.  No slightly runny dough allowed here; if it’s still too thin, just add more flour bit by bit until you can pick it up.

Form the dough into little balls and then roll them in the sugar mixture to coat them (like a delicious little browned butter snickerdoodle).  Place them on the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.  Bake one sheet at a time until cookies are browned and still puffy and edges have begun to set but the centers are still soft, 8-10 minutes.  Per usual, do not overbake! Cool for 1-2 minutes on the baking sheets and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.  Enjoy!

Little assembly station for the cookies – dough, then sugar, then baking sheet

Cookies puffing up nicely in the oven

Final product

Man this just made me miss baking so much.  I have got to break into the kitchen of my hotel and just take over.