Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Slice the butter and add it to a medium saucepan over medium heat.

Stir to melt down, then continue to stir as it goes from melted and bright yellow, to loud and bubbly. Next, it will turn foamy and quiet which is when the browning process happens. Keep stirring and keep a close eye on it as it changes into a rich amber color.

At that point, remove it from the heat and pour into a measuring glass. Drop in 1-2 extra tablespoons of butter until it reaches exactly 1 cup. Stir to melt in the butter and set aside to cool.

In the meantime, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a small bowl and set aside.

Once the brown butter has cooled (it can still be a little warm, just not piping hot), pour it into a large mixing bowl along with the dark brown sugar and granulated sugar. Thoroughly whisk to combine.

Add in the vanilla, lemon juice, egg, and egg yolk and vigorously whisk until the mixture turns a shade lighter.

Pour in the dry ingredients and use a rubber spatula to fold the dough together. Just before the flour is fully mixed in, add in the chopped chocolate and continue to fold until fully combined. The dough will be sticky but should hold its shape when scooped.

Using an ice cream scoop (or 1/4 cup), scoop the dough out onto a plate lined with parchment paper. I like to try and capture a large chunk of chocolate at the bottom of the scoop so when the dough is turned out, there’s a piece of chocolate on the top of every cookie.

Place the plate of cookie dough into the refrigerator uncovered. The dough can be chilled for at least 4 hours but I highly recommend chilling the dough overnight for the best flavor and texture.

The next day, preheat the oven to 350F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place 3-4 cookies onto the tray well spaced apart and bake for 12-14 minutes or until the edges are golden and the center is pale and puffed.

If the cookies bake a little wonky, use the inside rim of a fork to nudge in the sides right when the cookies are pulled from the oven.

Top with a pinch of flaky sea salt and allow the cookies to rest on the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

These cookies are best enjoyed at room temp so dig in!

PS – The dough freezes really well. To keep a stash in your freezer, allow the cookie dough to chill in the refrigerator overnight as instructed. The next day, drop the chilled cookie dough balls into a freezer storage bag and freeze for a few months. Follow all the same baking instructions.