soft center ♡

Everyone says they have the best classic chocolate chip cookie recipe. I don’t know if mine is THEEE BEST, but it’s pretty darn good, so you should give it a try 🙂

lots of brown butter, way too much chocolate, crispy edges and a really soft center (hehe). they’re especially good warm with flaky salt on top.

brown butter chocolate chip cookies

• 113 g (1 stick) unsalted butter 
• 140 g dark brown sugar
• 30 granulated sugar
• 1 Egg
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• 147 g all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp baking soda (for rise)
• 1 tsp baking powder (for spread)
• ½ tsp kosher salt, plus flaky sea salt for topping
• 140 g semisweet/bittersweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

instructions:

1. add the butter to a small saucepan over medium heat. let it melt, then continue cooking, stirring frequently, until it begins to foam and the milk solids at the bottom turn golden brown and smell nutty. take it off the heat and let it cool for about 10–15 minutes
2. in a large bowl, whisk together the brown butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until combined
3. add the egg and vanilla and whisk until the mixture looks smooth and glossy
4. add the flour, baking soda, and salt
5. fold everything together with a spatula until just combined (there should still be some streaks of flour). try not to overmix!!
6. Fold in the chocolate chips or chopped chocolate. i like saving a little chocolate to press into the tops of the cookies before baking
7. cover the dough and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. you can leave it longer if you want a slightly thicker cookie and a deeper flavor.
8. while the dough chills, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. scoop the dough into 12 balls (about 2 tbsp each) and place them a few inches apart on the baking sheet.
9. press a few extra pieces of chocolate on top if you want 🙂
10. bake for around 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are golden but the centers still look slightly underbaked. they’ll continue to set as they cool, so don’t wait for the centers to look completely done!
11. let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5–10 minutes (if you can wait) before moving them to a cooling rack
12. finish with a little flaky sea salt while they’re still warm and more chocolate if you want. enjoy!!

notes:

• brown butter: keep an eye on your butter once it starts foaming because it can go from perfectly browned to burnt pretty quickly. it might help to do this step in a light-colored pan so you can see what’s happening. you’re looking for little golden-brown specks at the bottom and a nutty smell.
• chilling the dough: i recommend chilling for at least 30 minutes! this helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much and gives the brown butter flavor a little more time to develop. if you’re feeling extra you can even chill them overnight!
• chocolate: chopped chocolate will give you those melty chocolate pools, while chocolate chips will hold their shape more. i usually like using a mix of both 🙂
• don’t overbake: take the cookies out when the edges are set but the centers still look a little underdone. they’ll continue baking on the hot tray as they cool, which is what keeps the centers soft.
• flaky salt: technically optional but soooo good with the brown butter + chocolate. sprinkle it on while the cookies are still warm. i love maldon sea salt, but any brand will work.
• make ahead: you can keep the dough covered in the fridge and bake it later. if the dough gets really firm, just let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes before scooping. you can also scoop the dough and freeze them, then when you’re ready to bake, bake for 13-14 minutes, no need to defrost.

hope you like them!

love,

Constance ❤