Brown Sugar Cookies

Submitted by Tarbean

"Recipe taken from Cook's Illustrated. Have not tried, but look delicious. "The most efficient way to bake these cookies is to portion and bake half of the dough. While the first batch is in the oven, the remaining dough can be prepared for baking. Avoid using a nonstick skillet to brown the butter. The dark color of the nonstick coating makes it difficult to gauge when the butter is sufficiently browned. Use fresh brown sugar, as older (read: harder and drier) brown sugar will make the cookies too dry.""

 

• Ready In: 1hr
• Ingredients: 11
• Yields: 24 cookies

ingredients

• 14 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 3/4 sticks)
• 1⁄4 cup granulated sugar (about 1 3/4 oz)
• 2 cups packed dark brown sugar (14 oz)
• 2 cups flour (about 10 1/2 oz)
• 2 tablespoons flour (about 10 1/2 oz)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla

directions

1. Heat 10 Tbs butter in 10" skillet over med-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue to cook, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1-3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 Tbs butter into hot butter to melt; set aside for 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350. Line 2 large (18x12") baking sheets with parchment paper. In shallw baking dish or pie plate, mix granulated sugar and 1/4 cup pack brown sugar, rubbing between fingers, until well combined; set aside. Whisk flour, baking soda and baking powder together in medium bowl; set aside.
3. Add remaining 1 3/4 cups brown sugar and salt to bowl with cooled butter; mix until no sugar lumps remain, abou 30 seconds. Scrape down bowl. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined, about 1 minute. Give dough final stire with rubber spatula to ensure that no flour pockets remain and ingredients are evenly distributed.
4. Divide dough in 24 portions, each about 2 Tbs, rollding between hands into balls about 1 1/2" in diameter. Working in batches, toss balls in reserved sugar mixture to coat and set on prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2" apart, 12 dough balls per sheet. (Smaller baking sheets can be used, but it will take 3 batches.".
5. Bake one sheet at a time until cookies are browned and still puffy and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (cookies will look raw between the cracks and seem underdone), 12-14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Do no overbake.
6. Cool cookies on baking sheet 5 minutes; using wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and cool to room temperature.

Reviews

[Yia Yia]

I've been making these cookies for a few years and they are AWESOME! The very best cookie I've ever had, and that includes chocolate chip, which for 50 years had been my favorite. Sweet, buttery-nutty, crispy and tender. SO good!

 

[vickielayn]

Awesome cookie!!!!!

 

[TooAllergic]

These cookies are out of this world. I can't believe I am only the second person to write a review! Another winner from Cook's Ill. ****Warning****Your mouth will water as you eat these! Great with a bit of ginger too--however we usually make them just as the recipe is written--and we savor the intense butter flavor.