Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup (280g) Unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoon (9g) Baking soda
• 1 teaspoon (4g) Kosher salt
• 2 1/2 cups (340g) All-purpose flour
• 1 cup (223g) Brown sugar
• 2/3 cup (160g) Granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/2 teaspoon (12g) Vanilla extract
• 2 cups (340g) Semi-sweet or Dark chocolate chips/chunks
• Extra chocolate for garnish

Directions

1. In a small saucepan over medium low heat, melt butter. Once completely melted, raise heat to medium high and continue to cook butter.
2. Stirring constantly, bring butter to a boil and continue to heat until it reaches a deep amber color. This should take less than 15 minutes. Remove from heat and pour in a heat safe container, making sure to scrape out the saucepan to keep all of the browned milk solids.
3. Allow butter to solidify at room temperature, or in the refrigerator to speed things up. If the butter becomes to solid, just let it hang out on the counter to soften just like you would with regular butter.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
6. With a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream softened butter with both sugars until pale fluffy
7. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well and scraping after each addition. Add vanilla and mix well.
8. Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until just barely combined. A few patches of flour are alright.
9. Fold in the chocolate chips/chunks. There should no longer be any flour patches at this point. Everything should be just combined, but not over-mixed.
10. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes or until slightly firm.
11. Portion the dough into 2 ounce/ 1/4 cup balls (I use a portion scoop for this step) and place them on the parchment lined baking sheet, spaced evenly apart.
12. Press down on cookies to lightly flatten them. They do not have to be pancakes, but enough to rid of the dome on top.
13. *Optional* Top each cookie with extra chocolate pieces just before baking
14. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the tops are set and the edges are lightly golden.
15. *Optional* Immediately upon removing the cookies from the oven, bang/ drop the cookie sheet onto the counter top. This will push the soft center outwards and create not only pretty cookies, but cookies with a more even thickness
16. Allow the cookies to cool on the tray for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely. Top with sea salt if desired.