I forget who started it, but at some point, the idea of using brown butter for cookies (especially chocolate chip cookies) hit the mainstream and ended up everywhere. I’ve had several people tell me that they swear by it, that it makes their cookies so much more indulgent, and so on.
At the same time, when I’m making cookies, it’s usually a spur of the moment thing. I’m throwing together a batch for an evening treat, not baking for a potluck the next day. So, I usually don’t want to spend the time browning butter, letting it cool, and then using it.
This time, though, I wanted to try it out. So, I did!
Browning butter isn’t really difficult, but it is a little trickier than you might think if you haven’t done it before. You really benefit from using a light-colored pan, for one thing. If you’re trying to brown butter directly in, say, a cast iron skillet you’ll later use to bake a giant cookie, you’re going to have a hard time seeing what color it is.
Fortunately, I happen to have a few lighter-colored pans and was able to brown some butter just fine. It didn’t darken as much as I thought it would until it cooled, but the end result definitely did what I wanted it to do.
Other than the browned butter, this recipe is a pretty simple one. I mixed in both chocolate chips and pecans since I’m on a pecan kick, but you’re free to do whatever. Add some peanut butter chips, or some mint chips, or some other nuts, or toffee bits, whatever. Just don’t over-do it or you’ll have more mix-ins than dough.
When it’s all done, you have a cookie with crispy edges, a chewy interior, and a rich, almost caramel-like flavor, packed with tasty mix-ins. What’s not to love?
Giant Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie
Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet
- Light-Colored Pan Optional, for browning butter
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- ½ Cup Salted Butter
- ½ Cup White Sugar
- ½ Cup Brown Sugar
- 1 Egg Cold
- 1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
- 1¾ Cups Flour
- 1 Tsp Baking Soda
- ½ Tsp Baking Powder
- 1 Cup Dark Chocolate Chunks
- ½ Cup Chopped Pecans Toasted for extra flavor
Instructions
- Make your brown butter. Melt the butter in either the cast iron skillet or a light-colored skillet (if you need to see what you're doing.) Cook it over medium heat, stirring often, until the milk solids cook a bit and start to brown.
- Once browned, pour the butter into a heatproof mixing bowl. If you browned the butter in the skillet, leave excess butter there so it's greased for later. Otherwise, grease your skillet lightly.
- Let the butter cool for about an hour, stirring occasionally so it doesn't separate.
- Preheat your oven to 350℉.
- Add the sugars to the bowl with the butter and cream it all together. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until it's smooth. Finally, add the baking powder, baking soda, and flour, and mix until it's a dough. Fold in the mix-ins and your dough is ready.
- Spread the dough evenly in your skillet. Bake for 20 minutes or until it is nicely golden. Let cool slightly (another 20 minutes) before slicing, top with your favorite ice cream, and enjoy!