Every person has that one recipe that is their specialty. When my friends, this is mine! Browned Butter Sea Salt Cookies. I actually got the idea from these cookies from the Brown Butter Cookie Company in Cayucous,CA. The girlies and I stopped there a few years ago while on vacation, however these cookies cost $13 for a dozen, so I knew I could make these for a little cheaper.
These cookies are basically a shaped shortbread, but they are AMAZING! The vanilla and brown sugar work well together and harmonize with the butter and sea salt for a cookie that is rich, crumbly, and not too sweet.
You are going to need flour, unsalted butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and sea salt (however, I use kosher salt because it's cheaper and I like the crystal size.)
You will also need baking soda.
You will need cookie sheets, a bowl, a wooden spoon, whisk, a tablespoon, parchment paper, and a cooling rack (if you have one), and a saucepan.
Put the butter in your saucepan, the brown sugar in your bowl, and start to melt the butter over medium heat.
Keep cooking the butter until it becomes light brown and smells nutty, You will also see little brown bits floating in it. Don't worry, these are just butter solids and are a key part of browned butter. Your butter should be this color.
Pour your butter into the brown sugar and add your vanilla.
Mix thoroughly.
Now add your flour and baking soda and mix until well blended.
The mixture should be semi dry and crumbly, but still moldable. If your mixture is too crumbly, add a water 1 tablespoon at a time until it has the consistency of playdough or kinetic sand. Now shape your cookie dough into tablespoon sized balls. The easiest way to do this is by using an actual tablespoon.
Pour your preferred salt on a plate. And roll your cookies in it. If the salt isn't sticking, you can always use your finger to press the salt in.
Bake in the oven at 325 for 12-15 minutes or until a light golden color.
Yummy!!!
Both the hubby and the girls love these, so much in fact, that I have to make extra and hide them so that the family doesn't eat them all!
Here's the recipe.
- 3 sticks unsalted butter
- 1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- Sea salt for sprinkling (preferably coarse or flake style)
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter until it starts to caramelize and brown. It should smell nutty and you will see brown bits at the bottom of the pan. Be warned, if you burn the butter you will have to start over.
- Pour browned butter into a medium bowl and stir in brown sugar and vanilla.
- Add the flour and baking soda to the butter mixture until combined. Let cool to room temperature.
- Using a tablespoon or small scoop, drop dough onto cookie sheet.
- Sprinkle with sea salt and lightly press into top of cookies.
- Bake 15 minutes or until lightly golden. Don't overcook, or cookies will be too dry, crumbly, and rock hard.
Now some recipes recommend that you dip these in semi-sweet chocolate, and you totally can, but these cookies are pure perfection to me and don't really need the chocolate in my opinion...and that is coming from a chocoholic.
I hope you enjoy these cookies as much as we do!
