Brown Butter Sugar Cookies Recipe

Ingredients

• 15 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick + 7 tablespoons)
• 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 3/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Before You Begin

Portion and bake half the dough first. While that batch bakes, shape the remaining dough.

Avoid nonstick skillets when browning butter. Their dark coating makes it difficult to judge doneness.

Use fresh, soft brown sugar for best results. Older, drier sugar will yield overly dry cookies.

Brown the Butter

Heat 11 tablespoons unsalted butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Swirl constantly until the butter turns dark golden and smells nutty, 1 to 3 minutes.

Transfer to a large heat-proof bowl, then stir in the remaining 4 tablespoons butter until melted. Let rest for 15 minutes.

Preheat and Prep

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat to 350°F. Line two 18×12-inch baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a shallow dish, combine the granulated sugar and 1/4 cup packed brown sugar by rubbing them between your fingers; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder; set aside.

Make the Dough

To the cooled browned butter, add 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar and the salt. Stir until smooth, about 30 seconds.

Scrape down the bowl, then add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Mix until just combined, about 30 seconds.

Scrape down the bowl again, add the flour mixture, and stir until no streaks of flour remain, about 1 minute.

Shape and Coat

Divide the dough into 24 balls, about 2 tablespoons each (approximately 1 1/2 inches in diameter). Toss each ball in the reserved sugar mixture to coat.

Arrange 12 balls per sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Depending on the size of your baking sheets, you may need to bake in batches.

Bake the Cookies

Bake one sheet at a time until the edges are set but the centers remain soft. The cookies will look underdone between the cracks, about 12 to 14 minutes. Rotate the sheet halfway through baking.

Cool and Serve

Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once cooled, serve and enjoy your delicious cookies!