Brown Sugar Cookies

The latest America's Test Kitchen newsletter arrived in my inbox the other day and the featured video were these Brown Sugar Cookies. I'm a big fan of a chewy cookie and I love the deep rich flavour of brown sugar. I have also been scared of browning butter before and I was looking forward to giving it a try after seeing what I was supposed to be looking for.

These cookies are meant to be chewy, but the recipe says that you should avoid using older brown sugar as it will make the cookies too dry. I did use my not-that-old-but-did-need-to-be-broken-up-with-a-spoon brown sugar, and I think that may have impacted on my slightly crunchy cookies. They are still tasty, but I definately missed the mark on chewiness.

My browned butter was gloriously brown and nutty smelling, but the heavenly aroma was taken to a whole other level when you added the browned butter to the brown sugar. The smell was amazing.

Brown Sugar Cookies
from CooksIllustrated.com

198g unsalted butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cups packed dark brown sugar
2 cups plain flour plus 2 tablespoons
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

Heat 142g butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue to cook, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 57g butter into hot butter to melt; set aside for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 176 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. In shallow baking dish or pie plate, mix granulated sugar and 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, rubbing between fingers, until well combined; set aside. Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder together in medium bowl; set aside.

Add remaining 1 3/4 cups brown sugar and salt to bowl with cooled butter; mix until no sugar lumps remain, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula; add egg, yolk, and vanilla and mix until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Scrape down bowl. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined, about 1 minute. Give dough final stir with rubber spatula to ensure that no flour pockets remain and ingredients are evenly distributed.

Divide dough into portions, each about 1 tablespoon, rolling between hands into balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Working in batches, toss balls in reserved sugar mixture to coat and set on prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart, 12 dough balls per sheet. (Smaller baking sheets can be used, but it will take 3 batches.)

Bake one sheet at a time until cookies are browned and still puffy and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 12 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Do not overbake.

Cool cookies on baking sheet 5 minutes; using wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and cool to room temperature.