Browned Butter Bites

Hi there, stranger!  I've missed you!  Can you forgive me for taking a little hiatus?  You see, Scott and I have been busy lately.  We packed up our apartment and moved across town to our first house.  It has a yard, a basement, and most importantly, a very swanky-looking oven.  Can you fall in love at first sight with an oven?  Apparently so. 

Unfortunately, the oven and I have not had much bonding time.  So far it has a seen a frozen pizza and a 3.75 pound chicken.  Yes, I am confessing to frozen pizza consumption.  I bet you didn't know I ate frozen pizzas.  I didn't either.  It was a moment of unpacking-driven weakness, and  I am happy to report that it was the best frozen pizza I have ever eaten.  I had dreams of being one of those super organized people who stores enough casseroles in the freezer for a week's-worth of eating post-move, but packing got the better of me.  Now, we're here, and we are still unpacking and trying to forget the fact that the basement is utter chaos.  Luckily, yard work is the perfect distraction from unpacking, but it seems to be cutting into my baking time. 

These cookies are the last thing I baked in the apartment.  They were a definite high point to end on.  They are dense and caramely-tasting with the browned butter giving them just the right touch.  I had been wanting to make these for months and finally got the chance to make them for my dad for his birthday. 

If you haven't made browned butter before, don't be daunted.  It is just a matter of watching the pan and making sure it doesn't go from browned to burned.  Plan to park yourself in front of the stove with an eagle-eye on the pan for a few minutes while you make it.  You'll be rewarded for your efforts when you share these others or curl up on the couch with a plate of these cookies and a mug of tea. 

Notes:
Watch the butter carefully so it doesn't burn.  You'll want to use the solids from the brown butter, because they will intensify the flavor.  Make sure you allow the browned butter some time to cool after you make it so the heat of the butter won't cook the egg yolk when you add it.  It doesn't have to be cold, it just has to not be scalding-hot.  This dough will be dry.  You'll need to give it some time to chill and not be afraid to compress it when you shape the cookies.  These cookies taste awesome frozen and at room temperature. 

Adapted from Poppin' Fresh HomeMade Cookies, October 1989(?) issue

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
⅛ teaspoon salt
¾ cup light brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Yields 3 dozen or so cookies, depending on the size.

Brown the Butter:
Place the putter in saucepan, and cook it over low or medium-low heat until it is golden brown.  Once it is browned, carefully transfer the butter to a small measuring cup or bowl so it doesn't continue to cook and so it can begin to cool.  You should have a little less than one cup of browned butter.  If your cooling browned butter has some foam on it, skim it off before using it.  Keep and use the solids that fall to the bottom of the measuring cup or bowl. 

Whisk, Beat, and Chill:
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour and salt, and set aside.  In a separate bowl, beat together the brown sugar with the cooled browned butter.  Add the egg yolk and the vanilla, beating well after each addition.  Add the flour mixture in halves, beating just until all of the flour streaks are incorporated.  Press the dough into a disc, wrap well with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for several hours until thoroughly chilled (2-3 hours) or overnight.

Shape and Bake:
Adjust the oven racks to the upper and lower thirds of the oven, and preheat to 325°F. Line two cookie sheets with Silpat mats or parchment paper, and set aside.  Break off a tablespoon's worth of dough, and compress it into a ball.  The balls do not have to be perfectly round.  Place the ball on the prepared cookie sheet, and repeat until all of the dough has been shaped or the cookie sheets are full.  Bake the cookies at 325°F for 10-14 minutes until the cookies are lightly browned, rotating the sheets halfway through.  Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.  Once cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the freezer.    Pin It