Brown butter, crinkly-crackly Butterscotch cookies

  • Yield:30 cookies
  • Time:
    22 mins show details

from thecafesucrefarine.com/cr...


thecafesucrefarine.com/crinkly-crackly-butterscotch-cookies/

This cookie recipe is made in a pot, rather than a bowl. Why? Because the first step in the recipe calls for browning the butter. If you're not familiar with the concept of brown butter, you're in for a treat! Although butter is delicious on its own, taking a few minutes to brown it, adds incredible flavor to just about any recipe that includes butter. The butter concentrates just a bit as any extra moisture is evaporated in the process and the it also takes on a deep, rich flavor that's often described as "nutty

Ingredients

  • 16 tablespoons
    butter, I use salted, 2 sticks
  • 2.3 cups
    dark brown sugar, packed
  • 2
    large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon
    vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon
    baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon
    salt
  • ¼ teaspoon
    baking powder
  • 3 cups
    all-purpose flour
  • Demerara or Turbinado or raw sugar, for rolling
  • flaky sea salt, for sprinkling (I use Maldon)
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Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

  2. 5 mins

    Brown the butter in a large pan

  3. Add the brown sugar and vanilla and stir well to combine. It will look wet and grainy and it’s okay if the butter looks a bit separated at this point.

  4. 5 mins

    Allow this mixture to cool for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, before proceeding.

  5. Whisk in the eggs until the mixture is smooth then add the baking soda, salt and baking powder. Stir until well combined.

  6. With a sturdy spatula or wooden spoon, add 2 cups of the flour and stir until combined.

  7. Add the remaining cup flour and stir, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl, just until the flour is incorporated. The dough will be thick.

  8. Scoop up the cookies in 1½-2 tablespoon scoops.

  9. Roll the scoops into balls then roll them in the sugar to coat.

  10. Scoop and roll the dough balls for both sheets right away as the dough will get stiffer as it cools down.

  11. Place the the rolled balls on the two baking sheets, spacing 2-inches apart.

  12. Sprinkle each ball with a little flaky sea salt, if desired.

  13. 12 mins

    Bake the first pan for 11-14 minutes until the cookies are puffed and cracked and the edges are just beginning to brown a bit. Be careful to not overbake.

  14. Repeat with the second pan.

  15. Sprinkle with a little more flaky sea salt, if desired.

  16. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

  17. Store in an airtight container.

Notes

Dark brown sugar gives these cookies a deep butterscotch flavor. The darker, the better! You might have to experiment a bit to see which brand is available to you that's a darker brown in color. In my area of the country, my local grocery has a generic brand (Laura Lynn) that's nice and dark and I've found that Dixie Crystals are also a deep, rich brown.
One of the beauties of this recipe is that it can be stirred up in one pot without a mixer. That being said, it is a thick dough so if you have trouble stirring, feel free to use a mixer. Either way, mix it just until there is no longer any visible flour. Don't overmix!
It's also important not to over bake these cookies. You want the center to remain moist and chewy so watch them carefully during the last few minutes. Every oven is different but with my oven, 12 minutes is the perfect bake time for these cookies.
I find it best to scoop and then roll all the dough at once even though I only bake one sheet at a time. The dough is easier to shape and roll and the rolling sugar sticks better when it's slightly warm.
These cookies call for a sprinkle of flaky sea salt before baking. Flaky sea salt is not the same as kosher salt although, in a pinch, you could use kosher salt. Flaky sea salt is a finishing salt that adds a fabulous gourmet touch to so many sweet and savory dishes. I like Maldon Flaky Sea Salt which is a favorite of chefs all over the world. A small box will last a long time and is worth every penny!

*How to Make Brown Butter
Heat the butter in a medium-size heavy duty sauce pan over medium heat until it’s melted and starts to make a sizzling noise. Cover the pan with the lid vented and continue cooking until the sizzling sound reduces and the butter begins to foam. Swirl the pan occasionally to redistribute the butter.
Remove the lid at this point and watch carefully. As soon as the foam starts to begin turning golden in spots and the butter takes on a nutty aroma, remove the pot from the heat at swirl the pan to move the butter around.

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