What You Need
- 15 tbsp unsalted butter
- 6 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 3/4 cups packed light brown sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Brown the Butter
Melt 11 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, ~2 minutes. Keep swirling until deep golden brown and smells toasted, another 1-3 minutes.
Pour into a large bowl. Stir in remaining 4 tablespoons butter until melted. Cool 15 minutes.
Don’t use nonstick – can’t see when it’s ready on dark surfaces.
Get Ready
Move oven rack to center. Heat to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
Mix granulated sugar with 1/4 cup brown sugar in a shallow bowl, rubbing with your fingers. Set aside for coating.
Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Make Dough
Add remaining 1 1/2 cups brown sugar and salt to cooled butter. Stir ~30 seconds until combined.
Scrape bowl. Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Mix ~30 seconds until blended.
Scrape again. Add flour mixture. Stir ~1 minute until no flour streaks show.
Shape and Coat
Roll into 24 balls using ~2 tablespoons each. Should be about 1 1/2 inches across.
Roll each in sugar coating until covered. Place 12 per sheet with 2 inches between.
Bake
Bake one sheet at a time ~12-14 minutes until edges set but centers look soft. They’ll look underbaked in the cracks – that’s right. Rotate sheet halfway.
Cool
Leave on hot sheet 5 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack.
Cool completely – they firm up but stay chewy inside.
Fresh brown sugar matters – hard sugar makes dry cookies. Bake in two batches. While first batch bakes, shape the second so they’re ready to go.
Brown Butter Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 15 tbsp unsalted butter
- 6 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 3/4 cups packed light brown sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Brown 11 tbsp butter in skillet over medium-high until deep golden, 3-5 min.
- Pour into bowl, stir in remaining 4 tbsp butter until melted. Cool 15 min.
- Heat oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Mix granulated sugar with 1/4 cup brown sugar in shallow bowl for coating.
- Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder in separate bowl.
- Mix remaining brown sugar and salt into cooled butter.
- Add egg, yolk, and vanilla. Mix until blended.
- Stir in flour mixture until combined.
- Roll dough into 24 balls (2 tbsp each).
- Coat balls in sugar mixture.
- Place 12 per sheet, 2 inches apart.
- Bake one sheet at a time 12-14 min until edges set but centers soft.
- Let rest on sheet 5 min.
- Transfer to rack and cool completely.
