Adapted from BraveTart, Stella Parks
The author provides a basic recipe for this famous all- American cookie and then includes variations. My favorite uses browned butter, so that’s the one I’ve included here.
Parks suggests roughly chopping the chocolate, using a mix of dark and milk chocolates, rather than chips. I admit to being lazy and usually resort to the chips. She finishes her cookies before baking with a light sprinkle of chocolate and kosher salt. I also skip this step.
Ingredients
10 ounces unsalted butter
12 ounces (2 ¼ cups) chopped light and dark chocolate (I use chocolate chunks)
12.5 ounces (2 ¾ cups) all-purpose flour
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 tsp Kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling (optional)
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
1 Tbl vanilla extract
1/8 tsp grated nutmeg
2 large eggs, straight from the fridge
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°
In 2-quart stainless steel saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Increase the heat to medium and simmer, stirring with a heat-resistant spatula while the butter hisses and pops. Continue cooking and stirring, scraping up any brown bits that form on the bottom of the pan, until the butter is golden yellow and perfectly silent. Pour the butter into the bowl of a standing mixer, making sure to scrape up all the toasty brown bits and let it cool until it’s semi-solid and opaque.
Place the chocolate in a separate bowl and sift the flour on top. Toss to combine.
In the standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the cooled brown butter, brown and white sugars, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla, and nutmeg. Mix on low speed to moisten, and then increase to medium and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
With the mixer running, crack in the eggs one at a time and continue beating until smooth.
Reduce the speed to low, add the flour/chocolate mixture and combine to form a stiff dough. The dough improves when made a day or two ahead.
Divide into 32 large cookies (1.5 oz. / 2 tablespoon) or 64 small cookies (3/4 oz. /1 tablespoon). I think it’s easiest and looks the best to use portion scoops to shape the dough. Arrange the cookies on parchment lined baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between each.
Bake until the cookies are puffed and pale around the edges but steamy in the middle, about 15 minutes for the large size, 12 minutes for the smaller cookies. If you prefer crunchy cookies, bake 3 to 5 minutes more.
Cool on the baking sheet until set, about 5 minutes. Enjoy warm or store in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature.
You can also form and freeze the cookie dough but let it come to room temperature before baking.
Mmm love the salt idea. That pic is making me drool!