Brown Butter Espresso Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Brown Butter Espresso Chocolate Chunk Cookies (sprinkled with a pinch of sea salt no less) are the cat’s meow. The bomb dignity. The goods. The best damn cookies I’ve ever made.

Weekend observations:
I wish cereal was a complete meal.
I wish my kids would stop growing up so darn quick.
I hate that I burn so easily.
I wish that I made more time to do nothing.
I really, really love chocolate chip cookies.

Cold cereal is my kryptonite. It’s my comfort food and was totally my pregnancy jam. I haven’t had a box of Raisin Bran in ages and after buying a box last month, it’s been my lunch and/or dinner more than I’d care to admit the past few weeks. It’s just so darn good. With cold, whole milk…seriously my favorite. I just wish I wasn’t hungry like an hour later. And I could do without the sugar rush. Oh well. Like I said, it’s so darn good.

My boys and I played outside in the yard most of yesterday and I couldn’t help but notice how quickly they’re growing. It’s crazy that I see them every day and yet I don’t always see them, you know? It was like being hit with a stick. I was struck at not only how they’re growing physically but the way they interact with one another and they’re observations of the world around them. It was so so grown up. Of course I’m so proud of them and I know growing up is part of the plan but I couldn’t help but get a little melancholy. I would stop time if I could. It’s going so fast.

Because we played outside most of the afternoon, my cheeks and arms got a little red. It’s just not fair. I had sunblock on and everything. As much as I wish I would tan, it’s never going to happen. I go from white to pink to red. I’m really good about wearing sunblock (though I wasn’t as a kid) but I still fantasize about getting a real tan. #it’snevergoingtohappen

Do you ever feel like you’re on a hamster wheel? Running in circles but not really going anywhere? Yeah, me too. And it finally caught up with me. I had to make a conscious effort to plan nothing this week. It sounds weird but it’s the only way I can slow down. I’ve had so much on my plate the last few months, they’ve flown by in a whirlwind and I’m left feeling like half myself. I purposefully said no to a handful of engagements this week so I could do nothing. I might even be that mom who drops her kids off at school in pj’s and no bra. Forget about a shower.

But you know what makes it all ok? A chocolate chip cookie. I can’t think of anything more comforting than a warm chocolate chip cookie and a cold glass of milk. Cookies are the answer when you just can’t figure it out. The perfect bite when you’re craving something sweet and even better shared with my two favorite rug rats. This recipe produces a soft center with crispy edges. They’re a little more sophisticated than Toll House cookies but rest assured, just as good. Actually they’re better. Now excuse me, I need to go do nothing. And by nothing I mean eat cookies on the couch sans a shower and bra while I reminisce about how my babies are growing up too quickly and search the web for a cute sunhat to keep my sensitive face covered.

Brown Butter Espresso Chocolate Chunk Cookies

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• Yield: 36 cookies 1x

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Description

Brown butter and espresso powder cookie dough studded with dark chocolate chunks. The ultimate sophisticated chocolate chip cookie!

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Ingredients

• 16 tablespoons (1 cup) unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon plain greek yogurt
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt + more for sprinkling
• 4 oz dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used 3 Hershey’s Special Dark bars)

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.
2. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. After a couple of minutes, the butter will begin to foam and turn brown on the bottom of the saucepan. Stir the butter to prevent burning and remove from heat and soon as the butter gives off a nutty aroma. Immediately transfer the butter to a bowl to prevent burning. Let cool for 5 minutes.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, espresso powder and salt; set aside.
4. With an electric mixer, mix the cooled butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Beat in the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and yogurt until thoroughly combined. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and beat on low-speed just until combined. Stir in the chopped chocolate.
5. At this point you can refrigerate the dough for an hour or so as it makes the cookies spread less but honestly, you don’t have to. I’ve done it both ways with great success!
6. Drop dough by the heaping tablespoon onto a lined cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Sprinkle with a bit of seat salt if desired.
7. Bake the cookies 10 minutes or until the edges of the cookies begin to turn golden brown. They will look a bit underdone in the middle, but will continue to cook once out of the oven. Cool the cookies on the sheets for 3-5 minutes. Remove the cookies from the baking sheets and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. These cookies freeze beautifully or can be stored in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Ambitious Kitchen

This recipe was adjusted for my high altitude kitchen. If you don’t need to adjust, increase baking soda to 1 1/2 teaspoons, decrease vanilla extract to 2 teaspoons and increase brown sugar to 1 1/2 cups.