Well, it’s officially January 16th. I gave the whole no sugar thing a serious run for 15 whole days. And now, I’m giving in. I mean what’s life without a little sugary indulgence every once in a while? So I decided to go big with my first bite of sugar in 2013 and whipped out the Salted Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies. Ya. They rocked.
I mean, chocolate chip cookies are already pretty awesome as is, but when you add browned butter with a sprinkle of fancy salt and make Salted Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, I mean what else can you really ask for in life?
There are a few things that are certain when I make cookies. Chocolate Chip cookies especially, and please tell me I’m not alone in the following…
1 – I usually end up eating at least 1 full cup worth of cookie dough. Why is it that the dough is just so freaking good? I just throw a solid piece of cookie dough on a spoon and go to town. I can’t be stopped.
2- Fresh cookies out of the oven need to be eaten immediately and the gooey chocolate chips wind up all over my face, hair and clothing. No? This doesn’t happen to you? I don’t understand.
3- The few cookies that survive the “just outta the oven phase” wind up in my freezer because that’s the safe place to store them. If they are in the fridge then I see them all too often and they are gone within 3 seconds. But in the freezer you sometimes forget they are there. And then when a sugar craving comes on, you reach in, grab a cookie (or 4 if your name is Gaby) and zap them in the microwave for a hot few seconds and then they are melty and delicious all over again.
These are all totally normal right?
So I guess the moral of the story is that we all need some Salted Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies in our lives and we’ll just eat a big salad then next day for lunch.
Salted Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 8 oz unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 3/4 cups old-fashioned oats
- 10 oz chocolate chips
- Flaky salt for topping
Instructions
- Cut the butter into small pieces and place them into a small pot over medium heat. Make sure you use a light colored pot so you can easily see when the butter starts to brown.
- Stir the butter so it all melts. As the butter is completely melted, it will start to foam and you'll smell a little nuttiness. (Is that a real word?) The color will start to change from yellow to a golden color. Once the butter is golden brown or tan as I like to call it, remove the pot from the heat and transfer the butter to another bowl to cool. Once the butter is just cooled, you can strain out the little sediments in the butter and you'll be left with a brown nutty butter.
- In a large mixer, combine the melted browned butter and brown sugar with a paddle attachment. Let whisk for 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract. Add the flour, baking soda, sea salt and baking powder and slowly combine, making sure not to over-mix the batter. Add the oats and chocolate chips and combine. Refrigerate batter for at least 1 hour. It's very important to chill the dough since we started with melted butter.
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Using a 1 inch scoop, scoop 12 cookies onto each parchment lined baking sheet and sprinkle the top of each cookie with some flaky salt. Transfer sheets into over and bake for 10-12 minutes until the cookies just slightly turn a golden brown color on the edges but are still soft and chewy in the middle. Remove from oven, transfer to cooling rack. Repeat process for remaining dough.
That is EXACTLY how I react when I make a batch of chocolate chip cookies! Though by the sound of these babies, i doubt I’d be able to make it to freezing any leftovers. Yumness!!
Looks like the perfect way to break the sugar fast!! 🙂
Whoa Nelly! These look incredible!
cookie dough is seriously so addicting!! this is the perfect way to get back into your sugar indulging!! i LOVE the brown butter and salt addition. seriously the best combo in a dessert 🙂
Oh jeez Gaby. I am like one inch from totally falling of the clean living wagon. These cookies are calling for me!
Oh my goodness yes please!!
Oh these look so, so crazy good! Pinned to my ‘recipes to try’ (soon – lol).
Now this is how you do chocolate chip cookies!
At least you tried.. bravo for 15 whole days! I don’t know if I can make it past day 3 … especially with cookies like these calling my name 😉 Delish!
The whole concept of salty & sweet is glorious!
Now those are some seriously cookies. I adore the idea of the brown butter in them. I have made lots of cookies recently with brown butter and they always turn out fantastic!
Must.Try.These.Today!!!
I tried a no sugar diet for a few days. I tried to keep it under 15 grams per day which meant no milk, fruit, etc.. I was miserable! I couldn’t even sleep my body was so off kilter! Everything in moderation!
YES!! agreed! 15 days of no sugar was tough. moderation is key 🙂
Congrats, Gaby. 15 days is a big hit for me. I should give it a try, too. But in the meantime, let me try this cookie first. What else do I need…oatmeal, chocolate chip, sea salt – definitely to die for.
These sound amazing! Definitely saving this one for when I want to jazz up my cookies! 🙂
LOVE salty and sweet combos – you picked a good one to break your sugar-free fast!!!
I find that sprinkling a little kosher salt on top of the cookies just before baking them is what really brings out the chocolate flavor. Give it a try!
Amazing! I have to freeze my extra cookies too, or else they are GONE.
Oh dear! I can tell be the title that I would have to eat the entire batch all by myself, in the closet.
Welcome “back”, Gaby! I’m impressed you held out as long as you did – I’m not sure I would fare so well – 15 days with no sugar might be too much for me. Beautiful photos!
Mmm so fabulous looking. Yum!
Congrats on 15 days of sugar free! I think these cookies are a great way to celebrate!
i made those cookies tonight, they are really delicious!!!!! thank you very much Gaby!! all your recipes are amazing! Even in France you have fans! (but i’m sorry if i don’t speak english very well…)
awwww THANK YOU!!! Sending lots of love to France 🙂
I published the recipe on my blog today (in french) with a link to your website of course, I hope you don’t mind!
These would probably never make it out of the “dough stage”. Yum…
Hey Gaby!
Can I use something else on the cookie sheets besides parchment or wax paper? Can I just grease them? Thanks!
Yes! You can totally just grease them up and bake!
I just moved to Buenos aires recently and was terrified of baking anything in the gas oven that has no settings to guide you as to temperature. But I gave it a go with these cookies – i mixed everything by hand as I also don’t have an electric mixer – and they came out perfectly. Maybe the fact you use melted butter is a little more forgiving? Anyhow, thanks so much, this recipe rocks!!
yay so glad you loved it Dale!! And how fun to be living in Buenos Aires!! Have a great time 🙂 I’ve always wanted to visit!
I just made the dough and put it into the refrigerator to chill gaby is right the dough is awesome can’t wait to taste the finished cookie!!