Chewy Brown Sugar Cookies

Mother Nature, I have some beef with you.

First, you bring the initial polar vortex.  I was going to be angry with you then, but it was winter break so I didn’t actually have anywhere pressing to be.  I could sit indoors every day wrapped in a blanket with a mug of tea, and that was perfectly acceptable.  But I felt bad for all those poor souls who had to traipse out into subzero temperatures and roads so slick that my dad literally slid through a red light.   You still screwed those people over pretty bad, Mother Nature.  Still, though, I was willing to give you a free pass.

You brought us those 40 degree days, and I happily watched my previously snow-filled front lawn show patches of green.  I should have known that was just a tease, because 40 degree days in January can only be a lull in what will still be a pretty shitty winter.  But, I figured we’d just go back to the mid-20s or 30s.  I mean, we live in Illinois, not Minnesota.  But no, then Polar Vortex: Act II rolled on in.

Today it is supposed to be one degree as a high.  Which means it will probably hover more around 0 or a few degrees below zero for most of the day, and why is this winter going and pulling a Snape on all of us?  Are you our friend or are you not?  I just want to know.  Because some days I think, hey, this winter isn’t that bad, and then other days it’s a real big you-know-what.

So, Mother Nature, get your act together and make winter behave.  Because I don’t think my wardrobe can handle any more of these crazy weather fluctuations.

On a less frustrating note, I made these cookies for a surprise birthday party on Friday and then – SURPRISE – promptly forgot to bring them.  Luckily, I had a dinner party in my calendar for the next night, and just brought them to that.  I’m happy to report that they were a hit!

These cookies include my absolute favorite ingredient – browned butter!  There is not one cookie made with browned butter that I do not love.  There something about the flavor that I think just adds so much to an otherwise simple cookie.  Here, the combination of the browned butter and brown sugar gives it almost a touch of a molasses taste.  It’s delicious, and the perfect winter cookie!

Chewy Brown Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

14 tbsp butter

1 3/4 cups dark brown sugar

2 1/4 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1 egg plus 1 egg yolk

1 1/2 tbsp vanilla

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.

In a bowl, mix together the 1/4 cups of sugar and brown sugar, and set aside for later.

Melt the butter in a medium saute pan and heat until it turns a golden brown and smells nutty.  Whisk occasionally to keep the butter from burning.  When it is browned, pour it into a bowl and let it cool for 15 minutes.

Add the sugars to the butter and whisk until well combined.  Add the egg and egg yolk, mixing it well.  Add the vanilla and mix again.

Stir in the flour mixture until a dough forms.  Scoop the dough into about 1 and 1/2 tbsp sized balls, and roll the dough in the sugar mixture you made before.  Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.

Source:  Joanne Eats Well With Others