Glitter & Grace

Last summer, I went on a quest to develop a recipe for the perfect chocolate chip cookies. I wanted a rich and buttery dough with hints of butterscotch and plenty of salt. I wanted each cookie to have a perfect, smooth exterior, slightly crisp edges, and a meltingly soft center. I wanted the bursts of rich, semisweet chocolate to complement and offset the sweetness of the dough. After reading many recipes and experimenting obsessively with a number of techniques, I settled on this variation. The detailed instructions might seem more involved than the normal Toll House recipe, but please don’t skip a step. Each component is crucial: the browned butter offers an incredible caramel flavor; whisking the sugar with eggs helps it to dissolve, creating a smoother texture; and letting the dough rest overnight allows the flavors to develop. I love to make these cookies for a special treat, and I hope you will, too!

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes 24 cookies

Ingredients

• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon cold water
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups chocolate chips
• course sea salt, for garnish

Directions

1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Let cook, swirling regularly, until butter becomes fragrant and starts to brown, about 5 minutes.
2. Transfer browned butter to a large bowl. Stir in one tablespoon of cold water. Place in the fridge and let sit, stirring regularly, until it reaches the consistency of softened butter, about 30 minutes.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
4. In another small bowl, whisk eggs with white sugar until the mixture is pale yellow and falls from the whisk in thick ribbons, about 5 minutes.
5. When the butter is cool, beat until light and fluffy. Beat in brown sugar, then egg mixture, then vanilla extract.
6. Add flour mixture and lightly fold until it is partially incorporated. Add chocolate chips and continue folding just until the dough comes together.
7. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 8 hours but preferably overnight.
8. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto baking sheets and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake until lightly golden brown around the edges, about 9-11 minutes.

Notes

• For easy fresh baked cookies anytime, I love to freeze balls of this dough. Simply scoop dough onto baking sheets and place in the freezer until hardened, then transfer to a ziploc bag. To bake, arrange on a cookie sheet, sprinkle with sea salt, and place in a preheated 350° oven for about 12 minutes.