A Darned Fine Cookie

I'm not a rabid fan of them, but I certainly enjoy a good chocolate chip cookie now and again. Usually, however, they are too: cakey (which I don't mind too much), brittle, dry, or greasy. (Or, you know, if it comes from a vending machine, underbaked, stale, and sucky.)

When the May/June 2009 issue of Cook's Illustrated arrived (my sister and I both have subscriptions), my sister was eager to try their recipe for "Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies." And oh, boy, were they tasty! A rather gigantoid cookie, it was both browned and still chewy, with a lovely nutty flavor that came from--no, not nuts or nut flour--pre-browned butter! Releasing the rich, nutty, carmelized flavor of browned butter before mixing the butter with sugar mimics toffee (whose ingredients are cream, butter, and sugar). What a concept!

What I also like about this recipe is that it uses a flour/sugar/butter ratio that results in cookies that are not too greasy or brittle, nor too cakey. And it calls for two teaspoons of vanilla, which adds a depth and richness of flavor, and one teaspoon of salt, which lends just the right salty foil to the sweet cookies.

Over the weekend, to treat my sister and brother-in-law, who are going through the stress of moving, I made a batch of these beauties. After patiently following the recipe--which calls for four rounds of stirring a butter/sugar/egg/vanilla mixture, then letting it sit for 3 minutes (to better incorporate the sugar and butter)--I collected my scrumptious reward. The flavor of the cookie itself is so good, I looked forward to bites without chips, and I am seriously considering making a batch of the cookies sans chocolate chips.

Here's the recipe, with full credit given to the alimentary acrobats over in Brookline, MA:

"Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
Published May 1, 2009.   From ATK Books.

Makes 16 [ed. note: big-a**] cookies.

Avoid using a nonstick skillet to brown the butter; the dark color of the nonstick coating makes it difficult to gauge when the butter is browned. Use fresh, moist brown sugar instead of hardened brown sugar, which will make the cookies dry. This recipe works with light brown sugar, but the cookies will be less full-flavored. For our winning brand of chocolate chips, see related tasting.

Ingredients

1 3/4	cups unbleached all-purpose flour (8 3/4 ounces)
1/2	teaspoon baking soda
14	tablespoons unsalted butter (1 3/4 sticks)
1/2	cup granulated sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
3/4	cups packed dark brown sugar (5 1/4 ounces) (see note)
1	teaspoon table salt
2	teaspoons vanilla extract
1	large egg
1	large egg yolk
1 1/4	cups semisweet chocolate chips or chunks (see note)
3/4	cup chopped pecan or walnuts, toasted (optional)

Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large (18- by 12-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.
   
2. Heat 10 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and, using heatproof spatula, transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter until completely melted.
   
3. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Let mixture stand 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny. Using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (if using), giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.
   
4. Divide dough into 16 portions, each about 3 tablespoons (or use #24 cookie scoop). Arrange 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets, 8 dough balls per sheet. (Smaller baking sheets can be used, but will require 3 batches.)
   
5. Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 10 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely before serving."

And a helpful tip, which I also followed:
"Don't Bake in Batches
Baking two trays at a time may be convenient, but it leads to uneven cooking. The cookies on the top tray are often browner around the edges than those on the bottom, even when rotated halfway through cooking."