Salted Brown Butter Cookies
Serves: 6
Lelia Marks
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
58
Spice
50
Sweetness
49
Sourness
40
mins
Prep time (avg)
4.8
Difficulty
Ingredients:
3 tsp
Fine Sea Salt2 cups
All-Purpose Flour1 cup
Cornstarch1 large
Egg1 tsp
Vanilla1 cup
Water1 tsp
Lemon Juice (fresh)Directions:
1
Make cookies: Melt butter in a 1- to 2-quart heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, then cook over low heat, swirling pan occasionally, until butter has a nutty aroma and is a rich brown color, and bottom of pan is speckled with browned bits of the milk solids, 8 to 10 minutes
2
Transfer to a bowl, including browned milk solids on bottom, and chill until almost firm, about 30 minutes
3
Whisk together flour and cornstarch in a bowl
4
Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, then beat in egg, salt, and vanilla
5
Add flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined well
6
Form dough into 2 balls and flatten each into a 6-inch disk
7
Chill disks, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firmer, but not hard, 15 to 30 minutes
8
Heat oven to 350°F with rack in middle position
9
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper
10
Roll out 1 disk of dough (keep remaining dough chilled) between 2 large sheets of wax paper 1/8 inch thick (this is when the rolling pin rings are really helpful)
11
Freeze or chill dough on a baking sheet or tray until firm, 5 to 15 minutes, then cut out as many cookies as possible from dough
12
Transfer cookies to lined baking sheet, arranging cookies about 1 inch apart
13
If the cookies become too warm to transfer, freeze or chill until firm (see Cooks' notes)
14
Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until edges are golden, 8 to 10 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely
15
Meanwhile, gather scraps of dough and repeat cookie process above
16
Parchment can be reused, but make sure baking sheet cools between batches
17
Make more cookies with remaining dough
18
Melt butter in a 1- to 2-quart heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, then cook over low heat, swirling pan occasionally, until butter has a nutty aroma and is a rich brown color, and bottom of pan is speckled with browned bits of the milk solids, 8 to 10 minutes
19
Transfer to a bowl, including browned milk solids on bottom, and chill until almost firm, about 30 minutes
20
Whisk together flour and cornstarch in a bowl
21
Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, then beat in egg, salt, and vanilla
22
Add flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined well
23
Form dough into 2 balls and flatten each into a 6-inch disk
24
Chill disks, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firmer, but not hard, 15 to 30 minutes
25
Heat oven to 350°F with rack in middle position
26
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper
27
Roll out 1 disk of dough (keep remaining dough chilled) between 2 large sheets of wax paper 1/8 inch thick (this is when the rolling pin rings are really helpful)
28
Freeze or chill dough on a baking sheet or tray until firm, 5 to 15 minutes, then cut out as many cookies as possible from dough
29
Transfer cookies to lined baking sheet, arranging cookies about 1 inch apart
30
If the cookies become too warm to transfer, freeze or chill until firm (see Cooks' notes)
31
Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until edges are golden, 8 to 10 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely
32
Meanwhile, gather scraps of dough and repeat cookie process above
33
Parchment can be reused, but make sure baking sheet cools between batches
34
Make more cookies with remaining dough
35
Make icing: Beat together all ingredients in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until just combined, about 1 minute
36
Increase speed to high and continue to beat until icing holds stiff peaks, about 3 minutes in a stand mixer or 10 minutes with a handheld
37
If not using icing immediately, cover surface with a dampened paper towel, then cover bowl with plastic wrap
38
Transfer icing to a heavy-duty resealable bag and press out excess air
39
Snip a 1/8-inch opening in bottom corner of bag, then twist bag firmly just above icing and decoratively pipe icing onto cookies
40
If desired, sprinkle with sanding sugars or colorful sea salts while icing is still wet
41
(For tinted icing, see Cooks' notes
42
) Let icing dry completely (about 1 hour) before storing cookies
43
Beat together all ingredients in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until just combined, about 1 minute
44
Increase speed to high and continue to beat until icing holds stiff peaks, about 3 minutes in a stand mixer or 10 minutes with a handheld
45
If not using icing immediately, cover surface with a dampened paper towel, then cover bowl with plastic wrap
46
Transfer icing to a heavy-duty resealable bag and press out excess air
47
Snip a 1/8-inch opening in bottom corner of bag, then twist bag firmly just above icing and decoratively pipe icing onto cookies
48
If desired, sprinkle with sanding sugars or colorful sea salts while icing is still wet
49
(For tinted icing, see Cooks' notes
50
) Let icing dry completely (about 1 hour) before storing cookies