Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Steps

Kid helper. A child can do steps 4, 5 and 6: no knife, no heat. Steps marked “Grown-up” use a knife or heat. Cooking with kids

1. Cut the butter into pieces and melt it in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Keep swirling the pan as it foams and crackles.
   Grown-up: knife, heat
2. When the crackling quiets down and the specks on the bottom turn toasty brown and smell nutty, pour it right away into a large heatproof bowl, scraping in all the brown bits.
   ⏱ Brown butter: 6 minGrown-up: heat
3. Let the butter cool until it is warm but not hot, so it won't cook the eggs.
   ⏱ Cool butter: 15 minGrown-up: heat
4. Whisk both sugars into the butter for about 30 seconds, then

   whisk (how to whisk)

   Whisk Beat ingredients with a whisk to mix them smoothly or to add air. 1. Use a bowl big enough to whisk without splashing; set it on a damp towel to stop it spinning.2. Hold the whisk loosely and move it in quick circles or side to side, touching the bottom.3. For lumpy mixtures, add liquid a little at a time and whisk after each.4. For sauces on the stove, keep the whisk moving across the whole bottom of the pan. Done when: The mixture is even with no lumps or streaks of egg. How to whisk: mistakes to avoid

   in the egg, yolk and vanilla until the mixture looks glossy and smooth.
   ⏱ Whisk: 1 minKid step
5. Add the flour, baking soda and kosher salt and stir with a spatula until no dry streaks remain.

   Fold (how to fold)

   Fold Combine a light mixture (whipped cream, beaten whites) or chunky add-ins into a batter gently, so it stays airy. 1. Put the lighter mixture on top of the heavier one, or add the flour or chips.2. Cut a rubber spatula straight down through the middle to the bottom of the bowl.3. Sweep it across the bottom and up the side, then turn it over on top.4. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat.5. Stop as soon as no streaks remain. Done when: There are no dry streaks or white blobs, and the mixture still looks light and puffy. Safety: Batters with raw eggs or flour aren't safe to eat raw.How to fold ingredients into a batter: mistakes to avoid

   in the chopped chocolate.
   Kid step
6. Cover and chill the dough so it firms up and the cookies don't spread too thin. You can chill it up to 2 days.
   ⏱ Chill dough: 30 minKid step
7. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and

   line (how to line a pan)

   Line a pan Cover the bottom (and sometimes sides) of a pan with parchment or foil so food doesn't stick and lifts out easily. 1. For a sheet pan, tear parchment the size of the pan and lay it flat.2. For a round cake pan, trace the bottom on parchment, cut the circle out and press it in.3. For brownies and bars, leave two long sides hanging over to make handles (a "sling").4. A little grease under the paper holds it in place. Done when: The paper lies flat with no folds where the batter could run under it. How to line a baking pan with parchment: mistakes to avoid

   two sheet pans with parchment. Scoop 3-tablespoon balls, leaving 3 inches between them.
   350°FGrown-up: heat
8. Bake one pan at a time in the center of the oven until the edges are golden and set and the middles look puffy and slightly underdone.
   350°F⏱ Bake: 12 minGrown-up: heat
9. Sprinkle with a little flaky salt while hot, cool on the pan 5 minutes, then move to a rack.
   ⏱ Cool on pan: 5 minGrown-up: heat

Tap an underlined word for how to do it, or see all techniques.

Tips

• Brown butter can go from perfect to burnt in under a minute. As soon as it smells like toasted nuts, get it out of the pan.
• If the dough was chilled overnight, let the scooped balls sit 10 minutes before baking so they spread a little.

Storage

Airtight at room temperature up to 3 days.

Make ahead

The dough keeps 2 days in the fridge or 3 months frozen as scooped balls (bake from frozen, adding 2 minutes).

How long leftovers keep, and freezing and reheating: leftovers and storage.