Brown Butter White Chocolte & Macadamia Cookies
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt + more flaky seat salt for sprinkling
- 1 cups roughly chopped white chocolate
- 3/4 cups macadamia nuts, halved
- Brown the butter – To brown butter, melt it in a light-colored pan over medium heat. Once melted, it will start to foam—stir occasionally and watch closely as the milk solids begin to turn golden brown and release a nutty, toasted aroma. This usually takes about 5–7 minutes. Once it reaches a rich, amber color (not burnt!), remove it from the heat immediately and transfer to a heat-safe bowl to stop the cooking. Don’t forget to scrape the brown bits at the bottom—‘yan ang nagpapasarap!
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the brown butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Mix with a silicone spatula until well blended. Add the egg, the additional egg yolk, and vanilla extract, then stir until fully incorporated.
- Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, folding gently just until no visible streaks of flour remain. Be careful not to overmix—the dough should be soft and pliable, but not sticky; it should give slightly when pressed with your finger.
- Fold in the white chocolate chunks and macadamia nuts until evenly mixed throughout the dough. Again, avoid overmixing. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour, or overnight for deeper flavor and better texture.
- When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the dough from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes, or until it’s soft enough to scoop. Use a 1½-ounce cookie scoop to portion out the dough, placing each scoop about 2 inches apart on the baking sheets.
- Bake for 12 to 13 minutes, or until the cookies have puffed up and the edges turn a light golden brown, while the centers remain soft. Take the baking sheets out of the oven and, if desired, sprinkle the warm cookies with flaky sea salt. Let the cookies cool slightly on the baking sheets before serving or transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.