Chewy Brown Butter, Chocolate and Salted Pretzel Cookies
This is one of my most popular recipes and a great go-to cookie recipe for rainy days, cake stalls- everything! I also like to bake these cookies with the kids because you can mix the dough by hand.
It is well worth browning the butter as it gives the most beautiful, toffee-like flavour. To get the perfect chew: be sure to chill the dough for at least a few hours or overnight before baking and don’t over bake! As you’re not using any mixers it’s a nice, quiet recipe too (I make it when Charlie naps).
INGREDIENTS:
180g unsalted butter, browned & cooled until a little warm
150g brown sugar
125g caster sugar
1 free range egg plus a yolk
1 Tbs vanilla extract
275g plain flour, sifted
1 tsp baking soda
Pinch of sea salt
1 block of chocolate, chopped
Handful salted pretzels
METHOD:
Pour your delicious toffee-smelling brown butter into a large bowl. Add the sugar and mix until almost dissolved. Whisk in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract. The texture should be smooth (almost like a butterscotch sauce). In another bowl, sift the flour, baking soda & salt then mix into the wet ingredients until combined. Add chopped chocolate and then roll into a log, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 160 degrees, line a baking tray with paper and remove dough from fridge so it softens a little.
Slice off around 2 TBs worth, roll into a ball and place on the baking tray. Gently press in a chocolate piece and some pretzels on top being careful not to squash it down too much. Leave 2-3cm between the balls.
Bake for 12-15 minutes until JUST starting to brown on the edge and then remove from oven and allow to rest in the tray for about 10-15 minutes. Enjoy!
Notes:
To BROWN BUTTER (do it!), place the butter in a small pan and melt it on medium heat. When it starts foaming up, lower the heat and watch it closely. You’re waiting for the milk solids to reach a nutty chestnut colour and as soon as they do remove it from the heat so it doesn’t burn. It should smell like toffee. If you’re worried about burning, pour it straight into a bowl at this point to help cool it down (and not burn).