Chocolate Chip Cookies

One bowl on a weeknight, the back of the bag done properly, or a browned-butter project that rests overnight.

Serves

Active45 min

Total13 hr 20

VesselsSHEET PAN + SAUCEPAN + MIXING BOWL

Units

Browned butter, a night in the fridge, a chocolate bar under a knife: the cookie worth planning ahead for.

Adapted from The Food Lab's Chocolate Chip Cookies by J. Kenji López-Alt · Serious Eats.

+ browned butter: nutty milk solids, with an ice cube to put the lost water back
+ overnight rest: flour hydrates and flavor deepens while you sleep
+ hand-chopped bar chocolate: uneven shards make pools and wisps, not polka dots
+ coarse salt finish: a mineral crunch against the sweet

oven to 325°f the next day · parchment-lined sheet pans

8 tbsp unsalted butter

1 cube ice

· about 1 tbsp

brown butter

5 min · swirl to deep brown, then chill with ice 20 min

6 tbsp granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

5 tbsp dark brown sugar

· packed

whip eggs + sugar, fold in butter

5 min · ribbon stage, then fold in brown butter + brown sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp kosher salt

· Diamond Crystal, or 1/2 tsp table salt

whisk dry ingredients

flour + soda + salt

fold in flour mixture

15 sec · low speed, just barely combined

4 oz semisweet chocolate

· bar, chopped into 1/4 to 1/2 inch chunks

MIXING BOWL

mix in chocolate

15 sec · low speed, dough comes together

refrigerate dough

overnight, up to 3 days

scoop + tear dough balls

3 tbsp each, split + restack rough side out

bake

13-16 min · 325°f, rotate pans halfway, edges golden, centers soft

to finish coarse sea salt

sprinkle + press salt

while hot · press to embed, rest 2 min then rack

SAUCEPAN · MEDIUM-HIGH HEAT

MIXING BOWL

SHEET PAN

oven to 325°f the next day · parchment-lined sheet pans. Ingredients are rows; steps merge columns left to right.
1 cube ice, about 1 tbsp
8 tbsp unsalted butter	brown butter, 5 min · swirl to deep brown, then chill with ice 20 min	whip eggs + sugar, fold in butter, 5 min · ribbon stage, then fold in brown butter + brown sugar	fold in flour mixture, 15 sec · low speed, just barely combined	mixing bowl: mix in chocolate, 15 sec · low speed, dough comes together	refrigerate dough, overnight, up to 3 days	scoop + tear dough balls, 3 tbsp each, split + restack rough side out	bake, 13-16 min · 325°f, rotate pans halfway, edges golden, centers soft	sprinkle + press salt, while hot · press to embed, rest 2 min then rack
6 tbsp granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 tbsp dark brown sugar, packed
1 cup all-purpose flour	whisk dry ingredients, flour + soda + salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt, Diamond Crystal, or 1/2 tsp table salt
4 oz semisweet chocolate, bar, chopped into 1/4 to 1/2 inch chunks
to finish coarse sea salt