Brown Butter M&M Cookies
Simple comfort baking
I don’t have much to say about these cookies. They are a simple comfort, perfect for early September days when fall schedules ramp up and sunlight ramps down. I love them best barely warm, when the contrast between crisp edges and chewy middles is at its height. Brown butter and oat flour help temper the sweetness of candy-coated milk chocolate, making these a winner for both kids and adults.
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Brown Butter M&M Cookies
Ingredients:
Makes 18
150g unsalted butter, cubed (cold is fine)
150g all purpose flour
100g oat flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
4g (1 tsp) kosher salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
150g light brown sugar
50g granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
200g M&Ms/Smarties/Cadbury Eggs (chopped into M&M-sized pieces), plus more for the top
Flaky salt
Method:
Brown the butter: Place the cubed butter in a small, light-colored saucepan over medium-low heat. Once the butter has melted, turn the heat up to medium-high. Stir frequently with a heatproof spatula, scraping the sides and bottom of the pan as needed. The butter will crackle, foam, turn clear gold, then finally start browning. It’s done when the crackling subsides and you smell toasted nuts. This process takes about 7-10 minutes total, but the butter can go from browned to burnt in a flash—so keep an eye on it. Pour the butter and all the toasty bits into a medium bowl. Let cool for 10 minutes.
Combine the dry ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk for a good 30-45 seconds to ensure the leaveners are evenly distributed.
Combine the wet ingredients: Whisk the sugars into the cooled brown butter until combined. Whisk in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth.
Add the dry ingredients and chill the dough: Add the dry ingredients to the wet and use a flexible spatula to mix just a few streaks of flour remain. Add the M&Ms and stir to incorporate evenly. Cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes, or until the dough is cool but still scoopable.
Preheat the oven and prepare sheet pans: While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 375F with a rack in the middle. Line two or three baking sheets1 with parchment paper.
Portion the dough: Portion the cookie dough into 18 equal golf-sized balls, about 45-47 grams each. (At this point, you can chill the dough balls for another 1-2 days or freeze for longer storage. If baking dough that has been refrigerated for a day or longer or frozen, place dough balls on the sheet pan to warm up while preheating the oven — I find they spread better this way. Cookies that have been frozen may take a minute or two longer to bake, and may spread a little less.) Roll between hands into a smooth ball and place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Sprinkle each with flaky salt.
Bake the cookies: Bake sheets one at a time for about 10 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Cookies should be puffed and the tops starting to crack, but the centers should still look a little soft. After removing the pan, bang it a couple of times on the counter to help deflate the cookies and use a round cookie cutter or spoon to nudge the cookies into perfect rounds, if you like. Press a few more M&M’s onto the surfaces. Cool cookies on the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Storage: Cookies taste best the day they’re baked, but will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
I like to use 2/3 size baking sheets and can fit 9 cookies per sheet. If using a half sheet pan, bake 6 at a time.