I first heard about brown butter on the Great British Baking Show several years ago, and now I see recipes using it everywhere. To make it, you melt butter then continue cooking it to “toast” the milk solids, bringing out a different flavor.
These brown butter almond cookies – which I found at Lovely Little Kitchen – remind me a bit of amaretti. I tweaked the original recipe to add more almond extract and omit the powdered sugar coating (because that’s just messy). They’re destined for my dear friend Diana, one of the very few people in my life who also bakes for me.
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Granulated sugar, for rolling
Preparation
Make the brown butter: In a medium saucepan, melt your butter over medium heat. Continue to cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until the mixture turns brown; it will foam, then start to form brown flecks, after about 3-4 minutes, but keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn. Pour into another bowl to cool completely before using.
In a mixer fitted with your paddle attachment, beat brown butter and sugars to combine. Beat in vanilla extract, almond extract, and eggs. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and beat on low speed to combine. Cover and chill your dough for about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper. Place granulated sugar in a small bowl.
Remove dough from fridge and scoop 1 1/2 inch portions, then roll into balls and coat in granulated sugar. Place about 2 inches apart on your baking sheets and bake for 12-14 minutes, until cookies are set. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then cool completely on wire racks. Makes about 30 cookies.
amy bakes in the 'burgh 