Pecan Brown Butter Cookies

My intrigue with brown butter has been limited. It seemed perhaps like one of those unnecessary gourmet tricks, requiring time, and yielding little difference; rather, just another over-the-top adjective to add onto the title of a simple recipe. But when the inspiration struck today to bake cookies, it was this recipe that I found on the last page of an old Gourmet magazine. I burned my first batch of butter, and was feeling quite skeptical about the whole situation. But I tried again. And it was well worth it.

These cookies have a ridiculous amount of flavor, from both the toasted pecans and the brown butter. The texture is quite crunchy, and the taste quite nutty – making a welcome snack with a hot cup of tea on this overcast autumn afternoon.

Pecan Brown Butter Cookies

adapted from Gourmet | October 2009

Yield: Makes about 18 cookies Active Time: 1 hr Total Time: 1 1/4 hr Ingredients 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1/2cup all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 large eggs 1 cups pecans, toasted , cooled, and chopped Preparation Preheat oven to 350°F with racks in upper and lower thirds. Heat butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until milk solids on bottom are light brown. Transfer to a shallow bowl and chill in freezer until just congealed, about 15 minutes. Blend brown butter with sugars, flour, baking soda, salt, and eggs with mixer until just combined. Transfer to a bowl and stir in pecans. Spoon tablespoons of batter onto parchment-lined baking sheets, arranging them about 1 inch apart. Bake, switching position of sheets halfway through, until browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool (cookies will crisp as they cool).