For National Cookie Day on December 4, MTMI decided to run a cookie recipe contest for a gift certificate for a free, 8-hour webinar. The winner of the contest is Debra S. for her Browned butter & Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Debra sent in the recipe because “it is the perfect mix of sweet and salty. Heaven in a cookie!” She’s been making the easy, show-stopping recipe for years. “I recently added the sea salt and walnuts to my recipe. WOW! The results were incredible.”
A close second place was a Sour Cream Drop Cookie recipe sent in by Jennifer H. Her grandmother would always make the cookies around the holidays. “Whenever I or anyone else in the family makes them, we are reminded of her and Christmas. Fond memories and yummy soft cookies that go down just a little too easy and aren’t too sweet.”
Thank you all for participating in this contest, enjoy the holiday season with these new favorites! The recipes are listed below for you to make on this National Cookie Day, and any special occasion.
Browned Butter & Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 1/4 c. All-purpose Flour
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 c. (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter, softened to room temperature
1 c. packed Light Brown Sugar
2 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
1 tsp. Molasses
1/2 c. Granulated Sugar
1 large Egg
1 large Egg Yolk
1 c. Chocolate Chips
Fleur de Sel (French grey sea salt; ok to substitute with your favorite sea salt flakes) *to taste*
1 ½ c. Chopped Walnuts **optional**
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together flour, salt & baking soda. Set aside.
Start browning ½ cup (1 stick) butter; in a small sized skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Once the butter has melted completely, it will begin to foam and froth as it cooks. The butter will also crackle and pop. That’s the water cooking out of the butter. Swirl pan occasionally (or gently stir). Keep an eye on melted butter. Butter will become very fragrant and brown bits will begin to form at bottom of pan. Once bits are an amber brown, immediately remove pan from heat, pour browned butter (bits and all) into small bowl. (Leaving butter in the pan will burn it.) Allow butter to cool for 20 min.
In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream remaining ½ cup of butter with brown sugar. Cream on med. speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 min. Add vanilla extract & molasses; beat until incorporated.
Once browned butter has cooled, pour butter (& brown bits) into creamed butter & sugar mixture. Add granulated sugar; cream for 2 min., until well incorporated. Add egg & egg yolk; beat for 1 min more.
Stop mixer, scrape bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is evenly mixed. Add flour mixture all at once to butter mixture. Beat on low speed until flour is just incorporated. Remove bowl from stand mixer, use a spatula to fold in chocolate chips and optional chopped walnuts.
Spoon batter onto a piece or parchment paper or waxed paper, roll into a cylinder and seal at both ends. Allow to rest in fridge for at least 30 min.
Place racks in center & upper third of oven, preheat to 350* f. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop dough by the two tablespoonsful onto prepared sheets. Be sure to leave about 2-inches of space between each cookie. Sprinkle each cookie with desired amount of Fleur de Sel, or other flaked sea salt.
Bake for 12 to 14 min of until golden brown. Remove from oven, allow to rest on the baking sheet for 5 min. Use a sturdy spatula to move cookies to a cooling rack to finish cooling. These amazing cookies are at their best on the day they’re baked. You may also freeze the baked cookies and defrost at room temperature for a quick treat. If you do have some uneaten cookies, store them in an air-tight container at room temperature and enjoy the next day, if you’re not going to freeze them.
Sour Cream Drop Cookies
¾ c. Butter or margarine
1 ½ c. Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 c. Sour Cream
2 ¾ c. Flour
½ tsp. Baking Soda
½ tsp. Baking Powder
½ tsp. Salt
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Drop by a tablespoon full on a greased baking sheet. Bake in a 400-degree oven for 8-10 min. Cool on a wire rack. Optional: Frost with frosting once cooled.