I am a sucker for crinkly-top cookies.  My favorite crinkly-top cookie of all time, the ginger snap, never fails to turn out tasty AND pretty.  The crinkly top on a ginger snap or snickerdoodle means the cookie is done, but it’s always best to take them out of the oven when they are a bit underbaked.  This way, the top and sides are just a tiny bit crisp and there is soft, chewy deliciousness right under there.  Whew! It gets me hungry just thinking about it!  The browned butter in these cookies makes them caramely and tender, but they tend to get hard the next day.  My solution is to bake as many as you can eat and freeze the dough, rolled and sugar-coated.  You can thaw them or bake them straight from the freezer by adding a few minutes to the baking time.  This way you’ll have warm brown sugar cookies ready to go, whenever you have a craving….which can be dangerous, but so very convenient.

 

 

Brown Sugar Cookies - Cooks Illustrated

14 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup Granulated sugar

2 cups Brown sugar packed

2 cups Unbleached flour plus 2 Tablespoons

1/2 teaspoon Baking soda

1/4 teaspoon Baking powder

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 large Egg

1 large Egg yolk

1 tablespoon Vanilla extract

Heat 10 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue to cook, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter to melt; set aside for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In shallow baking dish or pie plate, mix granulated sugar and 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, rubbing between fingers, until well combined; set aside. Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder together in medium bowl; set aside.

Add remaining 1 3/4 cups brown sugar and salt to bowl with cooled butter; mix until no sugar lumps remain, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula; add egg, yolk, and vanilla and mix until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined, about 1 minute.

Divide dough into 24 portions, each about 2 tablespoons, rolling between hands into balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Working in batches, toss balls in reserved sugar mixture to coat and set on prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

Bake one sheet at a time until cookies are browned and still puffy and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (cookies will look raw between cracks and seem underdone) 12 to 14 minutes. Do not overbake!

Cool cookies on baking sheet 5 minutes; using wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and cool to room temperature.

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