The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies - Ever

Browned butter, dark chocolate and salt. It's actually perfect

I must admit, in my lifetime I haven't come across many cookies that I absolutely love so I haven't really always been a cookie/biscuit person. I do have a major exception for Lemon Creams with tea after supper though - my fave. But these chocolate cookies are so basic and delicious and sometimes that's just what you need. No sprinkles, speciality nuts, everything-but-the-kitchen-sink added, just a good ol' choc chip cookie. It's an adaptation of all my favourite recipes, but simplified with no mixer required.

As with most of the chocolate things I bake, I use dark chocolate. This is for two reasons: one, it balances the great deal of sugar that gives this cookie its texture, resulting in a more sophisticated cookie rather than a kid's party treat. Two: I lie to myself and say it can't be THAT unhealthy because it contains a "superfood" (LOL). You can most definitely go 50/50 on the chocolate with milk and dark, its all up to you.

As for the star of this show, the browned butter, it's a simple but bit of a lengthy process (in comparison to making cookies normally) which is a non-negotiable step. It elevates your bake and gives off the most delicious smell you never thought butter could do. As for the brown bits at the bottom of the pan when browning your butter, don't toss it out! scrape all that flavourful goodness and use it in your cookies.

I love a little variation when it comes to baking to suit preferences and this recipe is here to cater for the chewy and crunchy cookie lovers. A quick test showed that baking these cookies on a silicone mat will spread out more, resulting in a crunchier cookie while baking on a normal oven tray with non-stick spray results in a higher and chewier cookie with crispy edges. After baking, allow the cookie to sit for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack because it'll be soft and will break if you pick it up immediately/fall through the cooling rack.

I hope all these tips help you in making delicious chocolate chip cookies!

Ingredients:

• 250g butter

• 200g soft brown sugar/Muscovado sugar

• 100g white sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla essence

• 340g flour

• 3g baking powder

• 3g baking soda/bicarb

• 1 tsp salt

• 200g 70% dark chocolate/100g milk chocolate + 100g dark chocolate

Method:

1. Brown your butter by adding the butter to a small pot on medium heat. Once the butter has melted, keep an eye on it as it continues to simmer and skim the foam off the top of the butter with a slotted spoon. After about 10-15 minutes, your butter will be an amber colour with brown bits at the bottom, that's when it is done and will smell like cookies as is. Add it to another bowl to cool down, scraping out the brown bits.
   

2. Whisk together your cooled butter, soft brown sugar and white sugar. Add your eggs one at a time until you have a thick batter. Add your vanilla essence for a final whisk.
   

3. Add your flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to the sugar mixture and fold in halfway. Add your chopped chocolate to the cookie dough and fold in until there are no dry spots.
   

4. Using an ice cream scoop, place scoops of cookie dough on a baking sheet next to each other, no need to leave spaces. Place in the fridge for 4 hours - 24 hours.
   

5. Preheat your oven on 180C. Place 6 cookies on a baking tray, spaced out to prevent the cookies from baking into each other. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
   

6. Once baked, leave the cookies in the baking tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
   

7. To revive the cookies the next day, heat for 10 seconds in the microwave and it'll be good as fresh baked.