I think what I need is someone to catch a grenade for me.
… perhaps someone to throw their hand on a blade for me.
Someone to jump in front of a train for me?
Wait. What? Clearly I have a problem. I can not stop listening to this silly song.
… and now I want people catching grenades. Please.
Actually, no. All I really need is someone to make cookies for. … and maybe someone to push a piano around Los Angeles for me. That would be… odd.
Just listen to the song… most of the words I’ve written will make more sense.
I’ve wanted to make chocolate chip cookies for weeks. For one reason or another I’ve been dilly-dallying with quinoa and scones and vegan cookies.
None of these things really removed my brain from chocolate chip cookies.
Yesterday morning I woke up and browned butter.
See? It’s literally brown. It smells just as delicious as you might imagine. The kind of delicious that you want to rub all of your body. That kind. The good kind.
Once the butter was browned, I knew there were chocolate chip cookies in my future.
I just had no idea how dang good they would turn out. I mean… seriously. I kinda impressed myself.
With browned butter and and AAANNNDDD toasted coconut, these cookies have depth.
If I had to use words to describe them (and I do have to), I would say these cookies are: nutty, toasty, chewy on the inside, crunchy on the outside, studded with dark chocolate, a total high five, and a pat on the back.
And they don’t bake up super flat. They have junk in the trunk… thick thighs… you know what I mean.
Make these. Catch grenades.
Brown Butter Toasted Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies
makes just over 2 dozen cookies
recipe adapted from this smittenkitchen recipe
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and browned to about 3/4 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon salt (depending on how salty you like things)
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup toasted coconut (I used unsweetened, but sweetened will work as well)
1 cup dark chocolate chunks
Place a rack in the center and upper third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. On one baking sheet, spread out shredded coconut. Toast coconut for about 6 minutes, until browned and fragrant. Remove from the oven, place in a small bowl and let cool.
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. The butter will begin to foam and crackle. That’s a great sign. That means that the water is evaporating from the butter. Once the crackling subsides, keep an eye on the butter. The butter solids will begin to brown. You’ll smell the butter as it browns. Once well browned, immediately remove the butter from the flame and place in a small bowl. Removing the butter from the pan will ensure that it doesn’t continue to cook and burn in the hot pan. Allow the butter to cool for a few moments.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, measure granulated and brown sugar. Add the brown butter and beat together, on medium speed, for about 2 minutes. The sugar may still look grainy. That’s ok.
Add the egg and egg yolk and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. The mixture should become silky smooth. Add vanilla extract and beat.
With mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients. Beat until just incorporated. Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a spatula to fold in the toasted coconut and chocolate chips. Dough will be thick.
Cookies can be baked immediately, or the dough can be left in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
Spoon balls by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown but still slightly soft in the center. Remove from the oven. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 5 minutes, before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Store cookies in an airtight container until you can’t help but eat them all. Delicious.
Averie (LoveVeggiesAndYoga)
” They have junk in the trunk… thick thighs… you know what I mean.”
Oh, I love you!
These look amazing and thank you for always making me laugh and drool, allin one.
Lauren at Keep It Sweet
I think I’m missing out on a whole world of brown butter desserts. I need to get on that asap.
ash
I’ve been depressed about exams but your website cheers me up so. Can’t wait to make these! (:
bake love not war
looks delicious!! :)
Kathryn
Mmmm…I did this the other day but made my cookies with cane sugar and chunks of vanilla fudge. Brown butter is completely awesome.
Emily
Magically breaking picture frames are always a gold star in my book. Also, my friends and i have discussed this in depth – clearly mr. bruno is also magical because lugging that piano all throughout LA in a suit and not a single drop of sweat?! magic. pure magic.
Three-Cookies
Its the first time I’ve seen coconut used in choc chunk cookies, it would be awesome. I generally prefer coconut with white/milk chocolate but I suppose toasted will go well with dark chocolate
Anne
oh, man. joy, why do you do this to me? i was just thinking about doing pilates, but now i might bake these cookies instead (because doing both isn’t an option somehow…)!
kimberlycun
browned butter is my kryptonite!
Silvia
Great adaptation, I will surely try them!
Ellen
I’ve been following your blog for over a year now, and every recipe i’ve tried has worked perfectly! And oh my god I spent the entire day yesterday all over yours and other foodblogs looking at recipes for chocolate chip cookies!!! and I kept wondering, why can’t I find a recipe with browned butter in chocolate chip cookies?? Especially on your blog, since you love it so much ;). It’s like you’ve read my mind! I’m definitely trying these soon! (without the coconut though because I’ve never liked it). Thanks and keep on posting these fabulous recipes! You’re my favourite foodblog!
Jessica @ bake me away!
Ooo, I did this (minus the coconut) with Alton Brown’s chewy recipe since brown butter is the best. I ended up freezing most of the dough balls, but then my friend and I finished them off as is. oops…but not. These look fantastic, and I’m intrigued by the coconut!
I like that guy’s hair, by the way.
Ruth
A batch of these coming up this weekend I feel. Coconut AND chocolate AND brown butter!
Francesca
I love that song, I admit it. Also, until I read this, I thought it was “throw my head on a plate” not “hand on a blade”…I googled the lyrics, and you are right.
I like my version better. (like a lot better. hmph.)
Also, the cookies look scrumptious. And browned butter is HEALTHY- it’s BROWN! like “whole-grain” butter or something, right? :)
joythebaker
hahahaa! throw my head on a plate is hilarious!
Valeria
I thought it was head on a plate, too!! ahahah, can’t stop to sing this silly song either!!
Beth
HAH, I laughed out loud when I read this.
jolie from Joeycake
Francesca, that’s awesome!!!!!! I like your version WAY better:) ha!
Mav
Joy, I love you and you are awesome! (Just thought you should know!)
I’ve been lurking on your blog for quite some time but I decided to come out of my silence. I too have been itching to make chocolate chip cookies and just haven’t gotten around to it yet, :-( but these look awesome and I have to make them. I seem to be out of butter (ACK!) but that is something I’m going to remedy, here at 2:30 in the morning! Nothing like a trip to the store and then baking in the middle of the night! :-)
Thank you!