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.
[…] Adapted from Joy the Baker […]