On The Menu: Brown Butter Cookies

I know here we are in January which means that everyone is trying to eat healthier and I am right there with you but during the winter I love spending time in the kitchen. Which means whenever I have free time I am trying new recipes and returning to long time favorites. I almost never bake these cookies but they are my mom's favorite and she made numerous requests for a batch of these over the holidays. They are rich, decadent, and so delicious.

A lot of people get intimidated by the process of browning butter. I do not know how much people have requested this recipe from me after trying the cookies only to later to tell me they failed because they burned the butter. Browning butter takes a little time. I always keep the heat on medium-low and constantly stir the butter until it has a light nutty brown color. After the butter is melted the browning process takes about 10 minutes. I promise this brown butter cookies recipe is very easy to make once you master the butter browning process.

Ingredients:
2 cups butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup chopped pecans
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5-6 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup hot water

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Heat butter over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until it turns nut brown in color. The foaming and bubbling is part of the browning process, but watch it carefully so that you don't burn the butter. Remove from heat, and cool slightly. Reserve 1/2 cup of the butter for the frosting.
3. Pour remaining browned butter into a large mixing bowl. Beat browned butter with brown sugar until the butter is no longer hot. Mix in eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Beat thoroughly. Mix in flour and chopped pecans.
4. Drop tablespoons of dough onto ungreased baking sheets.
5. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until light brown around the edges. Allow cookies to cool on wire racks. 6. In a medium bowl, mix the reserved 1/2 cup browned butter with 2 teaspoons vanilla, confectioners' sugar, and hot water. Beat until smooth, and use to frost cooled cookies.