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Summer Cookies

Summer Cookies bake golden-edged with a crisp exterior and soft, melt-in-your-mouth centers. Brown-butter depth meets rich dark chocolate and a butterscotch finish.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 18 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 340
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cookie dough base
  • 1 lb unsalted butter For browning.
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg Room temperature helps it mix smoothly.
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2.25 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp fine salt
Chocolate and mix-ins
  • 8 oz dark chocolate Chopped into chunks.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Brown the butter
  1. Melt the butter in a cast iron skillet over medium heat, then continue cooking until it turns deep golden with nutty brown flecks, about 8-10 minutes. Pull off the heat as soon as it smells toasted to avoid burning.
Mix the dough
  1. Whisk granulated sugar and brown sugar into the browned butter until glossy and well combined, about 1-2 minutes. Scrape the sides and bottom so no dry spots remain.
  2. Whisk in the egg and vanilla extract until smooth, about 30-60 seconds. Add slowly so the mixture stays cohesive.
  3. Stir in the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and fine salt until just combined, 1-2 minutes. Stop mixing as soon as no dry flour is visible.
  4. Fold in the dark chocolate chunks evenly throughout the dough. Make sure every scoop has visible chocolate.
Bake
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a sheet pan with parchment. Preheating helps the cookies spread into crisp edges and soft centers.
  2. Scoop dough into 2 tbsp portions and space them 2 inches apart on the sheet pan. Bake until edges are golden and centers look slightly underbaked, 10-12 minutes.
  3. Cool the cookies on the sheet pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to finish cooling. This sets the soft centers without overbaking the bottoms.

Notes

Pro tip: Brown butter can go from toasted to burnt quickly—watch for caramel-colored solids and a nutty aroma, then remove from heat immediately. Store airtight at room temperature for 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days; freeze baked cookies up to 2 months. For a lighter swap, use half whole-wheat flour (replace 1 cup of all-purpose flour) to add chew while keeping the cookie structure.