Brown Butter Toffee Cookies with Sea Salt

This one started as an experiment and became the most requested cookie I make. Brown butter has this nutty, almost caramel-like flavor that's completely different from regular melted butter. Add toffee bits and a hit of flaky sea salt and you've got something special.

Browning the Butter

This is the most important step and the one that scares people. Don't be scared — just watch the pan.

1. 1.Cut 1 cup of butter into chunks and put it in a light-colored saucepan (so you can see the color change).
2. 2.Melt over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
3. 3.It'll foam up, then the foam will settle. You'll start to see brown bits on the bottom — that's the milk solids toasting.
4. 4.Once it smells nutty and looks amber, pull it off the heat immediately.
5. 5.Pour into a heatproof bowl and let it cool to room temperature.

The whole process takes about 5-7 minutes. The difference between brown butter and burned butter is about 30 seconds, so don't walk away.

Ingredients

• ◆1 cup unsalted butter, browned and cooled
• ◆1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• ◆½ cup granulated sugar
• ◆2 large eggs
• ◆2 tsp vanilla extract
• ◆2½ cups all-purpose flour
• ◆1 tsp baking soda
• ◆1 tsp salt
• ◆1 cup toffee bits (I use Heath bits)
• ◆Flaky sea salt (Maldon is my favorite)

Method

1. 1.Brown the butter and let it cool to room temperature (about 30 minutes).
2. 2.Whisk brown butter with both sugars until smooth.
3. 3.Add eggs and vanilla, whisk until combined.
4. 4.Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Fold with a spatula until just combined.
5. 5.Fold in the toffee bits.
6. 6.Chill for at least 1 hour.
7. 7.Scoop onto parchment-lined trays — about 3 tablespoons per cookie.
8. 8.Sprinkle each one with flaky sea salt.
9. 9.Bake at 350°F for 11-13 minutes.

The Salt

Don't skip the flaky sea salt on top. Regular table salt won't work here — you want those big, crunchy flakes that hit your tongue before the sweetness. It's the contrast that makes this cookie addictive.

This is my current weekly special — $28 per half dozen at bakedbymatt.com/menu, available for local pickup in Garland, TX.