Brown Sugar Cookies

Steps

• Dough: Melt the butter in a light-coloured pan over medium heat and keep cooking, swirling, until it foams, then quietens and the milk solids at the bottom turn golden brown and smell nutty. Pour immediately into a bowl, scraping in every brown speck.
  ⏱ Start 7 min timer

  Tip: Use a light pan so you can see the colour. The solids go from golden to burnt in well under a minute, and you can't come back from burnt.

• Dough: Let the browned butter cool until barely warm, about 20 minutes.
  ⏱ Start 20 min timer

  Tip: Hot butter will scramble the egg. It should feel no warmer than your hand.

• Dough: Whisk in both sugars, then the egg, extra yolk, and vanilla, beating for a minute until glossy.
• Dough: Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together and fold in just until no dry flour remains.
• Chill: Chill at least an hour to firm the melted butter back up.
  ⏱ Start 60 min timer

  Tip: Non-negotiable with browned butter. Skip it and the cookies spread into one sheet.

• Bake: Scoop into mounds, space well apart, and bake at 175°C (350°F) until the edges are deep golden and set but the centres look soft.
  ⏱ Start 11 min timer
• Bake: Cool on the pan 5 minutes before moving to a rack.
  ⏱ Start 5 min timer