Chocolate Chip Cookies. Again.

Oops. I did it again. 

Ten brownie points if you can name that song!

Actually, on second thought, don't. It reminds me of the fifth grade. (Fifth grade: ick. No one's ever psyched about fifth grade memories. Senior year? Totally. But fifth grade? Not so much.)

Let's return to my happy place, shall we? Cookies. We've spoken about cookies before. And I promised you they were the best of the best. Well, I have news. 

These are, too.

You all now have not one, but two fabulous chocolate chip cookie recipes. How I spoil you.

These have deep flavor, chewy texture, and are loaded with chocolate. Trust me, you need them in your life. The main difference between these cookies and these other cookies is that these taste more caramelly for lack of a better word. The flavor is more intense due to the browned butter used in them.

Never made brown butter? Fear not, m'dears. It's as simple as putting butter in a pot over medium-high heat and waiting for it to look medium brown.

One last thing about this recipe: it has you mix the sugars, salt, melted butter, and egg/egg yolk together for 30 seconds, then let it rest for three minutes. You repeat the mixing/resting process three times. This gives the cookies a soft, chewy texture that is truly remarkable.

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies
Tweaked from Cook's Illustrated Cookbook, 2011

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
14 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips or chunks.
3/4 cup pecans or walnuts, toasted and chopped (optional)

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place two sheets of parchment paper on two baking sheets. Combine flour and baking soda in medium bowl.

Melt ten tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat. Stir butter until it is dark golden brown. Pour into large bowl and mix in remaining 4 tablespoons of butter.

Stir in brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and vanilla and mix until smooth. Add egg and egg yolk and mix until smooth. Leave batter to rest for 3 minutes, then whisk 30 seconds. Repeat the resting and whisking two more times until mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny.

Mix in flour mixture until just incorporated, then chocolate chips and nuts.

Give dough final stir by hand making sure all ingredients are incorporated. Place three tablespoons of dough two inches apart on cookie sheet, and bake until golden brown, 10 to 14 minutes. Let cool to room temp, then enjoy.