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chewy brown sugar cookies

inspired by sarah kieffer

I feel like I’m constantly in search of a really good chewy cookie. My platonic ideal cookie has a distinct crust (almost crunchy) that gives way to a dense and chewy center. I would say a large part of my baking career has been dedicated to figuring out how to make cookies with this texture. So far, I’ve decided it’s 4 things.

  1. egg yolk - substituting egg yolk for one of the eggs in a given recipe will yield a chewy texture. It seems too simple, it seems like magic even, but it’s true and it works.
  2. melted butter - Adding butter that has been melted and cooled (as opposed to creamed like you might see in a traditional cookie recipe) will create a denser texture that is far and away chewier. Creaming yields cakeiness.
  3. oven temperature - Baking the cookies at a higher temperature, I go for 375°F, causes a crust to form without the cookies spreading too much. I actually baked this batch at 350°F and they turned out thinner than I would have liked. The key is finding the balance between fully baking cookies without cooking all the way through so that you loose the chewiness.
  4. oven time - Pull the cookies when they are just set and even under-baked, then allow them to cool on the pan. This, again, allows the development of a dense and chewy center that is not completely baked through.

The final thing that distinguishes these cookies is the inclusion of molasses. Molasses adds a deep, caramelized flavor and assists in achieving the chewiness and spiciness you might expect from a gingerbread.

INGREDIENTS

(enough for 20 cookies)

  • 364 g all-purpose flour
  • ¾ tsp baking soda
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • 2 sticks (227 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • 350 g dark brown sugar
  • 1 tsp molasses
  • 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract or paste
  • 150 g chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips
  • 100 g granulated sugar for rolling

DIRECTIONS

preheat oven to 375°F and line three baking sheets with parchment paper.

whisk flour baking soda, and salt to combine.

use a wooden spoon to stir the brown sugar into the melted and cooled butter. Mix until thoroughly combined. Add brown sugar and molasses and stir to combine. Add egg, yolk, and vanilla and mix until smooth. Add the flour and chocolate chips and stir until just combined.

place granulated sugar in a bowl. Measure 30 g balls and roll in sugar before placing on baking sheet. Bake, rotating halfway through, until just set, 8-10 minutes (make sure not to over-bake or the cookies will not have the desired chewy texture). Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes before transfering to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy :)