Martha Stewart Brown-Butter Cookies

Martha Stewart Brown-Butter Cookies are simple slice-and-bake cookies made with nutty brown butter, vanilla and sparkling sanding sugar, ready in 1 hour 40 minutes. They're an easy dessert for coffee dates, holiday cookie trays or potluck tables, and the dough is make-ahead and needs no mixer.

Cook the butter until it turns a deep golden brown and smells nutty, because that caramelized flavor is the whole point of these cookies. Pull it a minute too late and the milk solids burn, so pour it into a bowl the second it's ready.

Martha rolls the dough into a log, brushes it with egg white and rolls it in sanding sugar before slicing. That gives every cookie the same size and a sparkly, crunchy edge, and the dough needs only a whisk and a bowl.

Martha Stewart Brown-Butter Cookies

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Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

40

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

Calories

90

kcal

These cookies bake up crisp at the edges and tender in the middle, with a toasty, caramel-like depth from the butter. The sugar-crusted rim adds a light crunch to every bite.

Ingredients

• 15 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
  

• 1 teaspoon baking powder
  

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  

• 1 egg white, lightly beaten
  

• 1/3 cup sanding sugar
  

Directions

• Brown the butter: Melt 15 tablespoons unsalted butter over medium heat, then keep cooking and stirring until it turns deep golden brown, about 11 minutes. Pour it right away into a large bowl, let it cool to room temperature for about 10 minutes, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla.
• Mix the dough: Whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir this gradually into the butter mixture until a dough forms.
• Shape and chill: Form the dough into a ball, then roll it into a 14-inch log about 1 1/2 inches across. Wrap it in parchment and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours until firm.
• Coat in sugar: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush the log with 1 lightly beaten egg white, then roll it in 1/3 cup sanding sugar.
• Slice and bake: Slice the log into 3/8-inch rounds and place them on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes until light brown and firm.
• Cool completely: Leave the cookies on the baking sheets set on wire racks until completely cool. They firm up as they sit, so don't move them early.

Tools for this recipe

• Cuisinart MultiClad Pro 3-quart saucepan, OXO 11-inch balloon whisk, Checkered Chef cooling racks, Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract, 8 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes. The wrapped log keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days before slicing, and it freezes for up to 3 months. Move a frozen log to the fridge the night before baking, and add a few minutes to the bake time.

How long do the baked cookies keep?

In an airtight container at room temperature they last up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze them for up to 2 months, so a big batch isn't a problem.

What can I use instead of sanding sugar?

Any coarse sugar works, like turbinado or crystal sugar, and you can skip it entirely if you want. Without it the cookies are still tender and nutty, just without the sparkle and crunch.

Do I need a mixer for this dough?

No, you only need a skillet for browning the butter, a whisk and a bowl. The dough comes together with a spoon, which makes this an easy recipe for a quick afternoon bake.

What's the most common mistake with brown butter?

Walking away from the pan is the big one, since the butter goes from golden to burnt in seconds. A light-colored pan helps you see the color, and you should pour the butter into a bowl the moment it smells nutty.