brown sugar, how come you taste so good?

i am ashamed that it has taken me so long to post this… i no longer have the chaos excuse to hide behind since i used that up last week, so i just have to hope that you will forgive me. so, my step-dad had commented on the pineapple upside down cakes that he loves brown sugar and wants some; since pineapple upside down cakes most likely don’t travel all that well, i found a recipe for his cookie of the month that would– brown sugar cookies.

it said not to over-bake them since they would get hard… i will be honest with you: i made some soft, and some crunchy, and i have to say that they were both delicious! while they are great nice and soft right out of the oven, if you do happen to leave them in an extra minute or two, please do not discard them, as they will still be worthwhile! the only thing i don’t like about the recipe is a silly petpeeve of mine: not using a whole or half stick of butter, leaving me stuck with a couple tablespoons, which i will feel obligated to eat (no, not straight out of the package..that would be gross; i would at least use it as an excuse to eat pancakes). however, this is not nearly as bad as when a recipe calls for 2/3 stick! grrrr….

on a side note, i learned something that week, something i never expected. it apparently takes nine holes to add a junction box to the middle of a room. upon first glance, it appeared that it only took 8…but…

wait..no, one more hiding in the corner!

Recipe, Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated magazine, March-April 2007:

The most efficient way to bake these cookies is to portion and bake half of the dough at a time. While the first batch is in the oven, the remaining dough can be prepared for baking. Avoid using a nonstick skillet to brown the butter. The dark color of the nonstick coating makes it difficult to gauge when the butter is sufficiently browned. Use fresh brown sugar, as older (read: harder and drier) brown sugar will make the cookies too dry.

Makes 2 dozen cookies

14   tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, divided use

1/4   cup granulated sugar

2   cups (14 ounces) packed dark brown sugar, divided use

2   cups plus 2 tablespoons (about 10 1/2 ounces) flour

1/2   teaspoon baking soda

1/4   teaspoon baking powder

1/2   teaspoon salt

1   large egg

1   large egg yolk

1   tablespoon vanilla extract

Heat 10 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue to cook, swirling pan constantly, until butter is dark golden brown and has a nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and transfer browned butter to large heat-proof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter to melt; set aside for 15 minutes.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large (18- by 12-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper. In shallow baking dish or pie plate, mix granulated sugar and 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, rubbing between fingers, until well combined; set aside. Whisk flour, baking soda and baking powder together in medium bowl; set aside.

Add remaining 1 3/4 cups brown sugar and salt to bowl with cooled butter; mix until no sugar lumps remain, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula; add egg, yolk and vanilla and mix until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Scrape down bowl. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined, about 1 minute. Give dough final stir with rubber spatula to ensure that no flour pockets remain and ingredients are evenly distributed.

Divide dough into 24 portions, each about 2 tablespoons, rolling between hands into balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Working in batches, toss balls in reserved sugar mixture to coat and set on prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart, 12 dough balls per sheet. (Smaller baking sheets can be used, but it will take 3 batches.)

Bake one sheet at a time, until cookies are browned and still puffy and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft. (Cookies will look raw between cracks and seem underdone. With your fingertip, gently press a cookie halfway between the edge and center of cookie; when it’s done, it will form an indent with slight resistance.) Bake cookies 11 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Do not over-bake or else cookies will be too hard in texture (I slightly overcooked one of my trays and the crunchy cookies are delicious as well!!).

Cool cookies on baking sheet 5 minutes; using wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and cool to room temperature.