Brown Sugar Crackle Cookies

from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

*Makes 24 cookies

INGREDIENTS:

14 tablespoons butter (1 3/4 sticks)

1/4 cup granulated sugar (about 1 3/4 ounces)

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

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons (about 10 1/2 ounces)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon table salt

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

Heat 10 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch stainless steel (not nonstick) skillet or small uncoated saucepan over medium heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue to cook, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Browned butter can burn easily and quickly so keep a close eye on it! Remove the skillet or pot from the heat and transfer the browned butter to a large heatproof bowl. Stir the remaining 4 tablespoons butter into the hot butter to melt; set aside for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 large (18 by 12-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper, silpat liners or lightly coat them with cooking spray. In a shallow baking dish or pie plate, mix the granulated sugar and 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, rubbing between your fingers, until well combined; set aside. Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder together in a medium bowl; set aside.

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

Divide the dough into 24 portions, each about 2 tablespoons, forming balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Working in batches, toss the balls in the reserved sugar mixture to coat and set them on the 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 the centers are still soft (cookies will look raw between cracks and seem underdone - don't overbake), 11-13 minutes. Cool the cookies for 1-2 minutes on the baking sheets and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.