Brown Butter Cookies

Using butter (not margarine) is essential for the success of these deliciously rich brown butter cookies. You may need as little as 3 cups of confectioners' sugar for the brown butter icing; just stop adding it when you've reached the desired consistency.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 10 mins
• Total Time: 40 mins
• Calories: 144 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 2 cups butter
• ½ cup hot water
• 3 ½ cups confectioners' sugar
• ⅔ cup chopped pecans
• 2 cups brown sugar

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2

Heat butter over medium heat for 5 minutes or so, until it turns nut brown in color. The foaming and bubbling are part of the browning process, but watch carefully so that it doesn't burn. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Reserve 1/2 cup of browned butter to make the icing.

Step 3

Pour remaining browned butter into a large mixing bowl. Beat browned butter with brown sugar until the butter is no longer hot. Mix in eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; beat thoroughly. Mix in flour and chopped pecans. Drop tablespoons of dough onto ungreased baking sheets.

Step 4

Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until light brown around the edges; cool.

Step 5

In a medium bowl, mix the reserved 1/2 cup browned butter with 2 teaspoons vanilla, confectioners' sugar, and hot water. Beat until smooth; use to frost cookies when they are cool.