Brown butter makes the best chocolate chip cookies, that is a fact. I got this recipe from the Joy the Baker cookbook last year and have never made another chocolate chip cookie recipe since. I have adapted them here and there with switching up the chocolates, adding walnuts, pecans or hazelnuts. But always, always topping them with flaky sea salt. Because you guys, brown butter and flaky sea salt are the real deal. Perfection. Now you combine them together, minds are blown!

I have been extremely intrigued by Mast Brothers Chocolate with their fancy wrappers and interesting combinations. So I thought, let's add this Stumptown Coffee chocolate to my most favorite cookie recipe. Result, wow!

Ohhhhhhhh look at those cookies. Nutty from the brown butter, rich with dark chocolate, little bite with the flaky salt.

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Mast Brothers Chocolate
adapted from Joy the Baker

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon molasses
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used Mast Brothers Dark Chocolate: Stumptown Coffee)
coarse sea salt, to sprinkle on top (I use Jacobsen Sea Salt, because it's really really good)

*note, the original recipe calls for 1/2 cup chopped pecans, which is insanely good. But sometimes, I like to go traditional, and keep the focus on the chocolate. Especially when you are using high quality chocolate, like Mast Brothers.

First, make sure that your butter is softened, this is key (and I have made this mistake with baking way too many times).

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

First step, brown the butter! Take 1/2 of the butter, 8 tablespoons and place in a small saucepan. Melt the butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally. First it will foam, and then it will turn amber and begin to form brown nutty smelling bits. Once this happens, remove the butter from the burner and pour into a small bowl to cool. You will want the brown butter to be fully cooled before you incorporate it into the remaining ingredients.

Using a free standing mixer, beat the remaining 1/2 cup butter with the brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add vanilla extract and molasses and continue to beat. Pour the cooled brown butter into the bowl, with the granulated sugar. Beat for 2 minutes. Add the egg and egg yolk and beat for another minute. Add the flour, salt, and baking soda on low speed until just incorporated. (note, do not fully mix the ingredients). Remove the bowl from the mixer, using a spatula, fold the coarsely chopped chocolate into the dough.

Remove the dough from the bowl and wrap in parchment paper or plastic wrap. Gently flatten the dough, forming a disk and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, placing the racks in the center and upper third of the oven.

Scoop the dough using a ice-cream scoop onto the prepared baking sheets. Make sure to leave about 2" between the cookies.

Sprinkle the cookies with flaky sea salt. This is optional. But it is so worth it.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let them rest in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

my favorite chocolate chip cookies