Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter
  • 1 cup (200g) dark brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated white sugar
  • 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg + 1 yolk (room temp)
  • 2 1/4 cups (280g) all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 8 oz (225g) dark chocolate bars

Instructions:

  1. Brown the butter. Melt the 1 cup of butter in a pan over medium heat, whisking constantly until it smells nutty and shows brown specks. Note: This takes about 5-8 minutes.
  2. Cool the fat. Pour the browned butter into a large bowl and let it sit for 10 minutes. Note: If it's too hot, it will melt the sugar and ruin the emulsion.
  3. Cream the sugars. Add the dark brown and white sugars to the butter. Beat for 2 minutes until the mixture looks like wet sand.
  4. Incorporate the eggs. Add the egg, extra yolk, and vanilla extract. Beat on high for another 2 minutes until the batter turns pale and fluffy.
  5. Whisk dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.
  6. Combine the mixtures. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just a few streaks of flour remain. Note: Overmixing leads to tough, bready cookies.
  7. Fold the chocolate. Toss in those 8 oz of hand chopped chocolate shards.
  8. Chill the dough. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Note: This prevents excessive spreading and deepens the flavor profile.
  9. Scoop and bake. Space dough balls 3 inches apart on a tray. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 10 minutes until the edges are set but the center looks slightly underdone.
  10. Finish with salt. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt immediately after removing from the oven while the chocolate is still molten.