Toffee Cookies
The flavor in these cookies comes from two places: brown butter and a simple, crunchy toffee made right on the stovetop. You get a toasted, caramelized note from the butter and a rich crunch from the toffee. The dough is really soft, so the long chill time is important - it keeps the cookies from spreading out too much and lets the flavors deepen.
Ingredients
For the Homemade Toffee
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
For the Cookies
- 13 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup organic cane sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Melt 1/2 cup butter in pot over medium heat, add brown sugar and salt, whisk 1 minute.
- Simmer mixture while whisking until it reaches 300F on candy thermometer.
- Pour toffee onto prepared sheet, spread thin, cool until hardened. Break into pieces.
- Brown 13 tablespoons butter in pot over medium heat until golden bits form and nutty aroma develops.
- Transfer browned butter to bowl, cool slightly.
- Whisk in sugars and vanilla paste.
- Add egg and yolk, whisk until combined.
- Whisk in baking soda, cream of tartar, spices, salt, and cornstarch.
- Fold in flour until nearly combined, then add toffee pieces.
- Chill dough for 3 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Scoop 3-tablespoon dough balls onto parchment-lined sheet, spacing 2-3 inches apart.
- Bake 8-10 minutes until edges set but centers remain puffy.
- Cool on baking sheet 10 minutes before transferring.
Notes
Dough must be chilled for thick cookies. If toffee separates while cooking, remove from heat and whisk until recombined.
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