To say that a lot has happened since the last time I posted here would be a severe understatement. In an effort to keep things positive and provide an escape from what’s going on in the world, especially America, I’m going to stick to talking about my life and, of course, baking. But just so we’re clear, Black Lives Matter, and if you need some guidance on how to help the cause, with anything from where to donate to which petitions to sign, click here.
As for me, I am finally writing this post in my new apartment in Portland, Maine (!!!). After pushing our move back numerous times due to Covid-19, Alex and I made the difficult decision to leave California after Mother’s Day. But instead of flying to Maine, which was always our plan, we packed Alex’s small-but-mighty Scion and drove 3100 miles to our new home. The road trip was a memorable experience, albeit a bittersweet one because although we were excited to drive through states we had never visited before like Oklahoma and New Mexico, anything worth seeing was closed due to the virus. State parks, kitschy roadside diners, famous landmarks… all the places that make a road trip exciting and give you something to look forward to when driving 9 hours a day, were out of the question. Regardless, we had a great time and would do the drive all over again in a heartbeat (as long as everything is reopened next time).
Life in Maine has been pretty amazing so far and we seem to have already found our groove. Saturdays have been dedicated to exploring new areas outside of Portland, like Kennebunkport, Sebago Lake, Bath, Bald Mountain, etc. and all I can say is that I’m so happy that we have a car. As much as we love living in Portland, Maine overall has so much to offer and I feel so lucky that we have been able to see other beautiful parts of the state. Whenever people are ready to visit us, we’re going to have a hard time narrowing down which places to show them, which is a nice problem to have.
Alright, enough about me. Let’s get to the cookies, shall we?
These brown butter, pecan and milk chocolate chip cookies are without a doubt my new favorite cookie (I know I always say that, but it’s true!) and although they may look like plain ole chocolate chip cookies, they are anything but. The use of milk chocolate instead of my forever go-to dark chocolate was a huge factor in making these my favorite. I couldn’t remember the last time that I made cookies with milk chocolate and it really made a difference in flavor for me. I honestly thought it would make the cookies too sweet, but when combined with brown butter, toasted pecans and a sprinkling of flaky sea salt, it all worked harmoniously.
This was the first time that I’d tried adding pecans to chocolate chip cookies (let’s not forget about my Mexican Wedding Cakes, which are made of finely ground pecans), and I gotta say that it gives my Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookies a run for its money. The sweet and buttery nuts pair perfectly with the toffee-like taste of the brown butter, and when combining that with creamy milk chocolate, you have the best of all worlds.
Brown butter is no stranger to my site, with my Pumpkin and Brown Butter Breakfast Puffs and Brown Butter Apple Buckle recipes being two of the most viewed pages on my site. Browning butter is an extremely simple technique, but here’s a video to guide you through the process in case it’s your first time. And unlike my other brown butter-focused recipes, we make up for the loss of water that evaporates while browning by adding 2 teaspoons of milk. Any milk will work, including non-dairy varieties like almond or cashew, or you can even use water. I personally used almond milk and it came out perfectly. Brown butter takes these cookies to a whole different level of deliciousness, but if you’re nervous that it’d make the cookies too decadent, trust me on this: the decadence will be welcomed by your tastebuds.
Brown Butter, Pecan and Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yields about 3 dozen cookies
Recipe adapted from A Cozy Kitchen
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter
3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. milk (any kind works, even non-dairy varieties)
1 1/2 cups brown sugar (light or dark)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
8 oz. milk chocolate bars, chopped into chunks (or chocolate chips)
4 oz. (about 1 cup) toasted whole pecans, roughly chopped
Flaky sea salt (optional)
Directions
Make the brown butter: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Once melted, the butter will begin to foam and turn to a golden color. Stir frequently and soon there will be a nutty smell and the butter will brown. Immediately take off the heat once browned and transfer to a large bowl. Allow it to cool for about 10-15 minutes before moving on.
In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together.
To the bowl with the cooled brown butter, add the milk and both sugars and whisk until incorporated, Stir in the eggs, egg yolk and vanilla extract.
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in the chopped milk chocolate and pecans with a spatula. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight if you have time,
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper, and using a spoon or a cookie scoop, scoop out 1-2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Finish cookies with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt if desired. Allow the cookies to sit on the tray for a couple of minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Enjoy!