Brown Sugar Cookies Americas Test Kitchen Food

AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN CHEWY SUGAR COOKIES RECIPE - (4.1/5)

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl. Set aside. Place sugar and cream cheese in large bowl. Place remaining 1/3 cup sugar in shallow baking dish or pie plate and set aside. Pour warm butter over sugar and cream cheese and whisk to combine (some small lumps of cream cheese will remain but will smooth out later). Whisk in oil until incorporated. Add egg, milk, and vanilla; continue to whisk until smooth. Add flour mixture and mix with rubber spatula until soft homogeneous dough forms. Divide dough into 24 equal pieces, about 2 tablespoons each (or use #40 portion scoop). Using hands, roll dough into balls. Working in batches, roll balls in reserved sugar to coat and evenly space on prepared baking sheet, 12 dough balls per sheet. Using bottom of drinking glass, flatten dough balls until 2 inches in diameter. Sprinkle tops evenly with 4 teaspoons of sugar remaining in shallow dish (2 teaspoons per tray), discarding any remaining sugar. Bake, 1 tray at a time, until edges are set and just beginning to brown, 11 to 13 minutes, rotating tray after 7 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheets 5 minutes. Using wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and cool to room temperature.

AMERICA'S BEST BROWN SUGAR COOKIE

Steps:

• 1. Adjust oven rack to middle and heat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
• 2. Heat 10 tablespoons of butter in 10 inch skillet (not non-stick if possible, they make it harder to judge when butter is browned). Swirl melted butter over heat until it is dark golden brown and smells nutty, 1 to 3 min. Transfer butter to heatproof bowl. Add remaining 4 tablespoons of butter into hot butter to melt. Set aside for 15 min.
• 3. Combine granulated sugar and 1/4 cup brown sugar and a dash of salt in a shallow bowl. Set aside.
• 4. Whisk the flour, soda, baking powder,together in a medium bowl.
• 5. Stir the remaining 1 3/4 brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt in to the cooled butter until evenly combined. Add the egg, yolk, and vanilla and mix until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the flour mixture, mix until just combined, about 1 min.
• 6. Working with a small cookie scoop, 2 inches, or 2 tablespoons of dough, roll the dough into balls. Working in batches, roll the balls in the reserved sugars and place them on prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.
• 7. Bake cookies, ONE sheet at a time, until browned slightly around the edges, set but soft in the center, rotating the sheet half way through the baking time. In my oven it is 11 minutes. Do not overbake as they become crisper when cooling. They do not look quite done. Bake only a few if you want to to try out your oven and timing. I always turn cookie sheets in the middle, all cookies.
• 8. Cool the cookies for 5 min. on sheet then transfer to a wire rack and cool to room temp. if you can! Bake next batch the same way, turning in the middle. The cookies keep 3 days in air tight container. We never get to the second day.

BROWN SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• For the cookies: Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.
• Beat the brown sugar and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes; beat in the egg, then the vanilla. Add the flour mixture and mix on medium-low speed until completely incorporated. Divide the dough in half, pat into 2 discs about 1/4 inch thick, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour and up to overnight.
• Position oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Let the dough sit at room temperature for a few minutes to make rolling easier. Roll out 1 disc of dough at a time between 2 pieces of parchment paper until 1/8 inch thick. Cut out shapes with the cookie cutters and arrange about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake until the cookies are golden brown on the bottom, 10 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets until firm enough to transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.
• Gently gather any scraps into a ball and press into a disc; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate the disc until firm enough to roll, about 1 hour. Cut out as many cookies as possible and bake.
• For the royal icing: Beat the confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and 1/3 cup water with an electric mixer in a large bowl until stiff peaks form. Beat in the food coloring if using. (The icing can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.)
• Decorate the cookies with the icing; top with decorating sugar and sprinkles if using.

AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large (18- by 12-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.
• Heat 10 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and, using heatproof spatula, transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter until completely melted.
• Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Let mixture stand 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny. Using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (if using), giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.
• Divide dough into 16 portions, each about 3 tablespoons (or use #24 cookie scoop). Arrange 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets, 8 dough balls per sheet. (Smaller baking sheets can be used, but will require 3 batches.)
• Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 10 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely before serving.