Browned Butter Kahlua Cookies

These cookies are bound to be talked about for years to come!

When I was in college, I was busy.  I had two majors, a minor, undergraduate research, TAing, extra-curriculars, and I tried to maintain some semblance of a social life.  Needless to say, I got stressed.  And when I got stressed, there was one foolproof way of relaxing: whipping something up in my tiny apartment kitchen.

In that tiny kitchen, I made countless recipes.  I perfected my fried rice recipe.  I made cupcakes for tailgates, cakes for birthdays, and once cookies for a class presentation.  I fried up apple fritters on my own for the first time.  It was there that my now husband tried to woo me with his chicken francaise and from-scratch pancakes (thankfully, not in the same meal).  But perhaps the most infamous thing to come out of that kitchen are these browned butter Kahlua cookies.

Rich and complex, but still familiar enough to be a chocolate chip cookie!

You see, I lived with three other girls in that apartment.  And whenever I would bake, I would pretty much force feed them in order to prevent myself from sitting on my futon and eating an entire batch of cookies by myself while watching reruns of Home Improvement on Nick at Nite.  One roomie, in particular, remembers this.  To this day, every time I see her, she requests that I make her these cookies again.  That roommate is getting married on Saturday (yay!) and in honor of her upcoming wedding, I decided I’d share these cookies with the world.

Honestly, I can’t blame her for loving them.  The browned butter gives these chocolate chip cookies such a deep flavor.  It’s slightly nutty and incredibly rich.  And the Kahlua is subtle, giving it just a hint of mocha-y goodness.  Even my husband, who typically says, “yum, a cookie” while shoving a few in his mouth commented on the layers of complexity in this cookie.  And he’s right; they are truly flavorful, but still familiar enough to be gobbled down as a chocolate chip cookie.

So, whether you’re trying to escape the stress leading up to the holidays, or if you’re just looking for a way to dress up your classic cookie tray this Christmas, this is the recipe to do it.  You’ll love yourself for it, and the people you share it with will never forget it!

Browned Butter Kahlua Cookies
I adapted this from somewhere, three or four years ago.  If you recognize the recipe, let me know so I can give credit where credit is due!

Ingredients

This recipe makes about 30 cookies, but it can easily be doubled or tripled if you’re looking to share

• 5 tbsp butter
• 1 c gluten free flour with xanthan gum
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/3 c + 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/3 c white sugar
• 1 egg
• ½ tsp vanilla
• 1 tbsp Kahlua
• 1 c chocolate chips

Directions

1. Brown butter by heating in a heavy bottomed sauce pan over medium heat. Stirring constantly, allow the butter to cook until it becomes frothy and light tan in color. It will have a slightly nutty aroma. Remove from heat, and allow to cool a bit.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt.
3. After the butter has come down in temperature, beat it together with the sugars until it forms a paste.
4. Beat in egg, vanilla, and Kahlua until everything is incorporated, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
5. On a low speed, beat in flour mixture until just combined.
6. Stir in chocolate chips.
7. Refrigerate dough for 15-20 minutes, and preheat oven to 325.
8. After chilling, scoop dough in 1” balls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown in color. Allow to cool for a minute or two on cookie sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.