Brown Butter, Toasted Coconut and Rolo Cookies

I have never baked anything using brown butter before as I'm always afraid that I'll burn it - that's why I yet have to attempt to make caramel.  I get turned off by the idea of thermometres, waiting for the soft ball stage or dumping the saucepan into ice cold water while stirring frantically.  Why didn't somebody tell me that browning butter is nothing like that.  It's so so easy to do - but I guess you all know that anyway!

I'm not getting very much sleep these nights.  Apart from making me grumpy as hell and giving me dark circles under my eyes, the tiredness is giving me a craving for sweet things, with my body crying out for a pick me up of some sort!  Yesterday all I wanted was a really indulgent biscuit (or 4) before I was able to face the day.  I guess it's better than craving a bottle of vodka before being able to start the day but it plays havoc with my attempts to lose the jelly belly!  I found a recipe for chocolate chip cookies using brown butter on Joy The Baker blog recently.  As I had quite a few packets of Rolo that needed to be used up (crazy fixation with stashing chocolate bars explained here), I decided to use chopped up Rolos instead of the chocolate chips.

These cookies are amazing, they really are.  The brown butter give a nutty, almost caramel flavour that goes perfectly with the soft caramel in the Rolo pieces, while the toasted coconut adds texture.  They are delicious and I'll definitely be making them again and possibly giving them as gifts at Christmas.  My family are now throwing their eyes up to heaven as their hopes of getting make-up / clothes as presents from me at Christmas have now officially been dashed! 

I measured out the ingredients for the full recipe which makes about 48-50 cookies but I rolled half of it into a log, wrapped it in clingfilm and chucked it in the freezer.

The butter is almost melted

This is the colour you're looking for

Brown Butter Toasted Coconut and Rolo Cookies

Ingredients

225g salted butter

190g brown sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

375g plain flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 large egg

50g toasted coconut

3 packets of Rolo chocolates, chopped
2 tablespoons of milk (if needed, to bind everything)

Method

Preheat to 190C degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. On one baking sheet, spread out coconut. Toast coconut for about 6 minutes, until browned and fragrant. Remove from the oven, place in a small bowl and let cool.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. The butter will begin to foam and crackle.  Once the crackling subsides, keep an eye on the butter. The butter solids will begin to brown. You’ll smell the butter as it browns. Once well browned, immediately remove the butter from the flame and place in a small bowl. Removing the butter from the pan will ensure that it doesn’t continue to cook and burn in the hot pan. Allow the butter to cool for a few moments.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and baking soda. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, measure the sugar. Add the brown butter and beat together, on medium speed, for about 2 minutes. 

Add the egg and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. The mixture should become silky smooth. Add vanilla extract and beat.

With mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients. Beat until just incorporated. Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a spatula to fold in the toasted coconut and Rolo pieces. Dough will be thick so add a little milk, if needed.

Spoon balls by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown but still slightly soft in the center. Remove from the oven. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 5 minutes, before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store cookies in an airtight container.