Step-by-Step Instructions

1. 1.Brown the Butter

   Add 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) of unsalted butter, cut into cubes, into a pan over medium-low heat. Let it melt slowly, stirring occasionally. The butter will start to bubble, and milk solids will sink to the bottom. Keep a close eye on it as it will turn into brown butter very quickly. The butter should become a beautiful golden hue.

2. 2.Cool the Browned Butter

   Once the butter is browned, transfer it into a mixing bowl. Allow it to cool down for about 5 minutes before adding the rest of the ingredients. This prevents the cookies from becoming too greasy.

3. 3.Combine Sugars with Butter

   Add 1/2 cup of white sugar and 1/2 cup of brown sugar to the cooled browned butter. The white sugar will contribute to a delicate crisp, while the brown sugar with its molasses will provide extra chewiness.

4. 4.Mix Sugars and Butter

   Using a spatula, mix the butter and sugars until the butter is fully incorporated and the sugars are nice and fluffy. The batter should look like a lava-like consistency.

5. 5.Add Egg

   Crack and add one room-temperature egg to the mixture.

6. 6.Mix Egg into Batter

   Mix the egg into the batter until it is fully incorporated.

7. 7.Add Vanilla, Salt, and Baking Soda

   Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon of coarse kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda. Aim the baking soda into the pool of vanilla extract to activate it.

8. 8.Thoroughly Mix Wet Ingredients

   Give the mixture a really good mix until everything is fully incorporated and evenly distributed.

9. 9.Add Flour and Chocolate Chips

   Add 1.5 cups of all-purpose flour and 1 cup of dark chocolate chips into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Adding them at the same time helps to mix evenly.

10. 10.Mix Cookie Dough

    Mix the ingredients until you don't see any white flour left, ensuring the flour and chocolate chips are fully incorporated into the dough. The cookie dough should be nice, soft, and pliable.

11. 11.Scoop Cookies onto Baking Sheet

    Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a large cookie scoop to scoop six large dollops of cookie dough onto the sheet. After each scoop, clean up the edges of the dough ball to make them round.

12. 12.Space Cookies

    Space the cookie dough balls about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet, as they will flatten and spread quite a bit during baking.

13. 13.Sprinkle with Sea Salt (Optional)

    Take a tiny pinch of Maldon sea salt (fleur de sel) and press it into the top of a few cookie dough balls. This complements the semi-sweet chocolate really well.

14. 14.Bake Cookies

    Place the baking sheet into a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) and bake for about 12 minutes. The cookies will be flat and round with beautiful crisp edges.

15. 15.Cool Cookies

    Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven and let them sit on the baking sheet for 5 to 8 minutes to fully cool down. This allows them to set and become easier to handle.

16. 16.Serve and Enjoy

    Serve the warm cookies. The center will be soft and buttery with chocolate nuggets, and the outer edges will have a slight crisp. Enjoy them as is or dunked into a glass of milk for perfection.