Ingredients:
- 1 cup (225 g) Unsalted Butter, diced
- ¾ cup (150 g) Light Brown Sugar, packed
- ½ cup (100 g) Granulated Sugar
- 2 Large Eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 teaspoon Peppermint Extract
- 2–3 drops Green Food Colouring (Optional)
- 2 ¼ cups (300 g) All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
- 1 ½ cups (250 g) Dark or Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
- Flaky Sea Salt (e.g., Maldon), for topping (Optional)
Instructions:
- Brown the Butter: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the milk solids settle, turn amber, and the butter smells nutty (about 5-7 minutes). Pour the browned butter immediately into the stand mixer bowl and allow it to cool for 15 minutes until just lukewarm.
- Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream Sugars and Butter: Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the cooled browned butter. Beat on medium speed for 2–3 minutes until the mixture is sandy and well combined.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is fully incorporated. Scrape down the bowl.
- Flavouring: Add the vanilla extract, peppermint extract, and (optional) green food colouring. Mix briefly until the colour is evenly distributed.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Reduce the mixer speed to low. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing only until just combined. Stop mixing immediately when no dry streaks remain.
- Fold in Chocolate: Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a rubber spatula to gently fold in the chocolate chips.
- Chill the Dough (Crucial Step): Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for a minimum of 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours. Do not skip this step.
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop: Use a cookie scoop to form uniform balls (about 50g each). Place them 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets.
- Bake: Bake one tray at a time (or rotate racks halfway through) for 10–12 minutes. The edges should be set and lightly golden, but the centres should still look slightly soft and underbaked.
- Finish: Immediately upon removing the cookies from the oven, sprinkle a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt on top of each cookie.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.