Brown Butter Pecan Cookies

   There are days I should just call it quits and stay out of my kitchen.  The day I made these cookies was one of those days.  The recipe calls for 7-ounces of toasted pecans.  I put them in the oven and planned to leave them there for only 5 minutes.  I walked away, became distracted, and when I finally remembered I had  precious pecans in the oven, almost 15 minutes had passed.  They were burnt.  They were black.  Regretfully, I tossed them into the trash.  It makes me sick when I waste ingredients -- especially expensive pecans.

   Had I not already browned the butter for these cookies, I might have actually given up.  But the smell of browning butter wafting through my kitchen was just too good to ignore; so I continued.  I've been making a Pecan & Butter Log Cookie for many years and it is one of my absolute favorite cookies -- ever.  So, why even bother with another pecan cookie?  This recent attempt, for me, is all about the brown butter.  It has a flavor with no equal. 
   As you can see, these cookies bake up quite thin.  I ended up making teaspoonful mounds of dough instead of the tablespoon amount called for in the recipe.  And, they spread during baking.  I left a good 2-inches between each mound.
        

                                      adapted recipe from Gourmet | October 2009

• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (7-ounces) pecans, toasted, cooled, and chopped

PREHEAT OVEN to 350˚F
1.  Place a rack in the upper third and lower third of the oven.
2.  Heat the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat until the milk solids on the bottom of the pan turn brown.  Watch the butter closely.  When brown, transfer to a shallow bowl and place in the freezer for about 15 minutes, or just until congealed.
3.  Combine the brown butter, sugars, flour, baking soda, salt, and eggs in the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth.  Transfer to a mixing bowl and stir in the pecans.
4.  Spoon teaspoons of batter onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving 2-inches between each mound.
5.  Place one cookie sheet on each of the two shelves in oven and bake, switching position of cookie sheets halfway through baking, until brown.  My cookies were done within 10 minutes, but depending on the oven, it could take as long as 15 to 18 minutes.  Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack.  They will crisp as they cool. 

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