Browned Butter Bourbon Pecan & Chocolate Cookies (Simple Gourmet)

These delicious cookies are crunchy on the
outside and chewy on the inside. 

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) browned butter, at room temperature

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

3 cups chopped pecans or pecan pieces 

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

4 teaspoons bourbon

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon fine sea salt or pink Himalayan salt

1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips**

1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips**

Method:

Place 1 cup of butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir as the butter melts. Reduce the heat to low. The butter will sizzle and foam. Keep stirring for 5 to 8 minutes, just until the butter turns golden brown. Immediately remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl to cool. Set aside.

Melt the 1/4 cup butter in a large skillet over low heat. Add the pecans and stir well to coat with the butter. cook and stir for 5 minutes or until the pecans become toasted and fragrant. Sprinkle the 1/4 cup of sugar over the nuts. Stir until well combined. Remove from the heat, set aside and cool to room temperature.

In  a large bowl combine the browned butter, sugara nd brown sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes or until the mixture is light and fluffy.  Ad the eggs, yolks and bourbon. Mix just until the egg yolks are no longer visible.

Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add to the creamed mixture at low speed, mixing until combined. Stir in the pecans and chocolate chips. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes or longer.

Preheat oven to 375*. Line baking pans with parchment paper. Form 1/4 cup of dough into balls and place 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 10 to 11 minutes or until the edges of the cookies begin to turn golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the pan for at least 5 minutes before transfering to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Place in an airtight container with sheets of waxed paper between layers of cookies. Store at room temperature for one week or in the refrigerator for longer. Makes about 3 dozen deluxe cookies. 

**Chocolate chunks may be substituted for the chocolate chips. For variation, milk chocolate may be substituted for the semi sweet or dark chocolate.

Note: These decadent gourmrt cookies are impressive and simple to make!