Double Chocolate Chunk Sourdough Cookies

Instructions

In a small, deep pot over medium-high heat, cook the butter, whisking frequently to scrape the bottom of the pot, until it's a light honey color and little brown bits form on the bottom of the pot, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow it to cool slightly for 5 minutes. You should have about 3 ounces (85 g) or a scant 1/2 cup (120 ml) of brown butter.

Transfer to a small bowl or container, cover, and refrigerate until it is opaque and has a creamy consistency, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Once the butter has chilled, remove it from the fridge. In a large mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer or wooden spoon to beat together the brown butter and both sugars until uniform, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sourdough starter, egg, and vanilla, mixing to fully incorporate.

Stir in the all-purpose flour, bread flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Incorporate with a spatula until mostly uniform.

Add 3/4 cup (130 g) of dark and 3/4 cup (130 g) of milk chocolate chunks, mixing to fully incorporate, reserving 1/4 cup (40 g) of each for topping the cookies.

For large cookies, scoop the dough into heaping 2-ounce (57g) balls using a scoop or eyeballing by hand; they should be about the size of golf balls. For small cookies, scoop into 1-ounce (28 g) portions.

Combine the reserved chocolate chunks in a small bowl and roll each cookie in them to coat the top. Move cookies to a large plate for storage. Cover and refrigerate overnight. At this point, the cookies can be wrapped well and frozen for up to two weeks, if desired. Bake from frozen.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) with two racks in the middle third of the oven.

Remove the portioned dough from the fridge and arrange the cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them 3 inches (8 cm) apart, with no more than eight cookies to a sheet.

Slide the baking sheets into the oven and bake until set and slightly golden around the edges but soft in the middle, 13 to 18 minutes, depending on their size.

Remove from the oven and, while still hot, sprinkle each cookie with a little flaky sea salt, if desired.

Repeat with the remaining dough. Allow cookies to cool for at least 10 minutes on the baking sheets before enjoying.

Dessert