Brown Butter Gingersnaps

This cookie is a cross between last year's brown sugar cookie and gingerbread. The brown butter gives what would be a traditional gingersnap a wonderful lingering caramely aftertaste. I kept them on the chewy side so gingersnap is a bit of a misnomer but gingerchew doesn't quite have the same ring. And as with all chewy cookies, keep them a little underbaked so the cookies retain their chewiness after they cool. If you like crisp cookies, a true gingersnap, bake these cookies longer. The spices are adjustable so play around with them to suit your tastes.

Brown Butter Gingersnaps
makes approximately 18 cookies

1/2 C unsalted butter (1 stick)
3/4 C dark brown sugar
1/4 C unsulphured molasses
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 C all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp allspice (optional)
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg *Spices are adjustable to suit your tastes
1/4 C granulated sugar for coating

Put 6 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan and heat over medium heat. Cook the butter until the foaming and bubbling subsides and the solids start to brown, stirring occasionally. The butter will start to smell really, really good. Take the butter off heat and continue to stir until the solids are an even brown (not too dark). If you're afraid of burning the butter, err on the side of caution. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to stop the cooking. Set aside to cool.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, spices, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.

When the butter is cool, stir in the brown sugar, molasses, egg, and vanilla. Whisk to evenly combine. Add the dry ingredients and mix until no streaks of flour remain.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Chill the dough for 15 - 30ish minutes, or until you can handle it without the dough sticking too much to your hands.

In a shallow bowl, add roughly 1/4 C of granulated sugar.

Take roughly 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough and roll it into a ball. Then roll it in the bowl of sugar to cover. Place on baking sheet. Space the cookies 2 inches apart. You should get around 18 cookies. Flatten them with the bottom of a drinking glass until they are between 1/4 inch and 1/2 inch thick. For chewy cookies, bake at 350 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes, or until the edges are cooked but the center is still soft. *Bake them longer if you want crispy cookies.

Transfer to a rack to cool.