Butterscotch Cookies

Ingredients

• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon sized slices
• 1 3/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons white granulated sugar
• Fleur de sel, Maldon, sea salt, or Kosher salt for sprinkling

Directions

1. Heat your oven to 375 degrees F and cover your baking sheets with parchment paper. In one bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and baking powder with some enthusiasm, then put it aside. In a separate bowl, stir together the brown sugar and white sugar for dredging, and set that aside too.
2. Set 10 tablespoons of butter in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Let it melt and bubble; the foaming will calm down as it cooks. When the butter turns tan and smells nutty, move the pan off the heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and stir until melted.
3. Pour the browned butter into the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the brown sugar and salt, and mix until combined. Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, stopping at least once to scrape the bowl along the sides and bottom.
4. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl once or twice as you go. Mix only until the flour disappears into the dough. It will be a very thick dough, which is exactly where you want it.
5. Scoop 1/2 to full tablespoon-sized pieces of dough, keeping them all the same size, and gently roll each one into a ball.
6. Roll the dough balls through the sugar mixture until they are nicely covered.
7. Arrange the dough on the prepared baking sheets and add a small pinch of the sprinkling salt to each one. Be restrained with the salt here; a tiny bit does the job.
8. Bake at 375 degrees F for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned. Keep an eye on them so they do not bake too long.
9. Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for 1 minute, then move them to a wire rack to finish cooling. They are especially good with a glass of milk for dipping, and they will keep in an airtight container for about a week.