Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins

This muffin recipe, Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins, leans on granulated sugar, packed light brown sugar and eggs. It makes 12 to 16 muffins and takes about 43 minutes.

• Yield 12 to 16 muffins
• Ready in 43 minutes
• Prep 30 minutes
• Cook 17 minutes

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup (12 tablespoons, 170 g) salted butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups milk, semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
• Coarse or raw/turbinado sugar, for sprinkling (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. You may need to bake a second batch or use two liners, depending on how full you fill the muffin cups.
2. For the brown butter, cut the butter into pieces and add to a 10-inch skillet (preferably light-colored so you can see easily when the butter has browned). Heat over medium heat, stirring as the butter melts so that it cooks evenly.
3. As the butter continues to cook, constantly and slowly stir with a silicone spatula. The butter will foam, sizzle, bubble, and after a few minutes (anywhere from 5 to 8 minute), the solids in the butter will begin to turn golden. Brown butter can burn easily, so don't walk away!
4. When the butter solids are browned and golden and it smells caramelly and fragrant, immediately remove the skillet from the heat and pour the butter into a bowl. Let the butter cool for a few minutes.
5. For the muffins, add the granulated sugar and brown sugar to the brown butter and mix to combine well.
6. Add the eggs, sour cream and vanilla, and mix until evenly combined.
7. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Mix a couple of times to begin combining the batter, but don't mix all the way.
8. Add the chocolate chips when there are still plenty of dry streaks in the batter. Mix until just combined and no dry patches remain (don't over mix).
9. Portion the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling the muffin cups 2/3 to 3/4 full. Sprinkle the tops with coarse sugar, if using.
10. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes until the tops spring back lightly to the touch. Remove the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cool the bake on a rack until the crumb sets, then slice.