Browned Butter Toffee Cashew Chocolate Chip Cookies

It’s back to school time and for our opening meeting at work I try to make different cookies that fit different dietary restrictions. These cookies are the original inspiration, full of dairy, gluten, and chocolate. As this was the starting point, I also made a gluten free cookie that was somewhat similar. I felt so accomplished having made two types of cookies, and then I realized I needed a chocolate-free cookie, so I made a cookie similar to this one with no chocolate.

These cookies are also inspired by my lack of chocolate chip cookie making. My husband complains about this, and there are only so many variations of a chocolate chip cookie that I can come up with. These are different, with the browned butter, and the addition of cashews and toffee chips. I’m never sure if browning the butter changes the flavor a lot, but I think it does. As always, watch your butter carefully when it is on the stove, as it can burn easily.

These cookies aren’t so different from chocolate chip cookies, and browning the butter is the only step that takes a touch longer. There’s no chilling, which is helpful when you are making several different varieties! I used toffee chips that contained chocolate, as they also contained chocolate chips, but you can use anything you have on hand. I love cashews and they add a lovely sweetness, and toffee adds a buttery flavor that is hard to resist.

Browned Butter Toffee Cashew Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 3/4 cups flour
1 cup salted cashews, chopped
3/4 cup toffee bits
1 1/4 cups chocolate chips

In a small saucepan, heat the butter over medium low heat. Melt the butter, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter begins to brown and starts to become nutty. Transfer the butter to a small dish and cool for 30 minutes.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats.

In a large mixer bowl, combine the cooled butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Beat on medium until combined, then stir in the eggs, vanilla, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer running on low, slowly add the flour, stirring until the mixture is almost cohesive. Fold in the cashews, toffee bits, and chocolate chips.

Using a 1-1/2 tablespoon scoop, shape the dough into mounds on the prepared baking sheet. Place 8 balls of dough on each baking sheet, as the cookies may spread.

Bake the cookies for 8 minutes, then rotate the cookie sheet and bake for an additional 4 minutes. The cookies may be ever so slightly under baked, but they will firm up as they cool. If necessary, use a small spatula to reshape the cookies into rounds.

Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe from Cookies and Cups