Rainbow M&M Brown Butter Cookies make everyone smile! Browned butter adds rich caramel-y notes to a treat that we all love
So, my 4-year old, Noah, is currently home between winter break and seemingly endless snow-days. I’ve been finding all kinds of great activities to keep us busy like cooking, baking, learning how to use the vacuum, loading the dishwasher…it is truly amazing what a kid will do for a Rainbow M&M cookie. If for some reason, you think Rainbow M&M Brown Butter Cookies are just for kids, think again! These cookies are irresistible if you’re 5 or 105, I mean come on, just look at them! They just make me happy! On an adult note, I went with the dye-free Trader Joe’s chocolate covered candy version instead of using signature M&Ms to avoid artificial ingredients and dyes because nobody needs Red 40. Sorry not sorry.
You all know that I’m more than a little obsessed with brown butter, so when I thought about to how to update a classic M&M cookie, the caramel-y nutty notes of brown butter was an obvious choice. Browning the butter adds so much richness to the flavor, and is well worth the extra time you take to chill the dough. But guess what? If you live somewhere where it gets really cold like I do, just pop the cookie dough outside (like outside!) on the porch, because you know what? It’s currently colder outside than it is in the freezer! It’s like the world’s largest walk-in freezer! So, taking lemons and making lemonade, you see what I did there?
One of my favorite things to do is bake about a dozen of these cookies, then save the remaining chilled cookie dough balls in a freezer ziploc bag, for like a cookie emergency (it is real). They will be fine in the freezer for up to 3 months, although I doubt they will last that long 🙂
Comment below to let me know where you hid the last cookie, so you didn’t have to share with anyone (Moms, I know you know!) and remember to tag you Instagram pics with #lionsbread – I love to see what you’re making, xoxo – L
Rainbow M&M Brown Butter Cookies
<em>Rainbow M&M Brown Butter Cookies make everyone smile! Browned butter adds rich caramel-y notes to a treat that we all love</em>
Ingredients
- 1 c (2 sticks) salted butter
- 2 1/4 c all-purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 egg, plus 1 egg yolk
- 1 1/4 c packed dark brown sugar
- 1/4 c granulated sugar
- 1 T sour cream or greek yogurt
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 c dye free M&M like chocolate candies (Trader Joe's)
- 1/2 c semi sweet chocolate chips
Directions
- Step 1 Melt the butter in a small frying pan, over medium-low heat. After about 4 minutes, the butter will begin to foam. Gently whisk the butter constantly from now on. The butter will continue to bubble and foam for another 4-5 minutes. Once it begins to turn brown on the bottom of the pan and smell nutty and caramel-ly, remove the pan from the heat, and pour the hot brown butter into a heat proof bowl. Allow to cool slightly for about 10 minutes.
- Step 2 In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or a large bowl with an electric handheld mixer, mix the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for 2 minutes. Beat in the egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and sour cream for another minute.
- Step 3 Add the flour, salt, and baking soda to the bowl, and mix on low speed until just combined. Add the M&Ms and chocolate chips and mix in gently, by hand.
- Step 4 Using an ice cream scoop, portion out dough balls onto a large plate. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Step 5 Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove cookie dough balls from the fridge, and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating the pan 180* halfway through. The cookies should be lightly golden brown, and just set. Don’t overbake! Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack or brown paper bag to cool completely. Enjoy!