Coconut and Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Have you ever tried googling the phrase "best chocolate chip cookie recipes?"  It's pretty funny.  There are quite a few out there.  

The base cookie recipe came from allrecipes, and it is the best.  I'm not sure if the author has tried all the other chocolate chip cookie recipes out there to verify this claim, but it makes a pretty darn good cookie nonetheless.  

The chocolate chip cookie is an American invention.  It was created by Ruth Graves Wakefield.  She owned an inn in Massachusetts called the Toll House Inn.

Wikipedia says the chocolate chip cookie spread during World War 2.  Soldiers from Massachusetts would receive chocolate chip cookies in their care packages and shared them with their fellow soldiers.  Soon soldiers from around the US were asking their families to send them chocolate chips cookies.

This version requires 1 cup coconut, 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips, 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1 egg, 1 egg white, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon hot water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

I began by browning the butter.  This takes a while.  I didn't time myself, but I kept an eye on it while cooking something else.  Once it was brown, I let it cool a little.

I added the sugars and butter to a bowl and beat them together.

I added the egg and beat the ingredients together.

I added the vanilla.

I disolved the baking soda into the warm water and added it to the batter.

I stirred in the flour and salt.  Before it was completely combined I added the coconut and chocolate chips.  I added an extra half a cup of chocolate chips, but you can never have too much chocolate.

I don't show this, but my batter was pretty dry.  The coconut flakes probably sucked out some of the moisture.  That is why this recipe calls for an egg white.  I added an egg white to make the dough a more appropriate consistency.  I let the dough rest in the fridge for 48 hours.  I read an article that said cookie dough needs to rest, and two days is preferable.  I'm not sure it made a huge difference, but I did end up increasing the baking time by a minute or two.

I baked the cookies for 10 to 11 minutes at 350 degrees.

Delicious!  Coconut is one of my greatest weaknesses.  I like to add it to everything.  The browned butter was a little overshadowed with everything else going on in the cookie, but I could still taste it.

 I took these to a party, and they were a hit.  The base recipe is great, and the coconut and browned butter make them a toothsome delight!