Brown Butter Cookies

These are officially my #1 favorite cookies ever.  I made them a few days ago and brought them to school for some of my friends, and everyone wanted the recipe.  One of my friends declared them "the best thing she's ever tasted."  Another one of my friends asked if I could be her personal chef once she had the first bite.  Even my history teacher said they was amazing. I fell in love with these after I simply tasted the cookie dough, and fell even deeper in love after I had them melty and warm straight from the oven.  Both my parents said they were the best cookies they've ever had.  My mom even asked if I can make the batter into a cake for her birthday.  The thing that makes these so delicious is browning the butter; it gives them a [toasty] flavor that is way better than normal sugar cookies. And toasting the nuts brings out the flavor even more.  These are so rich and highly addictive.  They're like butter toffee perfection.  I do not recommend chilling the cookie dough; they turn out best right after making the dough.

Yield: about 20 large cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup chopped almonds (or other nuts of your liking)
• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 tablespoons hot water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. While the oven is preheating, place the chopped nuts on an ungreased cookie sheet and place in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until very lightly toasted.  Remove pan from oven and put toasted nuts in a small bowl and set aside.  Place cookie sheet aside to cool while preparing cookie dough.
3. Heat butter over medium heat for 5 minutes or so, until it turns nut brown in color. The foaming and bubbling is part of the browning process, but watch it carefully so that you don't burn the butter. Remove from heat, and cool slightly. Reserve 1/4 cup of the butter for the frosting.
4. Pour remaining browned butter into a large mixing bowl. Beat browned butter with brown sugar until the butter is no longer hot. Mix in eggs, 1 teaspoons vanilla, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Beat thoroughly. Mix in flour and toasted pecans. Drop tablespoons of dough onto ungreased baking sheets.
5. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until light brown around the edges. Cool.
6. In a medium bowl, mix the reserved 1/4 cup browned butter with 1 teaspoons vanilla, confectioners' sugar, and hot water. Beat until smooth, and use to frost cooled cookies.