BROWN BUTTER CARDAMOM COOKIES

These brown butter cardamom cookies, or dopamine cookies as I like to call them, are such a pick-me-up lately. After about a week on being caged in by snow, I’ve begun to understand why Jack lost it in The Shining. Cabin fever is real, folks!

I naturally began to crave for things that bring me dopamine and for my mental health’s sake, there’s these cookies. Dopamine is a hormone that gives us feelings of pleasure and satisfaction. I like to think of it as a reward receptor. Something that makes us feel good. Sugar is one way to get a dopamine boost, and that’s just what I needed after being cooped up because of the snow. Therefore, dopamine cookies!

I had a craving for peanut butter cookies but wanted to switch it up a little. Browning the butter sounded like a nice touch and that got my dopamine senses fluttering. If you’re unfamiliar with brown butter, it adds a richer, more intense flavor than regular butter. Heat up butter in a pan until it literally begins to brown. Transfer to a mold or small bowl until it cools to room temperature. It makes a big difference in the recipe.

To make these cookies extra special, I also infused a bit of cardamom into the butter just to give it a little oomph. It adds a slight note of sweet and peppery to the recipe. I put a few pods into a tea bag and steeped it in the butter for about 20 minutes.

Using a standing mixer, I mixed all of the ingredients together until the cookie dough was soft and smooth. Then I chilled the dough in the refrigerator for an hour.

BROWN BUTTER CARDAMOM COOKIES RECIPE

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cup of flour
• 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup of light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup of granulated sugar
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 3/4 cup of peanut butter, I used creamy
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 4-5 cardamom pods in a tea bag
• Flake salt, to taste

Directions

1. Place cardamom pods in a tea bag. Set aside.
2. Using a medium pan (I used cast iron) slowly melt the butter until it becomes bubbly and begins to brown.
3. Pour the butter into a mold or small bowl and infuse the cardamom pods in the butter for about 20 minutes.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
5. Using the paddle attachment on a standing mixer, beat the brown butter on high speed until creamy.
6. Lower to medium-high and slowly beat in the sugars until creamy and smooth.
7. Beat in the egg until combined.
8. Combine the peanut butter and vanilla.
9. Slowly pour in the dry ingredients and mix on low until soft and creamy.
10. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
11. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
12. On a parchment lined baking sheet, scoop about a tablespoon of dough and roll them into balls. Space them out evenly onto the parchment and use a fork to smash down each ball.
13. Sprinkle flake salt over top each cookie.
14. Bake for 11 minutes.
15. Carefully lift the parchment paper and cookies off the baking sheet and allow them to cool for 5 minutes.
16. Enjoy!