Brown sugar cookies
As a kid, I’d spent some serious time in the cupboards spooning heaps of brown sugar into my eager mouth. I preferred brown over white, mainly because I believed its flavors were more interesting (and because I believed I got more of a sugar high).
As I got older, I slowly lost the taste for cloyingly sweet things like Big Stick popsicles, Gushers fruit snacks and Pixy Stix. The desire to fit all 6 feet of strawberry Bubble Tape in my mouth at once also went with it. But brown sugar? Not a chance. To this day, I’ll still sneak a little bit here and there. 
These cookies are a throwback to my childhood, echoing of honey, molasses and caramel, containing much more dark brown sugar than I could ever eat in a single day with my spoon. I like to make these huge, so when you pair one with a tall glass of milk, you might actually be left with more cookie than milk.
BROWN SUGAR COOKIES
Yield: 18 massive cookies
- 3/4 cups unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
1. Move oven racks to upper and middle third of your oven, and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two cookie sheets or jelly roll pans with parchment paper. Cream butter and both sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer). Add egg, vegetable oil an vanilla, and mix until incorporated.
2. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt, and mix to combine. Add flour mixture to mixing bowl and mix until all ingredients just come together (dough will be a bit wet and crumbly).
3. Portion dough into 18 balls (we’re talking a little bigger than a golf ball) and place on cookie sheets about 2 1/2 inches to 3 inches apart. Bake for 12-15 minutes for chewy cookies, and 16 to 18 minutes for crunchy. (The chewy cookies will be pale in color with crisp edges, while the crunchy ones will be a little more uniformly golden.) Remove from oven, cool in pan for 5 minutes before placing on rack to cool completely. Store in airtight container.
Ed note: Big changes are coming to F&F in the very near future! Please bear with me and these shorter posts, as a lot of my time is focusing on the new stuff. I hope you’ll like what we’ll eventually have in store!
April 2nd, 2010 at 10:47 am
There is no joy in the raw cookie ingredient world like brown sugar.
April 2nd, 2010 at 4:34 pm
I used to do the same thing when I was a kid. Once in a while I’ll still take a little for old time sake. hehehe… There’s just something about brown sugar that just makes it so delicious!!!!! The only thing missing with these cookies is a glass of milk.
April 2nd, 2010 at 7:33 pm
The words brown sugar and 18 massive cookies caught my eye big time. I too have no interest in candy, but I would love these caramely/brown sugar cookies. I love that you live close by….but not too close otherwise I would be knocking on your door to share
April 4th, 2010 at 9:36 am
I am getting ready to do some cookie baking, so I’ve got cookies on the brain! Sugar cookies are my husband’s favorites and I’m sure he’d love these. I’m going to opt for the chewier versions!
April 5th, 2010 at 2:59 pm
My family is headed out for a weekend in the mountains to celebrate various birthdays and I am, no surprise, in charge of food. A big batch (or two) of these will definitely be packed in the car. I hope they make it to the final destination.
May 5th, 2010 at 10:05 am
I’ve been admiring your posts and recipes here and I really love it! June is such a long way off but Im looking forward to seeing how your new site would look
May 5th, 2010 at 9:19 pm
I just made these cookies tonight….WOW!!! The family went crazy! The sweet/salty combo has made this our new favorite. We will definitley be making these again…and again….and again! Thanks for the post.
January 15th, 2011 at 7:08 pm
These cookies are delicious! I Googled “brown sugar cookies” and this recipe popped up. I am glad it did! Thanks so much for the wonderful recipe!
I will definitely be making more of these.
January 19th, 2011 at 10:51 am
These cookies are AMAZING. I make them all the time for family and friends and they just rave about them as well. I make them with some slight modification- I decrease the Brown Sugar 1/4 of a cup ( I think they’re too sweet with a cup and a half) and I use a tsp and a half of vanilla.
Thanks so much for sharing!
Sarah
January 28th, 2011 at 1:32 pm
I needed cookies and I was out of white sugar. Little did I know that these would be the most ridiculously-awesome things ever. You’re my hero.
March 19th, 2011 at 1:38 pm
Just popped them in the oven. I made them smaller, so there are a total of 28 (I used whole wheat flour, and I think it bakes better when the dough is thinner). Thanks for a great recipe that was easy to make!
November 20th, 2011 at 4:34 pm
hey cookies look great!!!!!!!!!!! do we need to flatten them out before? thanx reminds me of days at Grammys house…
amazing thanx
November 28th, 2011 at 6:36 pm
Hi Charlotte! Nope, no need to flatten, they’ll flatten in the oven just fine
Thanks for reading!
November 29th, 2011 at 11:03 am
good. even though some of this may need more thinking. excellent article though