I hope everyone is having a great start to 2026. When I started Faith, Food, and Pharmacy, I fully intended to deliver on all 3 aspects of the name. But life got in the way and I lost the passion and time for making homemade food. But since the 2nd half of last year, that love of cooking and baking has come back. So, as my first foray into building an online cookbook, I’m announcing the 2026 Cookie Calendar. One themed cookie, every month for the rest of the year.
January – to me, this is the most boring and bland month. Everyone is coming off the excitement of the 2-month-long holiday season and it’s bitterly cold. So what better cookie for January than chocolate chip? Classic, comforting, and a bit boring. But to spice it up, I’ve browned the butter, adding a lot of depth and richness to the overall flavor.
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoon (1 stick) salted butter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (measure accurately or the cookies will spread too much)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda (see notes in FAQ section regarding adjustments for taller cookies)
- ¼ teaspoon salt (if using unsalted butter)
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ⅓ cup (65g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
- 2 oz dark chocolate, coarsely chopped into chunks plus extra for topping
- ⅓ cup (85g) semisweet chocolate chips
- flaky sea salt (optional for topping)
Instructions
- First brown the butter. It’s surprisingly quick and easy! This whole process takes around 8-10 minutes. Simply melt butter in a pan on medium heat and wait for it to foam while stirring occasionally to keep the milk solids from burning. Once it foams, pay attention to the color: once it is golden brown, take it off heat and immediately pour it into a large mixing bowl, then let it cool for 20-30 minutes until it reaches a temperature just warmer than room temperature.
- Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and whisk well to blend evenly.
- Combine cooled brown butter with both sugars in a large bowl and mix gently with a spatula to combine. It should look thick like thick wet sand.
- Add the egg, milk and vanilla and mix it in until well incorporated and creamy-looking. Do not beat vigorously at this stage because if it is cold in your house, the butterfat will firm up and become stiff.
- Add flour mixture and fold it in or mix on low just until mostly combined, then add the chocolate chunks and chips before all of the flour is incorporated and continue mixing until they are evenly distributed. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 1-4 hours or overnight.
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- Use a cookie scoop or a tablespoon to portion dough into roughly 12 pieces and roll into smooth balls (wetting your hands with water keeps the dough from sticking to your hands). Place them onto prepared baking sheets, spacing them 3 inches apart. Press a few extra chunks of chocolate on top, but do not completely flatten. Bake for 8-10 minutes until golden on top, browned around the edges and soft in the middle.
- Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 10-20 minutes. Top with a pinch sea salt and enjoy!
Nutrition
Servings: 12 (1 cookie = 1 serving)
Calories: 180 cal I Protein: 1.9 g I Carbs: 25 g I Fats: 9.4 g
Notes
- It is recommended to chill dough for 1 hour minimum, but at least 4 hours would be ideal.
- You can make dough ahead of time. Keep in the fridge and use within 5 days of making
- You can grease a cookie sheet, but parchment paper gets really good browning on the bottom and is easier to clean.
- Stay tuned for another announcement in relation to the Food section of this blog!
Faith, Food and Pharmacy 