This brown butter pecan chocolate chip skillet cookie is crisp on the edges and soft and chewy in the center. The combination of browned butter and brown sugar yields a toffee-like flavor that complements the nutty pecans and rich chocolate. Baked in a cast iron skillet and served warm, this skillet cookie is perfect for sharing, especially when topped with a couple of scoops of your favorite vanilla ice cream. Enjoy this skillet cookie all year round whenever the craving strikes!

If you’re looking for a cozy and comforting treat, I’ve got one for you today! This dessert may seem a bit fancy due to its use of brown butter, but it’s extremely easy to make.

My kids are still raving over it and asking me when I’ll make it again!

This is one of those desserts that is perfect when eaten straight out of the oven. Maybe give it a few minutes to cool down!

Who are we kidding with that warm, gooey, chocolate, chewy center and crisp edges! This is the kind of dessert that disappears fast!

Let’s talk about flavor! The brown butter lends this dish a deep, nutty flavor that pairs well with the pecans. Brown sugar creates a delicious toffee-like center filled with melted chocolate chips.

What’s nice about this recipe is that it’s all one dish! You don’t have to scoop out dozens of cookies. The cast-iron skillet makes baking this dessert easy and gives this cookie its signature crispy edges.

The cast-iron skillet is a must-have tool when creating this recipe. I do not recommend using a skillet smaller than 10 inches, as there won’t be enough room for the cookie dough to rise as it bakes.

A larger skillet can be used, but you will need to reduce the overall baking time and watch for when the center is just set and the outer edges are golden.

If you don’t have a skillet, a 10-inch pie plate can be used with similar results. If you ever needed an excuse to buy a cast-iron skillet, let this be the one!

Ingredients

• unsalted butter
• all-purpose flour
• baking soda
• sea salt
• brown sugar
• granulated sugar
• an egg + an egg yolk
• vanilla extract
• semisweet chocolate chips
• dark chocolate chunks
• pecans
• vanilla ice cream for serving, optional

How to Make Pecan Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie

To make the brown butter, first reserve 1 tablespoon of butter for greasing the skillet.

Slice the remaining butter into roughly tablespoon-sized pieces and add it to a saucepan or skillet set over medium heat.

Once the butter melts, swirl the pan every minute or so until it begins to simmer. Once it simmers, stir every minute until the bits on the bottom of the pan turn golden brown and the butter has a nutty aroma.

Carefully pour the brown butter into your mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and allow it to cool for 30 minutes.

While the butter cools, use the tablespoon of butter you set aside to grease a 10-inch cast-iron skillet generously.

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.

Preheat the oven.

Once the browned butter has cooled for about half an hour, add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the bowl.

Mix/whisk on medium speed until smooth, about a minute.

Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix on medium for about a minute until smooth, thicker, and lighter in color.

Add the flour mixture, and mix on low until mostly combined.

Then fold in the chocolate chips and pecans until evenly distributed.

Press the cookie into the greased skillet in an even layer. Bake the cookie in the preheated oven for at least half an hour until the center is just set and the outer edge of the cookie is beginning to turn golden.

Allow the cookie to cool for at least half an hour before cutting and serving.

Serve warm slices of the skillet cookie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or enjoy it family-style with several spoons and a few scoops of ice cream on top.

How to Store

While this skillet cookie is best the day it’s made, leftovers keep best in an airtight container and should be enjoyed within 3 days. To keep leftovers from drying out, add a fresh slice of bread to the container to lend moisture.

More Cookie Recipes

• Skillet S’mores Cookie
• S’mores Cookie Bars
• Brown Butter Sugar Cookies
• Lemon Sugar Cookies with Raspberry Frosting
• Strawberry Lemonade Cookies

What do you think of this amazing cookie recipe? What would you serve with a slice of this cookie? Let me know in the comment section below. 

If you share across social media, make sure to tag #aclassictwist, so I can see your beautiful creation come to life!

Happy baking, friends!

Pecan Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie Recipe

Print

Yield: 8-10 servings

Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie

This brown butter pecan chocolate chip skillet cookie is crisp on the edges and soft and chewy in the center. The combination of browned butter and brown sugar yield a toffee-like flavor that complements the nutty pecans and rich chocolate.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Additional Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• ½ cup dark chocolate chunks
• ⅔ cup pecans, chopped
• Vanilla ice cream for serving, optional

Instructions

1. Reserve 1 tablespoon of butter for greasing the skillet. Slice the remaining butter into roughly tablespoon-sized pieces and add it to a saucepan or skillet set over medium heat. Once the butter melts, swirl the pan every minute or so until it begins to simmer. Once it simmers, stir every minute until the bits on the bottom of the pan turn golden brown and the butter has a nutty aroma. Carefully pour the brown butter into your mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and allow it to cool for 30 minutes.
   
2. While the butter cools, use the tablespoon of butter you set aside to grease a 10-inch cast-iron skillet generously. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium-sized bowl and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3. Once the browned butter has cooled for 30 minutes, add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the bowl. Mix/whisk on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix on medium for about 1 minute until smooth, thicker, and lighter in color.
   
4. Add the flour mixture, and mix on low until mostly combined, then fold in the chocolate chips and pecans until evenly distributed. Press the cookie into the greased skillet in an even layer.
5. Bake the cookie in the preheated 350-degree oven for 30-35 minutes until the center is just set and the outer edge of the cookie is beginning to turn golden. Allow the cookie to cool for at least 20-30 minutes before cutting and serving.
6. Serve warm slices of the skillet cookie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or enjoy it family style with several spoons and a few scoops of ice cream on top.
   

Notes

I do not recommend using a skillet smaller than 10 inches, as there won’t be enough room for the cookie dough to rise as it bakes. A larger skillet can be used, but you will need to reduce the overall baking time and watch for when the center is just set and the outer edges are golden.

Either light or dark brown sugar may be used.

How long will leftovers keep? While this skillet cookie is best the day it’s made, leftovers keep best in an airtight container and should be enjoyed within 3 days. To keep leftovers from drying out, add a fresh slice of bread to the container to lend moisture.

Does this have to be baked in a cast iron skillet? A cast iron skillet will produce crisp, golden edges, but you can also bake this cookie in a 10-inch pie plate for similar results.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

10

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 408Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 268mgCarbohydrates: 62gFiber: 3gSugar: 39gProtein: 6g

Making this Recipe?

Share it with us on Instagram using #aclassictwist so we can see what you are baking up in your kitchen!

The post Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie appeared first on A Classic Twist.

These browned butter sugar cookies are the perfect combination of soft and chewy with crunchy, sugary tops. This recipe elevates the traditional sugar cookie by incorporating rich, nutty brown butter, which perfectly compliments their sweet and tender crumb. With their crisp, sugary edges and soft, chewy centers, these cookies are ideal for any occasion, whether enjoyed with a cup of tea or as a comforting snack.

Hey there, and welcome back, friends.

You are in for a sweet treat!

Who doesn’t love a sugar cookie?

I felt inspired and took sugar cookies to the next level using brown butter and then I made them even more special by adding a crunchy sugary top!

I know most people think of sugar cookies as plain with colorful frosting for special events and I have many sugar cookie recipes that are perfect for those special events but these cookies are more for everyday snacking.

This is a recipe for sugar cookies that can be enjoyed anytime. They might become your favorite cookie to enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea.

Let’s talk more about this recipe. I love using brown butter in recipes instead of regular butter because browning butter gives it this fun nutty flavor. You need to try it. It transforms regular cookies into fancy browned butter cookies!

The cookies have an unforgettable soft chewy center with crisp edges that make a great sugar cookie.

They are perfectly tender but don’t fall apart. They melt in your mouth! Even though we used browned butter, we let it cool again in the fridge before mixing our cookie dough with it, which gives us tender browned butter sugar cookies.

I can’t get enough of the crunchy sugary topping! It gives these cookies a fun texture and it looks so beautiful. You can always use sprinkles, or leave the topping plan and frost them but I love the special added touch of the sanding sugar.

Ingredients

• unsalted butter
• all-purpose flour
• salt
• baking soda
• granulated sugar
• brown sugar
• an egg + an egg yolk
• vanilla extract
• sanding sugar or sprinkles

How to Make Brown Butter Sugar Cookies

Start by browning the butter. Roughly dice the butter and add it to a large skillet or saucepan that is lighter in color. The lighter color will help to tell when the butter has properly browned. Set the skillet over medium heat.

Once the butter has fully melted, whisk it every minute until the bits on the bottom of the pan turn brown and it smells nutty. This will take a few minutes.

Transfer the butter to a heat-safe bowl and set it aside to come to room temperature. Once it reaches room temperature, it will solidify but still be soft. This will take a few hours.

Once the brown butter has reached room temperature, preheat the oven and line 2 or 3 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.

Add the cooled brown butter to the bowl of a stand mixer along with the granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat for a few minutes until fluffy and lighter in color, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix well for about a minute. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined and there are no longer pockets of flour visible.

Put the sanding sugar or sprinkles in a small bowl. Then, use a 1-ounce cookie scoop to scoop up portions of the dough.

Roll the dough into a ball in your hands. Dip the tops of the balls into the sprinkles until they are evenly coated. Place them at least 2-inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet with the sprinkles facing up.

Bake the cookies in the preheated oven on the center rack until the edges are just set.

Cool the cookies on the sheet for a few minutes before moving to a rack to cool completely.

How to Store

Store these cooled brown butter sugar cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 months or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

More Cookie Recipes

• Butterscotch Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Cinnamon Pecan Shortbread Cookies
• Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
• Chocolate Brownie Cookies
• S’mores Chocolate Chip Cookies

What do you think of this amazing brown butter sugar cookie recipe? What would you serve with these cookies? Let me know in the comment section below. 

If you share across social media, make sure to tag #aclassictwist, so I can see your beautiful creation come to life!

Happy baking, friends!

Brown Butter Sugar Cookie Recipe

Can I cut these into shapes instead of rolling them into balls? No, this recipe is not formulated to be a roll out cookie dough. It’s best suited for rolling the dough into balls.

Can I skip the sprinkles and frost these instead? Yes, you can frost these instead of using sprinkles. Since the tops crack as they bake, I recommend using a thicker frosting on top to ensure a smooth texture.

Recipe Tips

• During the brown butter process, make sure to keep an eye on the butter once it has fully melted. The white solids will settle on top then the butter will start to bubble and simmer. Keep a close eye on it once it begins to foam and the scent starts to change. You want to remove the butter from the heat as soon as the bits on the bottom of the pan turn brown and the butter smells nutty.
• To save some time, make the brown butter the night before you want to bake the cookies so it can sit out and come to room temperature overnight.
• If you don’t have a 1-ounce cookie scoop, use a tablespoon measuring spoon to measure out 2 tablespoon-sized portions of the dough instead.
• Resist the urge to overbake these. Bake the cookies just long enough for the edges to set, which will ensure a soft and chewy texture.

Print

Yield: 24 cookies

Browned Butter Sugar Cookies

These brown butter sugar cookies are the perfect combination of soft and chewy with crunchy, sugary tops. This recipe elevates the traditional sugar cookie by incorporating rich, nutty brown butter which perfectly complements their sweet and tender crumb.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes

Additional Time 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours 32 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• ¼ cup sanding sugar or sprinkles

Instructions

1. Start by browning the butter. Roughly dice the butter and add it to a large skillet or saucepan that is lighter in color. The lighter color will help to tell when the butter has properly browned. Set the skillet over medium heat. Once the butter has fully melted, whisk it every minute until the bits on the bottom of the pan turn brown and it smells nutty. This will take about 5-8 minutes. Transfer the butter to a heat-safe bowl and set it aside to come to room temperature. Once it reaches room temperature, it will solidify but still be soft. This will take about 2-3 hours.
2. Once the brown butter has reached room temperature, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 2 or 3 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
4. Add the cooled brown butter to the bowl of a stand mixer along with the granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat for 2-3 minutes until fluffy and lighter in color, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix well for about 1 minute. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined and there are no longer pockets of flour visible.
5. Put the sanding sugar or sprinkles in a small bowl. Then, use a 1-ounce cookie scoop to scoop up portions of the dough. Roll the dough into a ball in your hands. Dip the tops of the balls into the sprinkles until they are evenly coated. Place them at least 2-inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet with the sprinkles facing up. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven on the center rack for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are just set. Cool the cookies on the sheet for 10 minutes before moving to a rack to cool completely.

Notes

1. You can make the brown butter the night before to save some time. Allow it to sit out loosely covered with a clean kitchen towel until you’re ready to use it the next day.
2. Since these cookies spread quite a bit during baking, you’ll need to divide them across 3 different baking sheets. If you only have 1 baking sheet, you can bake one batch at a time, allowing the baking sheet to cool slightly before moving on to the next batch.
3. I do not recommend cutting these cookies into shapes instead of rolling them into balls. This recipe is not formulated to be a roll-out cookie dough. It’s best suited for rolling the dough into balls.
4. You can skip the sanding sugar or sprinkles and frost them. Since the tops crack as they bake, I recommend using a thicker frosting on top to ensure a smooth texture.
5. During the brown butter process, make sure to keep an eye on the butter once it has fully melted. The white solids will settle on top then the butter will start to bubble and simmer. Keep a close eye on it once it begins to foam and the scent starts to change. You want to remove the butter from the heat as soon as the bits on the bottom of the pan turn brown and the butter smells nutty.
6. If you don’t have a 1-ounce cookie scoop, use a tablespoon measuring spoon to measure out 2 tablespoon-sized portions of the dough instead.
7. Resist the urge to overbake these. Bake the cookies just long enough for the edges to set, ensuring a soft and chewy texture.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 118Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 109mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 0gSugar: 14gProtein: 2g

Making this Recipe?

Share it with us on Instagram using #aclassictwist so we can see what you are baking up in your kitchen!

The post Brown Butter Sugar Cookies appeared first on A Classic Twist.

Hey there, and welcome back, friends.

You are in for a fall treat!

This post was originally published on October 30, 2015, and has been updated with new photos.

Pumpkin Cake Bars

To be honest, I only get into pumpkin eating after most of my apples are gone. I figure we have till Thanksgiving to enjoy pumpkin so why rush it? I know I am a minority in that line of thinking.

But these pumpkin cake bars with brown butter frosting started the pumpkin kick in my house again. A simple (and favorite) spiced pumpkin cake recipe is made in a brownie pan and topped with sweet nutty brown butter frosting.

I cut these into bars and sprinkled them with some fall-inspired colors. These delicious treats are perfect for Halloween festivities and beyond.

Should I really say more to convince you?

I didn’t think so. I am sure I got you at pumpkin anyway. But while I still have you here, I want to tell you about one of my favorite charities, Cookies for Kids.

Every year, OXO supports Cookies for Kids’ Cancer through their #OXOGoodCookies program where they encourage everyone to bake a difference with OXO for Cookies for Kids’ Cancer. 

Cookies for Kids’ Cancer was founded by two OXOnians (OXO employees) who were inspired by their son Liam’s battle with pediatric cancer; a disease which claims the lives of more children in the US than any other disease.

Cookies for Kids’ Cancer provides inspiration and support to allow anyone to easily get involved in fundraising to find a cure for pediatric cancer. This year, OXO will donate up to $100,000 to support Cookies for Kids’ Cancer, through their specially marked bakeware (the green sticker in my brownie pan above!). 

25 cents for each specially marked product will go towards supporting pediatric cancer research up to our $100,000 commitment.

In addition, as part of their campaign, they will be donating $100 to Cookies for Kids’ Cancer for each blog post dedicated to this campaign in October.

Amazing right?

These pumpkin cake bars are helping a little toward pediatric cancer research (and I am all about organizations that give research as we are struggling to get funds to understand these diseases).

Head out there and buy some green sticker OXO bakeware!!

For more information, follow OXO on social media: Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Pumpkin Cake Bar Ingredients

• all-purpose flour
• baking powder
• baking soda
• salt
• ground cinnamon
• ground ginger
• ground cloves
• brown sugar
• a few eggs
• vegetable oil
• pumpkin puree
• vanilla extract
• milk
• unsalted butter
• powdered sugar

How to Make Pumpkin Cake Bars

For Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a rectangular 9 x 13-inch pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.

In the bowl of your Stand Mixer, beat the brown sugar and eggs until light and fluffy.

Gradually add in vegetable oil and mix until just combined. Beat in pumpkin puree and vanilla extract.

Alternate the dry ingredients and milk, in three batches, and beat until combined between each addition.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.

Bake cake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let cake cool in pan completely before frosting.

For frosting:

In a large bowl, beat all the ingredients together on low speed until combined. Increase speed to medium and beat until fluffy.

Spread frosting over cooled cake and cut into bars.

How to Store Pumpkin Cake Bars

Store pumpkin cake bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in your fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze these bars for up to 3 months. Unthaw the cake bars at room temperature.

More Pumpkin Dessert Recipes

• Pumpkin Spice Angel Food Cake
• Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Maple Glaze
• Pumpkin Cupcakes
• Instant Pot Pumpkin Cheesecake
• Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

What do you think of this tasty pumpkin bar recipe? What would you serve with these cake bars? Let me know in the comment section below. 

If you share across social media, make sure to tag #aclassictwist, so I can see your beautiful creation come to life!

Happy baking, friends!

Pumpkin Cake Bar Recipe

Print

Yield: ~18-20 bars

Pumpkin Cake Bars

Pumpkin cake bars are made with a spiced cake and topped with a nutty brown butter frosting. These fall-inspired treats are perfect for Halloween festivities and beyond.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients

For Cake:

Toggle ingredient group

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup milk, room temperature
• For brown butter cinnamon buttercream
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and browned
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3-4 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

For Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a rectangular 9 x 13-inch pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
3. In the bowl of your Stand Mixer, beat the brown sugar and eggs until light and fluffy. Gradually add in vegetable oil and mix until just combined. Beat in pumpkin puree and vanilla extract. Alternate the dry ingredients and milk, in three batches, and beat until combined between each addition.
4. Divide batter equally into prepared pans. Bake cake 20 to 25 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cake cool in pan completely before frosting.

For frosting:

1. In a large bowl, beat all the ingredients together on low speed until combined. Increase speed to medium and beat until fluffy.
2. Spread frosting over cooled cake and cut into bars.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

20

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 471Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 235mgCarbohydrates: 92gFiber: 1gSugar: 80gProtein: 3g

Making this Recipe?

Share it with us on Instagram using #aclassictwist so we can see what you are baking up in your kitchen!

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. I was selected to be part of OXO’s Blogger Outreach program, for which I received a brownie baking set to use to make these pumpkin cake bars. All opinions are 100% mine. 

The post Pumpkin Cake Bars with Brown Butter Frosting appeared first on A Classic Twist.

Hey there, and welcome back, friends.

You are in for a treat!

Blueberry Lemon Loaf

I have a new spring recipe for you. This brown butter blueberry lemon loaf is a new favorite. It’s nutty and full of fresh blueberries and citrus lemon flavors. If you are looking for an easy Spring cake to add to her list, this is it. 

(more…)

The post Brown Butter Blueberry Lemon Loaf appeared first on A Classic Twist.

I fell in love with naked cakes all over again a few weeks ago when I made my first wedding cake for a friend’s wedding. Aren’t they just elegant and beautiful? They are the perfect accessory to a rustic-themed wedding, shower and all. During the practice for the wedding cake, I made a few small layered cakes to get the frosting and technique just right. This brown butter cake with maple caramel buttercream was one of my test subjects. Based on my new favorite cupcake recipe (these caramel corn cupcakes), the cake has a rich nutty brown butter flavor and it’s wrapped in a sweet maple caramel buttercream. So so incredible and brings together great fall flavors.

I think I need to address my obsession with caramel. It is pretty obvious that I am a sucker for all things caramel. The minute I hear there is caramel in something, forget it, I am having it. Let alone a unique flavored caramel like bourbon caramel (yum!!), honey caramel (oh my!!) or maple caramel (SOLD!!). Anyway, the point is I will do anything for a good caramel 🙂

Today’s adventure in this new flavored caramel started with Amanda’s challenge over at lucky number 3. If you don’t know her, she the amazing baker behind lucky number 3 and who happened to have won the second season of the great American baking show (she’s pretty talented so if you don’t follow her already, please do!). She started a monthly bake-off challenge last month and she asked us (her baking enthusiast followers) to whip up any baked goods using the secret ingredient – maple caramel. 

I paired the sweet, earthy maple caramel with a nutty moist brown butter cake. It’s a great pair and one you NEED to make for your holidays.

Even if you don’t get around to the cake, make this maple caramel. Then slather it in everything from ice cream to pancakes to drizzled over a warm slice of pear galette (coming soon!).

Print

Yield: 1 6-inch cake

Brown Butter Cake with Maple Caramel Buttercream

Prep Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 3 hours

Ingredients

For the Maple Caramel Sauce

Toggle ingredient group

• ½ cup dark maple syrup
• 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoon water
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, diced
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar

For the Cake:

Toggle ingredient group

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup almond flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the Frosting:

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
• 1/3 cup maple caramel sauce
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

For maple caramel sauce:

1. In a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat, cook the maple syrup until it begins to simmer. Once it starts simmering, reduce heat to low and cook until reduced in half, swirling the pan occasionally. It should take about 10 minutes and once it starts to smell toasted, it’s done. Let cool slightly.
2. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the cream until lukewarm. Whisk in the vanilla extract.
3. In another medium saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Set over medium heat and cook without stirring. Once it starts to bubble, increase heat to medium-high. Do not stir. Do not walk away from pot. Watch until it turns from clear to a light caramel. Continue cooking until the caramel is a deep amber color.
4. Remove from heat and whisk in the warm heavy cream continuously. It will bubble violently but continue whisking. Whisk in the maple syrup until combined. Then whisk in the butter until melted. Finally, whisk in the salt and vinegar.
5. Transfer caramel to a heatproof container and cool to room temperature.

For the cake:

1. Preheat to 350°F. Grease two 6-inch round cake pans with baking spray and line with parchment. Grease parchment.
2. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, melt the butter. Cook the butter, swirling occasionally until the butter is browned. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool slightly about 5 minutes.
3. Whisk in the sugar, eggs, milk and vanilla extract. In another small bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredient to the wet ingredients. Mix until gently combined.
4. Divide the batter equally into the prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven for 22-25 mins or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

For the frosting:

1. Beat the butter and caramel on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix on low speed to combine. Increase speed and beat frosting until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
3. Fill and layer the cake layers with the frosting. Drizzle with caramel sauce and decorate as desired.

Making this Recipe?

Share it with us on Instagram using #aclassictwist so we can see what you are baking up in your kitchen!

The post Brown Butter Cake with Maple Caramel Buttercream appeared first on A Classic Twist.

It’s only appropriate to end the week with another eggnog recipe, right? These eggnog cookie bars are goey, soft and flavorful and will be a great weekend holiday baking project!

Wait, can you tell I got all up eggnog last weekend? Don’t worry, I was playing with gingerbread as well and those recipes will come your way next week. I had to work a little ahead on blog recipes because this weekend, I am baking dozens of holiday cookies to send to friends and family. My annual holiday cookie baking bash is always fun!! When do you do your cookie exchange baking? Since most of my friends are across the country, I try to send them at least a week or two before the holidays.

So far, I’ve settled on these cranberry orange vanilla cookies, soft ginger molasses cookies and eggnog cookies (recipe coming!) for my cookie boxes. Oh, I am doing homemade peppermint marshmallows as well! What is in your cookie jars this year?? I need one more cookie recipe to add to mine so please share your favorites with me!

As for these gooey good browned butter eggnog cookie bars, they are nothing short of amazing with a sweet rum buttercream. Yup… I added a tablespoon of rum to the topping. I saw the eggnog cookie bar recipe in the current issue of the Food Network Magazine and I immediately wanted to try it. But with all things I make, it’s hard for me to follow a recipe to script. I alway get ideas as I go along and experiment. I made a few minor changes for these bars; their recipe called for melted butter but in my world, if I am going to go through the trouble of melting butter, I might as well just brown it. It does nothing but amp up the butter flavor. And instead of topping the cookie bars with a dusting of powdered sugar and nutmeg as they suggest (which I’m sure is delicious!), I whipped up a quick buttercream and added some rum to it. Both great changes that took these eggnog cookie bars to a whole other level of delicious holiday treat. Trust me, you won’t regret the extra 5 minutes it took to make the frosting.

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Yield: 12 bars

Browned Butter Eggnog Cookie Bars

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup unsalted butter, melted and browned
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg plus 2 egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon bourbon or brandy (optional)

Frosting:

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• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1-2 tablespoons dark rum
• a dash of nutmeg

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 8-by-8-inch baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on the sides. Grease with baking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, nutmeg and salt.

In a large bowl, whisk together the browned butter, sugar, egg and egg yolks, vanilla extract and bourbon (if using).

Add the dry ingredients into the wet and mix until well-combined and there are no streaks of flour.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Spread evenly

Bake until the top is shiny and slightly cracked, about 25 minutes.

Let it cool in plan completely.

Meanwhile prepare the frosting by combining all the ingredients in a large bowl. Beat until light and fluffy.

Once cooled, remove the bar from the pan using the overhangs. Top with the frosting and slice into squares.

Notes

Adapted from FNM

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