I was escaping the relentless New York winter in sunny San Luis Obispo, CA. Taking advantage of the summery aura, we took a day trip to Cayucos, a small beach town overlooking the coast.

          My brother’s girlfriend had insisted we find time to visit the Brown Butter Cookie Company.  A congenital connoisseur of edibles –- she had never led me astray. One bite and I was stunned.  And instantly in love with the soft, melt-in-your-mouth goodie. It was the cocoa flavor that wowed me. The others, original, citrus and coconut lime, were too tart for my sweet tooth. I bought a batch to bring home for my beau, but somehow they ended up in a hiding place only I knew about.

The Original Brown Butter Cookie Company

          When the last of the cookies were gone I was actually depressed. I could certainly go online and order but at $27 for two dozen plus shipping, I wouldn’t be able to maintain a serious cookie habit very long.

          Apparently I wasn’t the only fan fighting brown butter cookie withdrawal. Other sufferers offered instructions for their attempt to recreate the sensation at home. None of their recipes did the trick for me. After several false starts and half a dozen baking sessions, I got just what I craved:  a satiny, crumbling cocoa cookie with just the right amount of sweetness.  I’m sharing it with you.

Cocoa Brown Butter Sea Salt Cookies
Makes about 24 cookies

1 ½ sticks unsalted butter
¾ cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
¼ cup cocoa powder
Fleur de sel sea salt for sprinkling

In a pan, melt butter until it browns. When you smell a nutty aroma, its ready.  Pour butter into a bowl and stir in brown sugar and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and cocoa powder. Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture and combine.

Cool dough to room temperature and preheat oven to 325°. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Next, using a tablespoon, form a ball and place cookies on pan. Sprinkle sea salt on each cookie and press down lightly. Be careful, as the cookies may break apart if you press down to hard.

Bake cookies for 15 minutes. Do not overcook or the cookies will crumble.