Brown sugar cookies

For my calculus class tomorrow, since they have a midterm, I plan to bring in cookies. I chose a very fine recipe form Cook's Illustrated.

In a cast-iron pan, melt

• 10 Tbsp unsalted butter

and, swirling, continue to cook one to three minutes to a dark golden and nutty aromatic. (Why use cast-iron? The butter doesn't care, but, short of rendering lard, this is about the best thing you can do for your cast-iron.) Remove from heat, transfer to a large heatproof bowl, and stir in

• 4 Tbsp butter

to melt. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle and middle-high, and preheat oven 350°F. In a medium bowl, combine

• 2 cups plus 2 Tbsp (whole wheat pastry) flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp salt

and set aside.

To cooled butter, add

1 3/4 cup packed brown sugar

and mix until no lumps. Scrape down bowl. Add

• 1 large egg plus 1 yolk
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• optional: 1 tsp molasses

and mix to fully incorporate. Add flour mixture, and mix, scraping down bowl.

Roll into small balls, and toss in a mixture of

• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

and place on baking sheets. Bake 13 minutes, and do not overbake.

The number of cookies made by a particular recipes depends dramatically on the size of the cookies. In my notes, I wrote in "makes 2 dozen", presumably making largish 2-Tbsp cookies. This time, worried I wouldn't have enough for my sixty students, I made a double batch: I made just over 180 cookies.