Maple Bacon Cookies

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Light-colored saucepan for browning butter
• •12-inch skillet for bacon
• •Rimmed baking sheets
• •Parchment paper
• •2-tablespoon cookie scoop or measuring spoon

Instructions

1. 1

   Render the bacon

   Arrange bacon slices in a single layer in a cold skillet. Place over medium heat and cook slowly, flipping occasionally, until deeply crisp and mahogany-colored, 12 to 15 minutes. The bacon should shatter when bent. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and let cool completely. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the rendered bacon fat.

   Starting bacon in a cold pan allows the fat to render slowly, producing crispier results than dropping it into hot oil.
2. 2

   Brown the butter

   Cut butter into tablespoons and place in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. The butter will melt, then foam, then begin to sputter as the water cooks out. Swirl the pan frequently. Watch for golden-brown flecks forming at the bottom and a nutty, toasted aroma filling your kitchen. This takes 5 to 7 minutes. The moment you see amber color and smell that richness, pour immediately into a heatproof bowl. Stir in the reserved bacon fat. Let cool for 15 minutes.

   A light-colored pan lets you see the butter browning. In a dark pan, you're flying blind and risk burning it.
3. 3

   Prepare dry ingredients

   While the butter cools, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Chop the cooled bacon into small bits, roughly the size of a pea. You want distinct bacon pieces in every bite, not bacon dust.

4. 4

   Build the dough

   Add both sugars and the maple syrup to the cooled brown butter. Whisk vigorously until combined and slightly glossy, about 1 minute. The mixture will look like wet sand at first, then come together. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each. Stir in the vanilla. The batter should be smooth and thick.

5. 5

   Combine and fold

   Pour the wet ingredients over the flour mixture. Fold with a rubber spatula until just combined, with a few flour streaks remaining. Add the chopped bacon and butterscotch chips. Fold until evenly distributed. The dough will be soft and sticky. This is correct.

6. 6

   Chill the dough

   Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight. Cold dough spreads less in the oven, giving you thick, chewy centers with crisp edges. Don't skip this step.

   Overnight chilling does more than firm the dough. It allows the flour to fully hydrate and the flavors to meld. Patience produces a better cookie.
7. 7

   Portion and bake

   Heat your oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop dough into 2-tablespoon portions, rolling each into a rough ball. Space them 3 inches apart. These cookies spread. Bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven for 11 to 13 minutes. The edges should be set and golden, the centers still slightly underdone and puffed.

8. 8

   Cool and serve

   Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. They'll deflate slightly and the centers will finish setting from residual heat. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. The bacon bits will become more pronounced as the cookies cool, little pockets of salt cutting through the maple sweetness.

Chef Tips

• •Grade A Dark maple syrup (formerly Grade B) has a more robust maple flavor that stands up to the bacon and brown butter. The lighter grades taste thin and get lost.
• •Thick-cut bacon is essential. Thin bacon overcooks before it crisps properly, leaving you with burnt bits instead of meaty chunks.
• •The butterscotch chips aren't traditional, but they amplify the caramel notes in the brown sugar and complement the maple. If you object to chips in principle, leave them out. The cookie still works.
• •These ship well in care packages. The bacon fat keeps them moist longer than standard butter cookies. Wrap individually in wax paper for best results.

Advance Preparation

• •Dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days before baking. It firms significantly after the first day, so let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before scooping.
• •Portioned dough balls freeze beautifully for up to 2 months. Freeze on a sheet pan until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding 2 to 3 minutes to the bake time.
• •Baked cookies keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 5 days. They soften slightly by day 3 but remain delicious.
• •Bacon can be rendered a day ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before chopping to prevent shattering into too-small pieces.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 cookie (about 38g)