Old-Fashioned Browned Butter Cookies

Recipe from by James Perry, New Mexico.

about 5 dozen
2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
icing
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3½ cups confectioners' sugar
½ cup hot water

Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Heat butter over medium heat for 5 minutes or so, until it turns nut brown in color. The foaming and bubbling is part of the browning process, but watch it carefully so that you don't burn the butter. Remove from heat, and cool slightly. Reserve ½ cup of the butter for the icing. Pour remaining browned butter into a large mixing bowl. Beat browned butter with sugar until the butter is no longer hot. Mix in eggs, vanilla, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Beat thoroughly. Mix in flour. Drop tablespoons of dough onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake 10 minutes or until light brown around the edges. Cool. Make the icing. (optional) In a medium bowl, mix the reserved ½ cup browned butter vanilla, confectioners' sugar, and hot water. Beat until smooth. Frost cooled cookies.

Notes: For added texture about ⅔ cup of chopped nuts or rolled oats can be added with the flour.