BROWN BUTTER MELTAWAYS

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar, plus more for dusting cookies
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

TO MAKE THE BROWN BUTTER:
Make the brown butter several hours before you plan to make the cookies: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the solids separate and brown to a dark golden color, 7 to 10 minutes (it may take longer; be careful not to let it burn). Remove from heat and cool briefly, then pour into a dish and chill until solid.

WHEN READY TO BAKE:
Cream the browned butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the beater and sides of the bowl. Add the 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar and salt. Beat on medium speed until smooth and free of lumps, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down sides of bowl.

Add the flour and beat on low speed, just until incorporated. (Dough will be crumbly.) Remove dough from mixer and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill at least 30 minutes. (Dough can be made to this point and refrigerated up a week or frozen up to 1 month.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place rack in lower third of oven. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Flouring your hands, pinch off pieces of dough and roll into 1-inch balls. (If the dough is too crumbly to roll, you can just press it into balls.) Place balls 1 inch apart on baking sheets.

Bake one sheet at a time for 12 minutes, until barely brown around edges, turning sheets halfway through baking. Do not overbake or cookies will be too crisp.

Sift confectioner's sugar over cookies on parchment paper as soon as you remove the sheets from the oven. Cool completely before removing from paper. Store in airtight containers up to 3 days or freeze up to two weeks.

Makes about 2 dozen
Source: The Secrets of Baking: Simple Techniques for Sophisticated Desserts by Sherry Yard