Instructions

• Preheat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 sticks butter and melt, stirring frequently. Continue cooking and stirring for about 6 minutes: the butter will foam, reduce, then foam again; watch for the milk solids to turn light brown and smell nutty. Once the solids are browning, stir constantly so it doesn’t burn.
• Remove the browned butter from the heat and let it sit about 5 minutes to cool slightly. It should be hot but not piping so hot that it will cook eggs when added.
• Pour the warm browned butter into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup light brown sugar, and mix on low until just combined. Let this mixture cool until it is warm (not hot) to the touch—several minutes—before adding eggs.
• While the butter-sugar mixture cools, whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl: 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
• With the mixer on low, add 2 large eggs to the butter-sugar mixture one at a time, mixing fully after each addition. Mix in 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract and, if using, 1 teaspoon almond extract.
• Add the flour mixture to the mixer in two or three additions, mixing on low until just combined and no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.
• Fold in 1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips by hand or on the lowest mixer speed until evenly distributed.
• Line a cupcake pan with 15 liners and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.
• Using a 1/4-cup scoop or measuring cup, portion 15 balls of cookie dough (about 1/4 cup each) and place one ball in each cupcake liner. From the remaining dough, form small cookie balls about 1/2 tablespoon each and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
• Chill both the cupcake-lined pan and the small cookie balls in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (this firms the dough and helps them keep shape when baking).
• While the dough chills (or at least before you bake), prepare the frosting: in a small saucepan over medium heat, melt and brown 1/2 cup butter, stirring often until the solids are light brown and fragrant. Remove from heat and transfer the browned butter to a large mixing bowl. Let the butter cool and “set” to room-temperature butter consistency (soft but not melted) before adding powdered sugar.
• Once the browned frosting butter has set, add 2 1/3 cups powdered sugar and 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder to the bowl. Use a hand mixer to combine on low until the mixture is crumbly.
• Add 1 tablespoon vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream to the frosting and beat to combine. Then add additional heavy whipping cream 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition, until you reach the desired spreading/pipeable consistency (use a total of 6–7 tablespoons heavy whipping cream as needed).
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove chilled mini cookie balls from the refrigerator and bake them on the prepared baking sheet for about 7–8 minutes, until the edges are turning a rich golden color. Remove and let cool on the sheet.
• Bake the chilled cookie cupcakes (in liners) at 350°F for 15–18 minutes. The edges should be golden; the centers will be slightly underdone. Do not overbake.
• Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Do not frost until the cupcakes are fully cool.
• Once cupcakes are completely cool, frost each with the browned-butter chocolate frosting prepared earlier. If desired, top each frosted cupcake with one of the small baked cookie balls.