Brown Butter Valentines M&M Cookie Bars

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, browned & slightly cooled
• 1 1/4 cups (250g) light brown sugar, packed
• 1 egg + 1 egg yolk, room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups (185g) all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled or weighed
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cornstarch (optional)
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup valentines m&m's, plus extra for topping
• Optional: valentines sprinkles for topping

Instructions

1. In a saucepan, brown the butter over medium heat. Stir constantly until it foams then turns a golden brown color.
2. It should have a nutty aroma with little brown bits.
3. Transfer to a heat safe bowl (make sure to get all those little brown bits in there!)
4. Cool for about 10 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 325°F (163 °C) and line/grease an 8x8 pan.
6. Mix the slightly cooled brown butter and brown sugar together. Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth.
7. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt, then gently fold into the wet ingredients until just combined.
8. Gently fold in the m&ms and chocolate chips. Do not over mix.
9. Spread the batter evenly in the pan and sprinkle more valentines m&ms and valentines sprinkles lightly on top.
10. Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean/with a few moist crumbs.
11. Let it cool for clean cuts.