These soft ginger cookies with brown butter are what happens when masala chai meets a brown butter chocolate chip cookie. You've got to try this!
Melt 3/4 cup butter in a skillet over medium heat while stirring occasionally until the butter darkens in color and solids begin to form at the bottom. Butter will give off a sweet, toffee like fragrance when it's ready. Remove from heat and transfer to a heat proof bowl to come to room temperature.
Chill brown butter for 20 minutes in freezer to solidify, then remove from freezer and bring to room temperature before proceeding.
Using a hand or stand mixer, cream butter (about 10 seconds.)
Add 1/2 cup white sugar and 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
Add shakkar, egg, vanilla and lemon zest (if using). Beat well, scraping down the sides as needed.
Gradually add in the dry ingredients on low speed until just combined. It will be crumbly.
Using your hands, work the dough until it forms a smooth ball. Cover dough in plastic and chill in the fridge for at least two hours (preferably overnight.)
After the dough has chilled, it will be extremely hard. Take it out of the fridge and leave it at room temperature until it is easy to manipulate it and roll it into balls. Towards the end of this thawing period, preheat your oven to 350°F or 176°C and line baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.
Shape dough into 1 inch balls, roll in sugar and place on baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes until the edges turn brown. Allow to cool for 2 minutes on baking sheet then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
You can use jaggery, if you can't find shakkar, just make sure it's crushed finely so it can incorporate properly into the dough.
Recipe adapted from Genius Kitchen.