To brown the butter (this can be done a few days ahead of time and the butter can be brought to room temperature before baking)

1. Preliminary note: Browning butter is pretty quick, so don’t leave the stove unattended. Have a heatproof bowl next to the stove ready to go for step 3. 
2. Place the butter in a light-colored pan over medium heat. Medium heat ensures the butter cooks evenly, an important factor in this process. Stir the butter the entire time to keep it moving. Once melted, the butter will begin to foam and sizzle around the edges. Keep stirring. In about 5–8 minutes from when you started (depending on the amount of butter you used), the butter will turn golden brown. Some foam will subside and the milk solids at the bottom of the pan will be toasty brown. It will smell intensely buttery and nutty.
3. Immediately remove the pan from heat and pour the butter into heatproof bowl to stop the cooking process. If left in the hot pan, the butter will burn.
4.  

1. Allow the butter to melt and cook for the next 5-8 minutes over medium heat but watch it constantly. It will first bubble and when the bubbles start to pop/clear and you notice a nutty brown color and flecks of brown at the bottom of the pan, immediately remove the pan from the heat and pour your butter into a heat safe bowl or dish. Don’t leave it in the pan, it will burn. 
2. Allow the butter to cool and either store it in the fridge, or let it cool for 20-30 minutes on the counter before making your cookies. If you make your brown butter ahead of time, allow it to come to room temp/soften before making these cookies. This is imperative that all ingredients are at room temp! 
3. Add the butter to the bottom of a stand mixer with the sugars or beat the two together with a hand mixer. Beat for 2-3 minutes until fluffy/the sugar looks to be smooth and more dissolved. 
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla. Mix well. 
5. In a separate bowl, gently whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt until just combined. 
6. In 3 stages, add the dry ingredients to the wet mixing until just incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips. 
7. Tear off two large sheets of plastic wrap. 
8. Divide the cookie dough in half and place each half on the plastic wrap. 
9. Wrap and shape each into a cylindrical log. Place the cylinders into a large plastic bag in the freezer. 
10. When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375F. 
11. Remove the frozen dough from the freezer and slice 1/2-3/4 inch thick slices. Only slice off what you want to bake!
12. On a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet, arrange the slices of dough and sprinkle on a few chocolate chips. 
13. Bake for about 14-17 minutes until the edges are browned and cook on the sheet for about 5 minutes. 
14. Sprinkle with flakey sea salt if desired and enjoy with a glass of milk!