Big, Fat, Chewy Dark Chocolate M&M Cookies

This recipe is very close to my Cook's Illustrated recipe that I make all the time.  This one uses more butter and more vanilla.  I did not chill my cookies as the dough was the same work quality I'm used to in my cookies. I also did not find any dark chocolate M&M's, so I used Christmas M&M's (perfect for my Christmas cookie baking blitz at the moment). This recipe was taken from a food blog site called Culinary in the Country.  http://desertculinary.blogspot.com/2005/06/big-fat-chewy-dark-chocolate-mm.html

3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups dark chocolate M&Ms

In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-low until it smells very nutty and gets a light golden color. Let cool slightly.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together melted butter and sugars. Beat in vanilla, egg and egg yolk until the color lightens and is thoroughly mixed.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Pour dry mixture into the wet and use a large wooden spoon to stir together just until combined. Fold in the M&Ms. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours.

Preheat oven to 325

Scoop out dough using a 1/4 cup measure and place on parchment lined baking sheets. These spread a little so I only placed 6 per baking sheet. Bake for 15-18 minutes, turning the baking sheet halfway through. The edges should be slightly golden with the center being puffy and a little undercooked. Remove and let cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes. Carefully place each cookie on a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 18-20 large cookies