1-First Step: Brown the butter. Cook unsalted butter over medium heat until golden brown bits form. This usually takes a few minutes, but watch closely so it does not burn. Then cool the browned butter for 10 minutes so it is warm but not hot.

2-Second Step: Whisk the dry ingredients. In a bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, espresso powder, and Vietnamese cinnamon. Whisking evenly distributes the cinnamon aroma so every bite tastes balanced.

3-Third Step: Mix the sugars with browned butter. In another bowl, mix the cooled browned butter with light brown sugar, dark brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Stir until the mixture looks glossy and well combined. This step helps create that classic chewy cookie texture.

4-Fourth Step: Add egg and vanilla. Add the room temperature egg and vanilla extract, then mix until smooth. If your butter cooled too much and the mixture looks stiff, give it an extra few stirs to loosen.

5-Fifth Step: Fold in the dry ingredients gently. Add the flour mixture gradually and fold until just combined. Important detail: the dough should still show a little dry flour in spots. That is okay and helps prevent tough cookies.

6-Sixth Step: Add the chocolate. Stir in the dark chocolate chips or fold in chopped 4 oz dark chocolate bar. Mixing just until combined keeps the chocolate from breaking down too much.

7-Seventh Step: Refrigerate the dough. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 45 minutes. Chilling gives the butter time to firm up, which helps cookies bake thicker with deeper flavor. Plus, it makes portioning easier.

8-Eighth Step: Preheat and set up. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line baking sheets with parchment if you have not already. This supports even baking and easy removal.

9-Ninth Step: Scoop and space. Scoop dough using a 2-tablespoon measure. Place mounds about 2 inches apart so they have room to spread.

10-Tenth Step: Bake until edges are lightly browned. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes. You want the edges lightly browned while centers stay soft. Overbaking is the easiest way to lose that chewy texture.

11-Final Step: Cool properly to set the centers. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer cookies to a rack for another 10 minutes. This post-bake cooling completes cooking and sets the centers, so the cookies feel tender rather than underdone.