Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Swirl it around and keep a close eye on it as it sizzles, foams, and eventually begins smelling nutty and turning golden brown. Remove it from the heat, then use a rubber spatula to scrape it into the bowl of a stand mixer (or any medium - large bowl if using a hand mixer). Be sure to scrape out every last bit of browned solids that may be stuck to the bottom of the pan - that's where all the flavor is!

Allow the butter to sit at room temperature until it becomes solid, about an hour or so. You can speed this up in the refrigerator, but you will need the butter to be at room temperature before continuing with the recipe.

Once the butter is solid, beat it over medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and continue beating for another 2 minutes. Add the egg, molasses and vanilla, then mix for another minute until combined. 

Add half of the dry ingredients, then mix to just combine, then add the rest and mix until all of the flour is absorbed and the dough is uniform. Don't over-mix or it will make the cookies tough. 

Pour coarse sugar into a small bowl. Scoop out ~2 tablespoon sized balls of dough, then roll them in the sugar to coat. Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, leaving about 2 inches between each. For a more flattened cookie, like the ones in my photos, press down on the cookies to flatten just a bit. Otherwise, leave them as is (they will still spread but will be slightly more rounded).

Bake for 10-12 minutes, depending on your oven and how you like them. Cookies baked for less time will have a softer, chewier texture and those baked longer will be crispier.