If you have a sweet tooth and love the warm, comforting flavors of oatmeal cookies paired with rich chocolate, you are going to adore this Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe. What makes these cookies truly special is the nutty depth that the browned butter adds, perfectly complementing the chewy oats and bittersweet dark chocolate chunks. Every bite delivers a delightful texture and a burst of flavor that feels like a cozy hug from your oven. These cookies are simple enough for an everyday treat but have enough character to impress anyone who tries them.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Gathering your ingredients is the first fun step, and you’ll find they are straightforward but incredibly important to get the best taste and texture in your cookies. Each component plays a key role, from the gooey chocolate to the nutty browned butter and hearty oats, all coming together in perfect harmony.
- Unsalted butter: Using 150g of cubed butter allows you to brown it evenly and bring out those rich, nutty flavors.
- Plain/all-purpose flour: 1 cup of flour creates the structure your cookies need for just the right chewiness.
- Rolled oats: 1 1/2 cups of rolled oats add that classic oatmeal texture and chew without overpowering.
- Baking soda: 1 teaspoon helps your cookies rise perfectly without becoming cakey.
- Kosher salt: Just an eighth of a teaspoon to balance sweetness and enhance all flavors.
- Brown sugar: 1 cup of tightly packed brown sugar lends moisture and a subtle caramel note to the dough.
- Large egg: At room temperature, it binds the ingredients beautifully and adds tenderness.
- Vanilla extract: 1 teaspoon infuses warmth that complements both the oats and chocolate.
- 70% dark chocolate block: 200g chopped into chunks, providing rich, slightly bitter pockets of chocolate in every bite.
How to Make Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Preheat and Prep Your Trays
Start by heating your oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C with a fan). Lightly grease three baking sheets and line them with parchment paper to make cleanup a breeze and prevent sticking.
Step 2: Brown the Butter
Melt the butter over medium heat in a saucepan. Keep it simmering for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Watch carefully as the foam clears to reveal tiny golden-brown specks — this nutty treasure is what gives the cookies their amazing flavor. Pour the browned butter and all those flavorful bits into a large mixing bowl, then let it cool for about 5 minutes. You’ll find this step takes the cookie game to a whole new level.
Step 3: Chop the Chocolate
Cut your 70% dark chocolate into 1cm chunks for melty pockets of bittersweet goodness throughout your cookies. Don’t forget to save the leftover chocolate dust for another treat—it adds a rustic, speckled look to your dough that’s just lovely.
Step 4: Mix the Dry Ingredients
Grab a large bowl and whisk together the flour, rolled oats, baking soda, and salt. Combining these dry ingredients well ensures your cookies bake up evenly with the perfect chew and just enough lift.
Step 5: Combine Browned Butter and Sugar
Add the brown sugar to your browned butter and whisk it together. It might look a little uneven, but that’s perfectly fine. Then, whisk in the room-temperature egg and vanilla extract until everything is smooth and glossy.
Step 6: Finish the Dough
Pour your dry ingredients into the wet mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until mostly combined — don’t worry if there are tiny streaks of flour still visible. Fold in the chocolate chunks gently until the dough comes together. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes; this allows it to firm up slightly so your cookies hold their shape better.
Step 7: Shape Your Cookies
Scoop heaped tablespoons of dough onto the prepared trays, spacing them about 5cm apart. Use your fingers to gently flatten each mound to about 8mm thick. This step is key to getting the classic chewy-yet-soft texture without over-spreading.
Step 8: Time to Bake
Bake two trays at a time for 11 minutes, switching their positions and rotating at the 7-minute mark to ensure even baking. If you’re baking one tray, bake for 10 minutes with a rotate at 6 minutes. Watch for a light golden surface—this means your cookies are just right. They will smell incredible as they bake.
Step 9: Let Them Cool
Allow your cookies to cool on the baking trays for at least 10 minutes to firm up more, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. If you like a little savory contrast, sprinkle some flaky sea salt on top right after baking for an irresistible finish.
How to Serve Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Garnishes
While these cookies shine on their own, a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt right after baking enhances all the rich, nutty flavors and creates a lovely sweet-salty contrast. You can also try a drizzle of melted dark chocolate or a dusting of cinnamon for extra cozy vibes.
Side Dishes
Pair these cookies with a cold glass of milk or a warm cup of coffee or tea for the perfect snack or dessert pairing. The oatmeal texture and deep chocolate notes balance wonderfully with creamy or slightly bitter drinks, making every bite melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
Creative Ways to Present
For a fun twist, serve these cookies stacked with a scoop of vanilla ice cream in between for an impromptu ice cream sandwich. Another idea is to crumble them over a bowl of yogurt or pudding for some added crunch and flavor. No matter how you serve them, these cookies always bring joy to the table.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Store your leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. They keep their soft, chewy texture beautifully if sealed well and enjoyed sooner rather than later.
Freezing
You can freeze baked cookies by placing them in a single layer on a baking sheet first, then transferring them into a zip-top freezer bag once frozen. This stops them from sticking together and lets you enjoy fresh-tasting cookies for up to 3 months.
Reheating
To bring frozen or leftover cookies back to life, warm them in the oven at 150°C/300°F for 5-7 minutes or microwave for 10-15 seconds. This refreshes their softness and melts the chocolate chunks perfectly, as if they’ve just come out of the oven.
FAQs
Can I substitute brown sugar with white sugar in this Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe?
While you can use white sugar, brown sugar really adds moisture and that rich molasses flavor that complements the brown butter perfectly. Substituting might make the cookies a bit crisper and less chewy.
Why is browning the butter important in this recipe?
Browned butter adds an incredible nutty, caramel-like depth of flavor that regular melted butter cannot match. It’s the secret to making these oatmeal cookies extra special and deeply flavorful.
Can I use quick oats instead of rolled oats?
Using quick oats will change the texture, making cookies softer and less chewy. Rolled oats provide a pleasant bite and texture that’s characteristic of oatmeal cookies.
How can I make these cookies vegan?
To make a vegan version, substitute butter with a vegan butter alternative that can brown similarly, replace the egg with a flax egg or a chia seed egg, and ensure your chocolate is dairy-free.
Will the cookies spread too much if I don’t flatten them before baking?
Yes, these cookies spread during baking. Flattening the dough gives them their traditional chewy and wide shape and helps prevent them from becoming too chunky and uneven.
Final Thoughts
I truly hope you give this Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe a try because it’s such a cozy and satisfying treat that never fails to bring smiles. The way the nutty browned butter weaves with the hearty oats and rich dark chocolate is just magical. Your home will smell incredible, and these cookies will quickly become a beloved favorite. Happy baking!
Print
Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 22 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies combine the nutty, rich flavor of brown butter with hearty rolled oats and decadent dark chocolate chunks for a perfectly chewy and flavorful treat. Crisp around the edges and soft in the center, these cookies are an irresistible twist on a classic favorite, perfect for sharing or indulging any time of day.
Ingredients
Butter and Sugar
- 150g (10 tbsp) unsalted butter, cut into 1cm (1/2″) cubes
- 1 cup brown sugar, tightly packed
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup plain/all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats (not quick or steel cut)
- 1 tsp baking soda (bi-carb), sifted if lumpy
- 1/8 tsp kosher or cooking salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 large egg, at room temperature (~55g/2oz)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate
- 200g (7 oz) 70% dark chocolate block (e.g., Lindt), chopped into 1cm (1/4″) pieces
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) or 160°C (fan). Lightly grease and line three baking trays with parchment paper to prepare for baking.
- Brown Butter: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Let it simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until you see little golden-brown bits forming when you push the foam aside. This indicates the butter has browned. Immediately pour the butter along with these brown bits into a large mixing bowl and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
- Chop Chocolate: Cut your dark chocolate block into 1cm (1/4″) chunks, transferring these pieces into a bowl. Leave behind any fine chocolate dust as it is not used to maintain a speckled appearance in the cookies.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, rolled oats, baking soda, and salt ensuring everything is well combined and aerated.
- Combine Browned Butter and Sugar: Add the brown sugar to the cooled browned butter and whisk together. It might not combine entirely smooth, but that is fine. Then add the egg and vanilla extract, whisking until the mixture is smooth and homogenous.
- Finish Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet butter-egg mixture, folding with a wooden spoon until the flour is almost fully incorporated. Add the chopped chocolate and stir until thoroughly mixed and no visible flour remains. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes to firm up slightly.
- Shape Cookies: Scoop heaped tablespoons of dough onto the prepared trays, spacing them about 5 cm (2″) apart. Using a size 40 cookie scoop will yield around 22 cookies. Flatten each dough mound to roughly 8 mm (1/3″) thick, reshaping edges if they crack or become misshapen.
- Bake: Place two trays in the oven and bake for 11 minutes, switching the trays’ shelves and rotating halfway through at 7 minutes. For one tray, bake for 10 minutes, rotating at 6 minutes. Bake until the cookie surfaces are light golden.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the trays for 10 minutes to set, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Optionally, sprinkle with a pinch of flaky salt for enhanced flavor before serving.
Notes
- Using a block of good quality dark chocolate and chopping it yourself gives better texture and flavor than pre-made chips.
- Watch the butter carefully as it browns to avoid burning and achieve the perfect nutty flavor.
- The resting time after mixing allows the dough to firm up so cookies don’t spread too much during baking.
- Flattening the cookies ensures consistent thickness and even baking for a chewy center and crispy edges.
- A sprinkle of flaky salt atop warm cookies adds a delightful contrast to the sweetness.
