Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (2024)

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These soft brown butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are similar to myclassic chocolate chip cookies, but loaded with chewy old fashioned oats!

Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (1)

You might also like these banana chocolate chip cookies or these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies!

Jump to:
  • Ingredient Notes
  • How to Make Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Why do I have to chill the dough?
  • Tips for Perfect Cookies
  • Recipe FAQ's
  • Tips for Success!
  • More Cookie Recipes You Might Like!
  • Recipe Card
  • Comments

Ingredient Notes

You just need a few ingredients to make these brown butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies!

Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (2)

Brown Butter- My favorite ingredient of all time isbrown butter!! Brown butter is just unsalted butter that has been melted and gently cooked to bring out a toasty, nutty flavor. Best of all, brown butter pairs beautifully with the dark chocolate and oats. If you've never made brown butter before, you can check out this post with all my tips forhow to make brown butter!

Chocolate Chips- If you like dark chocolate, I highly recommend theGhirardelli bittersweet chocolate baking chips. The flavor is amazing and the baking chips are slightly larger and flatter than normal chocolate chips and melt beautifully inside your cookies. But just use whatever chocolate chips you prefer! Chocolate chunks are also delicious!

Old Fashioned Rolled Oats - Opt for old fashioned rolled oats as opposed to quick oats as they are larger and chewier! They give the cookies the right chewy texture (whereas quick oats will just kind of disintegrate in the cookies).

Almond Extract- This is optional, but I just love the way the flavor of almond extract compliments the brown butter!

Flaky Sea Salt- There's nothing better than a little sprinkle offlaky sea salton top of warm oatmeal chocolate chip cookies!

The complete list of ingredients and amounts is located in therecipe card below.

How to Make Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Browning the butter istechnicallyoptional but the extra time is SO worth it! The biggest problem I see people run into when using brown butter in cookies, is not letting the butter cool completely to room temperature before adding it to the dough. So I highly recommendbrowning the butterthe night before you want to make these oatmeal cookies.

Using a stand or hand mixer, cream together the room temperature brown butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth and creamy.

Add in the eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract and beat until the texture is light and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes, it should look much paler than before).

Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt and mix until thoroughly combined. The dough should be wet and sticky.

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Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (4)
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Using a spoon or spatula, gently fold in the oats and dark chocolate chips.

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Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (7)

Scoop a generous 3 tablespoons of dough and roll into balls. I use a size 20cookie scoop. If desired, press some extra chocolate chips into the tops of the cookie dough balls.

Cover the dough balls and chill in the fridge overnight for best results. If you absolutely can't wait, just chill it forat least2 hours. Chilling the dough is super important so that the cookies don't spread!

Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (8)

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a light colored baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place dough balls at least 2-3 inches apart on the baking sheet (I usually only do 6 cookies on a half sheet pan).

Bake cookies for 9-11 minute or until the edges are set and the centers are still soft. Remove from the oven and let rest on the baking sheet for 1-2 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Sprinkle the brown butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies withflaky sea saltand enjoy!

Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (9)

Why do I have to chill the dough?

Chilling the dough is super important for a few reasons!

First, letting the dough rest gives the flour time to hydrate. Eggs are the only liquid in these chocolate oatmeal cookies and it takes flour a long time to absorb that moisture. When the flour is hydrated it helps contain the spread of the cookie so that you get a nice set edge and soft, chewy center.

Similarly, the brown butter needs to be as cold as possible before baking so that the cookies don't spread too much.

But don't we want the cookies to spread? Yes, we do and they will. We just don't want them to spreadtoo muchbecause then you get a flat, dry cookie instead of one with a chewy center.

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Tips for Perfect Cookies

Measure your flour correctly!It's most accurate to use akitchen scale, but if you're measuring by volume you want to spoon and level! Fluff up the flour a bit with a spoon, and then spoon flour into the measuring cup. Once it's overflowing, use the back of a knife to level it off. Don't ever pack flour into the measuring cup or you'll end up with way too much! Improperly measured flour can lead to dry, crumbly cookies that don't spread.

Make sure your oven is the proper temperature! Use anoven thermometerto make sure your oven is exactly 350°F. If the oven is too cold, the cookies will spread too much and if it's too hot they centers won't bake all the way through. For example, my oven is about 20 degrees off. So I have to set the oven to 370°F in order to get it to bake at 350°F.

Use a lightweight, light colored baking sheet for best results! Believe it or not, a lighter pan makes the cookies bake more slowly than a dark pan, which helps keep them from spreading too much. My favorite pans for baking cookies are:

You also want to use either parchment paper orsilicone matson your cookie sheet to help keep the cookies from spreading.

Bake the cookies one sheet at a time, on the center rack. This will ensure all your cookies cook evenly and the bottoms don't burn. Then let the cookie sheet cool completely between batches. This ensures the cookies cook evenly and don't spread too much by being put on a hot pan.

Always under-bake the cookies! If you slightly under-bake the cookies (so the centers are still soft when you remove them from the oven), they'll stay soft and chewy for days!

Do the cookie scoot! In order to get perfectly round cookies, use a large cookie cutter to gently scoot them around as soon as they come out of the oven!

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Recipe FAQ's

How long do these cookies stay fresh?

Store the baked brown butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Can I freeze the cookie dough?

Yes! Freeze the pre-rolled oatmeal cookie dough balls on a baking sheet. Once frozen transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to 6 weeks. The frozen cookie dough can go straight from the freezer to the oven, just add 2-3 minutes to the cooking time.

Do I have to use brown butter in these chocolate chip oatmeal cookies?

Nope! You can use regular unsalted butter if you prefer!

Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (12)

Tips for Success!

For best results I always recommend using weight measurements (especially when baking) because it's the most accurate. Kitchen scales are super affordable and also reduce the number of dishes you have to do! However, all my recipes also include US customary measurements for convince. Use this chart to convert measurements for common ingredients!

Substitutions: In all my recipes, I've included substitutions that I know will work, but I cannot guarantee results if you substitute ingredients that I have not recommended. [For example, granulated sugar and honey are indeed both sweeteners but they have very different properties so they can not always be swapped 1:1. Using honey in a cookie recipe that calls for granulated sugar will yield a giant mess.] In the recipe card you'll find links to the specific ingredients/brands that I use.

A note on salt: I almost exclusively use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt because it's the best all-purpose salt for cooking and baking. If you're not using kosher salt, consult this handy guide for a conversion chart! When in doubt, if you're using table salt just reduce the amount by half for baked goods. When cooking, I prefer to under-salt because you can always add more! If you've over-salted, adding a little bit of acid (like lemon juice) can help.

More Cookie Recipes You Might Like!

  • Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
  • Brown Butter White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
  • Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies with Pecans

If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating at the bottom of the page! This provides helpful feedback to both me and other readers. And if you want more delicious, scratch-made recipes you can subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!

Recipe Card

Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (17)

Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

5 from 13 votes

These soft brown butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are similar to classic chocolate chip cookies, but loaded with chewy old fashioned oats!

Print Pin

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Chilling Time: 2 hours hours

Total Time: 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 24 cookies

Author: Kyleigh Sage

Need Metric Measurements?Use the options below to toggle between cups and grams!

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Using a stand or hand mixer, cream together the room temperature brown butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth and creamy.

  • Add in the eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract and beat until the texture is light and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes, it should look much paler than before).

  • Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt and mix until thoroughly combined. The dough should be wet and sticky.

  • Using a spoon or spatula, gently fold in the oats and dark chocolate chips.

  • Scoop a generous 3 tablespoons of dough and roll into balls. I use a size 20cookie scoop. If desired, press some extra chocolate chips into the tops of the cookie dough balls.

  • Cover the dough balls and chill in the fridge overnight for best results. If you absolutely can't wait, just chill it forat least2 hours. Chilling the dough is super important so that the cookies don't spread!

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a light colored baking sheet with parchment paper.

  • Place dough balls at least 2-3 inches apart on the baking sheet (they will spread, I usually only do 6 cookies on a half sheet pan).

  • Bake cookies for 9-11 minute or until the edges are set and the centers are still soft. Remove from the oven and let rest on the baking sheet for 1-2 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

  • Sprinkle the brown butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies withflaky sea saltand enjoy!

Notes

To make brown butter, melt unsalted butter over medium heat, stirring frequently. Watch closely for the butter to develop brown specs and a nutty aroma. Once you start seeing brown specs, let cook for just a few seconds longer (watch very carefully or it will burn). Remove from the heat and pour into a small bowl so that it doesn't continue to cook. Set aside and let cool for about 20 minutes in the fridge until soft and pliable. Note: For every ½ cup (1 stick or 113g), you'll lose about 1 tablespoon (14g) to evaporation while cooking. So you can either add in an extra 1 tablespoon before browning, or if you're browning big batches, just make up the weight difference in your recipe with regular unsalted butter if needed.

Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days (they'll definitely be gone before then though).

Freeze pre-rolled cookie dough balls in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 238kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 176mg | Potassium: 122mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 260IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 1mg

The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Category | Dessert

Cuisine | American

Love this recipe?Mention @barleyandsage on Instagram and tag #barleyandsage

Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (2024)

FAQs

What does brown butter do to cookies? ›

“Browning all the butter removes the water content, but the dough still needs some of that water to come together. Browning only some of the butter is enough to achieve that signature nuttiness, while the remaining unbrowned butter provides enough water content for the dough to come together.”

Why are my oatmeal chocolate chip cookies dry? ›

Too Much Flour

It doesn't take much—in this case, my mom and I added just 3/4 cup extra flour to the dough. The cookies tasted good, but were dry and definitely crumbly. To make the cookies more tender, Betty Crocker suggests adding 2 to 4 tablespoons of softened butter, or 1/4 cup of sugar, to the batter.

Why are my oatmeal chocolate chip cookies flat? ›

The Problem: Your Oven Is Too Hot

If your cookies repeatedly turn out flat, no matter the recipe, chances are your oven is too hot.

How do you keep brown butter cookies from spreading? ›

“When chilled cookies bake, the butter stays in a solid form longer, slowing the spread,” says Dawn. “30 to 60 minutes in the refrigerator does wonders, and you can bake the cookies right from the fridge.” Not only will chilling help the fats firm up and the flour hydrate, but it also helps the flavors develop.

How to make oatmeal cookie dough more moist? ›

Dry – “Dry” or “Crumbly” dough is a product of over-mixing or using too much of any ingredient during the mixing process. This can be reversed by adding one to two tablespoons of liquid (water, milk or softened butter) to your mix.

Should oatmeal cookies be soft or hard? ›

The best oatmeal cookies, like the kind we're sharing here, are soft and chewy through the center with crispy edges.

Why are my homemade oatmeal cookies hard? ›

Overbaking is the most common cause of hard oatmeal cookies. Cookies continue to cook on the baking sheet even after they're removed from the oven, so try taking them out when they're just lightly golden and still a bit soft in the middle. They'll firm up as they cool, resulting in a chewier texture.

Which flour is best for chewy cookies? ›

Bread Flour: For Chewy Texture

Bread flour contains a higher protein content (around 12-14%), leading to more gluten development. This makes it ideal for bakers seeking a chewier texture in their cookies. The extra gluten can help retain gas and moisture, producing a denser and chewier result.

What happens if you use melted butter instead of softened butter in a cookie recipe? ›

made with melted butter are slightly thicker, but the ones with softened butter have crispier edges. Overall. I would say the room temperature. or softened butter ones spread a little bit more, are a little bit golden and crispier around the edges, but the melted butter ones are thicker, softer, and chewier.

What does egg do in cookies? ›

Eggs promote puffiness and spreading in cookies, while also holding the cookie together during baking. The height and texture of the final product is determined by how much egg is incorporated into the batter. Substituting ingredients can make or break a recipe.

What are the benefits of brown butter in baking? ›

Benefits of Using Browned Butter

Just like regular butter, browned butter (also called just brown butter) improves the texture of baked goods and adds richness to savory dishes. But unlike regular butter, brown butter has a distinctive, bold flavor that otherwise can't be recreated.

How much does brown butter reduce? ›

Check for doneness: To check if the butter is browned to your liking, while the butter is in the saucepan, clear away some of the foam and spoon a little of the butter onto a white plate. Account for evaporation: Brown butter reduces in volume by 20-25% as water content cooks off.

What does adding butter to cookies do? ›

The job of butter in baking (besides being delicious) is to give richness, tenderness and structure to cookies, cakes, pies and pastries. We alter the way butter works in a recipe by changing its temperature and choosing when to combine it with the other ingredients.

What is the best fat for cookies? ›

Cookie fat #1: Room temperature butter

The most common fat called for in chocolate chip cookie recipes is room temperature butter, and for a good reason! It yielded the best results in terms of appearance, texture, and flavor.

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