There are oatmeal cookies, and then there are oatmeal cookies made with brown butter. And once you do the latter, it’s pretty hard to go back.
These are chewy in the middle, loaded with oats, heavy on the cinnamon, and just a little nutty from the brown butter. I usually make them with chocolate chips, but raisins are completely fair game — and honestly, throwing both in is probably the move.
They’re uncomplicated, cozy, and exactly the kind of cookie I want sitting on the counter with a cup of coffee nearby.
Brown Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Chewy oatmeal cookies made with nutty brown butter, plenty of cinnamon, and your choice of chocolate chips, raisins, or both.
Ingredients
Method
Brown the butter.
- Add the butter to a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring or swirling frequently, as the butter melts and begins to foam. Continue cooking until the milk solids at the bottom turn golden brown and the butter smells nutty and toasted. Immediately pour the butter, including all of the browned bits, into a heat-safe bowl. Let cool slightly.
Preheat the oven.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Mix the wet ingredients.
- Combine the slightly cooled brown butter, granulated sugar, and dark brown sugar. Mix in the eggs and vanilla bean paste until well combined.
Add the dry ingredients.
- Add the flour, oats, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix just until a dough forms.
Add the mix-ins.
- Fold in the chocolate chips, raisins, or a combination of both.
Scoop the cookies.
- Scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving room between each cookie for spreading.
Bake.
- Bake at 350°F for 12 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly soft.
Cool.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
Notes
Brown butter: Keep a close eye on the butter once it begins to foam. Continue cooking until the milk solids at the bottom turn golden brown and the butter smells nutty and toasted, then immediately remove it from the heat. Make sure to scrape all of those browned bits into the dough — that’s where so much of the flavor is.
Mix-ins: Use 2 cups total of chocolate chips, raisins, or a combination of both. I love these either way, so use whatever you have or whatever your family prefers.
Don’t overbake: The cookies may still look slightly soft in the center when they come out of the oven. Let them sit on the baking sheet for a few minutes to finish setting before moving them to a cooling rack.