Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are everything I want in a homemade treat. Soft, chewy oats, melty chocolate, and rich, nutty brown butter take these simple cookies to a whole new level.
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My husband has always been an oatmeal cookie guy. Me? I’m all about classic chocolate chip cookies. So this recipe is kind of our happy middle ground.
Browning the butter gives it that rich flavor we both love—now we can’t stop baking these.
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Why Brown Butter?
Browning butter gives these cookies a deeper, richer flavor that you just can’t get from regular butter. It adds warm, nutty notes that pair perfectly with the oats and chocolate.
Once you try it, you’ll see why it’s worth the extra step!
Why We Love Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Browned butter adds depth—it’s like caramel-making skills without the extra step.
- Oats stretch the dough so you get more cookies from the same ingredients.
- Dough freezes beautifully, which is perfect for "I really want cookies right now" emergencies. You can also bake them immediately after mixing this up.
- Perfect texture: soft edges with a slight chew, and gooey chocolate in every bite.
What You’ll Need to Make These Cookies
This is just an overview—jump down to the full recipe card for exact amounts and step-by-step instructions!
- Butter – Browning it gives the cookies that toasty, caramel flavor.
- Brown sugar & white sugar – Together, they balance chewiness and sweetness.
- Egg – Gives structure and moisture for perfect texture.
- Milk – Makes the dough stretch further without drying out.
- Vanilla bean paste – Easy flavor boost, no scraping pods.
- Flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt – The classic combo for rise and balance.
- Rolled oats – Chewy and hearty, plus they soak up some flavor.
- Semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips – Because warm, gooey chocolate is always a good idea.
Substitution and Additions
A few simple swaps or extras, depending on what you have on hand:
- Swap milk for oat or almond milk if you need dairy-free.
- Fold in chopped nuts, seeds, or dried fruit for extra texture.
- Swap half the flour for whole wheat to boost fiber.
How To Make It
- Brown the butter: Melt ½ cup butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Swirl the pan and stir occasionally until it turns golden with brown flecks—watch closely, it browns fast. Cool slightly: Pour butter into a heatproof bowl and let it cool for 2–3 minutes, just so it doesn’t cook the egg.
- Add sugars: Stir in brown and white sugar until the mixture looks shiny and smooth.
- Add egg, milk, and vanilla: Crack in the egg, pour the milk, and add vanilla bean paste. Whisk until the mixture is smooth.
- Combine dry ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Mix wet and dry: Pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir until just combined—you don’t want to overmix.
- Add chocolate: Fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
- Scoop the dough: Use a cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons per cookie) to drop dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Leave about 2 inches between cookies.
- Bake: Pop them in a 350°F oven for 10–12 minutes. The edges should be set but the centers still look soft.
- Cool briefly: Let them cool on the sheet for 2 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool fully.
Storage
Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temp for up to 5 days. To keep extras, freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months; just thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
Rose's Quick Tips
- Brown butter gently over medium—don’t rush it or it’ll scorch.
- Let the dough sit for 5 minutes before scooping; it firms up and makes prettier cookies.
- Watch the edges in the oven—when they’re just golden, you can pull them; they’ll continue cooking on the sheet.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely—24 hours in the fridge enhances the flavor and firms up the dough so the cookies bake flatter.
I like using semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips so they balance the sweetness of the dough. Use your favorite—chunks or chopped bars also melt beautifully for gooier pockets.
Usually, too-warm butter or skipping the dough rest time causes spreading. Try letting your browned butter cool fully and resting the dough for 5–10 minutes before baking.
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Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
- 2 mixing bowls for wet ingredients and dry ingredients
- 1 hand mixer
- 1 baking tray
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup rolled oats i used quick 1 minute oats here
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup + 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Brown the butter: Melt ½ cup butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Swirl the pan and stir occasionally until it turns golden with brown flecks—watch closely, it browns fast.
- Cool slightly: Pour butter into a heatproof bowl and let it cool for 2–3 minutes, just so it doesn’t cook the egg.
- Add sugars: Stir in brown and white sugar until the mixture looks shiny and smooth.
- Add egg, milk, and vanilla: Crack in the egg, pour the milk, and add vanilla bean paste. Whisk until the mixture is smooth.
- Combine dry ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Mix wet and dry: Pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir until just combined—you don’t want to overmix.
- Add oats and chocolate: Fold in the oats and chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
- Scoop the dough: Use a cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons per cookie) to drop dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Leave about 2 inches between cookies.
- Bake: Pop them in a 350°F oven for 10–12 minutes. The edges should be set but the centers still look soft.
- Cool briefly: Let them cool on the sheet for 2 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool fully.
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Notes
- Brown butter gently over medium—don’t rush it or it’ll scorch.
- Let the dough sit for 5 minutes before scooping; it firms up and makes prettier cookies.
- Watch the edges in the oven—when they’re just golden, you can pull them; they’ll continue cooking on the sheet.
Rose Sioson says
These cookies have become a favorite in our house. The brown butter really takes them to the next level, and they’re so easy to freeze for later. I hope you enjoy them too — let me know if you give them a try!