Brown butter oatmeal cookies are not your old fashioned oatmeal cookie! Made using brown sugar with the addition of espresso and brown butter, these oatmeal cookies are full of flavor. This simple recipe makes the best chewy and soft cookies!
This post was originally published in April of 2021 and has been updated with helpful success tips and new photos. The recipe remains the same.
Disclosure | This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Reader Amanda commented: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “The cookies were amazing! Thank you for the recipe and thorough directions.”
With decades of cookie baking in my history, I know a thing or two about making oatmeal cookies, like these oatmeal cream pies, coconut oatmeal cookies or cranberry walnut oatmeal cookies. One of the first recipes I learned to make on my own were butterscotch oatmeal cookies; in fact, they are the first cookies I ever made for my husband!
In my forty something years of making cookies, I’ve learned a few tricks to make the BEST oatmeal cookies ~
- All brown sugar {especially dark brown sugar} or a higher ratio of brown sugar will give you a softer cookie.
- Underbaking is KEY to soft and chewy oatmeal cookies! Remove the cookies from the oven when the edges are set and the middle is still a little soft, even a little raw looking for brown butter oatmeal cookies. They will continue to bake and set up as they cool.
Jump to:
💬 what oats are best for cookies?
This answer really depends on the recipe. Oatmeal cookie recipes are typically created using either old-fashioned oats {which provide a nice chewy texture} or quick oats {which can make for a softer cookie}. In my several tests for this brown butter oatmel cookies recipe, my testers like a combination of the two and that's what this recipe calls for.
If you don't have quick oats, you can pulse old-fashioned oats in the food processor to create quick oats.
⚖️ how do you measure oats for baking?
You should measure oats the same way you should measure flour; the spoon and level method. This means you spoon the oats into the measuring cup and then use a knife to level it off. If you scoop directly into the oats you will likely end up with more oats than required for the recipe and will get different results.
I know I am a broken record, but using a kitchen scale is the best way to ensure you have the correct amounts of each ingredient!
Remember to pin this recipe to Pinterest! Use the button on the recipe card or the share buttons on the side or bottom of this page.
🛒 ingredient notes and substitutions
Please scroll to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the full list of ingredients and baking directions.
Brown butter ~ browned, cooled and returned to a solidified state {the butter will be a softened butter at this point}. I find it usually takes about an hour or two at room temperature for the butter to firm back up. If you want to speed the process, you can place the butter in the refrigerator for 5-10 minute increments, stirring it when you check on it. You do want the butter at room temperature for starting this recipe. If you need a visual of how to make brown butter, see this brown butter blondies post.
Instant espresso powder ~ this adds depth to the cookie flavor, but isn't a prominent flavor in the finished cookie. If you are looking for a cookie with an espresso flavor, try my espresso brown butter toffee cookies recipe or espresso shortbread. You can leave the espresso powder out with no other changes to the recipe.
White chocolate ~ to get nice melty pieces of chocolate, be sure to use a white chocolate bar and not chocolate chips. Lindt, Ghirardelli and Bakers all make white chocolate baking bars. For other mix-in ideas; chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, toffee bits or your favorite chopped nuts can replace the white chocolate, use ½ to ¾ cup.
👩🏻🍳 how to make instructions
First you need to brown the butter.
Next mix the dry ingredients together and set aside.
Step one: Then cream together the brown butter and brown sugar for a good 4-5 minutes, letting it get nice and creamy {it smells amazing too}!
Step two: Next add one egg and the vanilla, beat until well combined and then add the remaining egg. The cookie dough gets fluffy at this point.
Step three: When the eggs and vanilla are well combined, add the dry ingredients in three additions scraping the bowl before the final addition. Mix to just combine; meaning you can still see a few streaks of flour.
Step four: Then add in the chopped chocolate {or mix-in of your choice} with a spatula {saving aside some pieces to put on top of the cookie dough before baking}.
Scoop the dough into equal portions, you will get about 28 cookies. I use a size 30 scoop, which is a little over 2 tablespoons. Take some of the white chocolate pieces that you set aside and press them into the tops of the cookie dough.
Step five: If your kitchen is on the warm side, pop the dough into the refrigerator to chill for 10-15 minutes while the oven preheats. This allows the oats some time to absorb the wet ingredients, which helps to create a thick cookie.
Place the cookies on a baking pan lined with parchment paper 1-2 inches apart. Bake the cookies until the edges are set and lightly browned. If the cookies are puffy, you can drop the cookie pan on the counter 1-2 times to lightly deflate them. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired.
Let the baked cookies rest on the pan for 2-3 minutes before removing them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
🫙 how to store
Cookies stay fresh in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Baked brown butter oatmeal cookies freeze well, in an airtight container or zip-top bag for up to 3 months. This is by far my favorite way to store cookies for freshness. The cookies will thaw at room temperature in about 30 minutes.
Remember to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram if you make these Chewy Brown Butter Oatmeal Cookies. It warms my heart to see you bring these recipes to life! Thank you for being here and happy baking!
If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating. I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!
📖 recipe
Chewy Brown Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Brown butter oatmeal cookies are not your old fashioned oatmeal cookie! Made using brown sugar with the addition of espresso and brown butter, these oatmeal cookies are full of flavor. This simple recipe makes the best chewy and soft cookies!
I highly recommend using weight {metric} measurements when available for more accuracy and the best results.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter (226g), browned* and returned to room temperature {the butter will be a softened solidified butter at this point}
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (188g)
- 1 cup old fashioned oats (80g)
- 1 ½ cups quick oats (160g)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 teaspoons instant espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup packed brown sugar** (200g)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 6 ounces quality white chocolate***, chopped (170g)
- Flaky sea salt, optional for sprinkling on finished cookies
Instructions
- To brown the butter: place the unsalted butter (1 cup/226g) in a saucepan over low heat and let it cook until small brown flakes form. You will want to stir or swirl the pan frequently to keep it from burning. The butter will foam and bubble up along the process, just keep stirring/swirling and move the foam aside from time to time to check the color. The butter will turn an amber/brown color and will smell nutty and toasted when it’s ready {about 7-10 minutes}. Pour melted butter and all the browned bits into a heat proof bowl to cool and solidify back to room temperature {about 1-2 hours}***.
- To make the oatmeal cookies: In a medium to large bowl, whisk together the flour (1 ½ cups/188g), both oats (1 cup old fashioned oats/80g) and 1 ½ cups quick oats/160g), cinnamon (1 teaspoon), espresso powder (4 teaspoons) and baking soda (1 teaspoon). Set aside.
- Cream browned butter, kosher salt (½ teaspoon) and brown sugar (1 packed cup/200g) on medium high with a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (6 on a Kitchen Aid), or a hand mixer, until light and fluffy. Go for 4-5 minutes.
- Scrape down your bowl and add one large egg and vanilla (1 ½ teaspoons). Mix until well combined, 30-60 seconds. Scrape up and down the bowl and add the remaining large egg and mix another 30-60 seconds or until well combined.
- With the mixer on low, add the flour and oat mixture in three additions, scraping up and down the bowl before the last amount is added. Blend until just a few streaks of flour remain.
- Fold in the chopped white chocolate (6 ounces/170g) with a spatula, keeping aside some chocolate chunks to press onto the tops of the cookies.
- Use a size 30 scoop (just over 2 tablespoons) and portion the dough into about 28 cookie scoops. Take the white chocolate chunks that you kept aside and press a few pieces onto the tops of each cookie dough portion. Place the cookie dough on a parchment lined baking sheet {or a plate}. If your kitchen is warm, place the dough in the refrigerator while the oven preheats.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare baking pans with parchment paper. Place the cookie dough onto the the prepared pans spacing the cookies an inch or two apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly browned, the centers should still look a little soft. If the cookies are puffy, you can drop the cookie pan on the counter 1-2 times to lightly deflate them. Alternately, you can also lightly press down on the baked cookies with a flat bottom measuring cup or glass. Use a large biscuit cutter or glass to scoot the cookies and sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired.
- Allow the cookies to rest on the baking pan for 2-3 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
*you will lose a little volume in the butter when it browns; this has already been accounted for in this recipe so start with 1 cup {226g} and you don’t have to add any additional.
**I use dark brown sugar, but light brown will also work.
***white chocolate mix-in can be substituted with chocolate, toffee bits, butterscotch chips, or your favorite chopped nuts. I would use ½ to ¾ cup.
****If you want to speed up the process of getting the butter back to a solid state, you can place the butter in the refrigerator. Check it every 10 minutes or so and stir it. You want the butter to be room temperature for making the cookie dough.
The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days. They also freeze well for up to three months. This is by far my favorite way to store cookies for freshness. The cookies will thaw at room temperature in about 30 minutes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
28Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 183Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 121mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 1gSugar: 10gProtein: 2g
The nutrition information is based on third-party calculations, is an estimate only and may not be entirely accurate. Actual nutritional values will vary based on brands used and portion sizes.
Kathleen says
You had me at brown butter! The nuttiness compliments the oats in this recipe so very well!
Tasia says
Brown butter really adds such a great flavor addition, I know you'll love this recipe Kathleen. Thank you!
Christie says
Oh that looks very delicious! I love that there is oatmeal in this cookie because it's one of my favourite ingredients in baked goods.
Tasia says
Thank you Christie! I love oatmeal in cookie recipes myself. I hope you get a chance to try them.
Ben | Havocinthekitchen says
I'm a huge oatmeal cookie fan too, and I must admit these are some of the most beautiful oatmeal cookies I've ever seen. The exterior is spectacular, and I bet the their texture is amazing, too. Loving the addition of espresso powder and white chocolate.
Tasia says
Yes! The texture is fantastic and I highly recommend the sprinkling of sea salt on top ~ it makes the white chocolate pop in this cookie. Thank you Ben!
Katherine | Love In My Oven says
There's nothing better than browned butter in baking! These cookies look so good Tasia. White chocolate is a fave of mine in cookies!
Tasia says
I agree Katherine, browned butter just makes baked goods that much more magical! Thank you!
Jeff the Chef @ Make It Like a Man! says
I've heard that browning the butter adds a nice nutty flavor, and the white chocolate chips sound like a good contrast to the oatmeal. I love oatmeal cookies, so I'm sure I'd love these.
Tasia says
Thanks Jeff! And you are right, the brown butter brings a lovely layer of nuttiness, which pairs with the oats and white chocolate in all the right ways!
Michelle says
Love the combination of the brown butter and oats in this chewy oatmeal cookie! But the real surprise was espresso powder, which brought out so much flavor1 So yummy!
Tasia says
Thanks Michelle! Yes, the espresso powder brings a whole other layer of flavor. So happy you enjoyed them!