Brown Butter Oatmeal Cookies
These Brown Butter Oatmeal Cookies are tender, chewy, and rich with that deep, nutty browned‑butter taste that we all love. It’s a simple recipe we return to time after time!
Best Oatmeal Cookies
We already love a good oatmeal cookie, but browning the butter takes them to a whole different place. It adds this warm, nutty depth that’s hard to put into words – the kind of flavor you only understand once you’ve tasted it. Make a batch and you’ll see exactly why we keep coming back to them.
Why brown butter?
Browning the butter gives these oatmeal cookies a deeper, toastier flavor that you just don’t get from regular softened butter. Those little golden milk solids add a warm, nutty richness that makes the whole cookie taste more special. Since the butter is melted, the dough starts out softer, but the oats soak it right up, giving you chewy centers and lightly crisp edges. It’s a tiny extra step that makes a big difference in every bite.
Why we love this recipe:
- Soft and chewy texture that feels comforting in every bite.
- Cozy, nostalgic flavors that work any time of year. Plus you can add mix-ins if you want!
- Simple, straightforward steps that make the dough easy to pull together.
- It’s Mike’s favorite! 😀
What You’ll Need:
- unsalted butter
- sugars – both granulated sugar and brown sugars
- eggs
- vanilla extract
- milk
- flour
- oatmeal – we use old fashioned oats
- baking soda
- kosher salt
- ground cinnamon
How to make Browned Butter Oatmeal Cookies:
Step 1
Brown the butter. Add butter to a pan over medium heat. Let the butter melt, and when it starts sizzling, start stirring with a spatula.
Keep the heat at medium, and stir gently with a rubber spatula, keeping the butter moving in the pan. After a few minutes, you should see some brown bits starting to form on the bottom. When you see this, stir for a few seconds longer and then remove the pan from the heat.
Pour the butter immediately into a bowl. (You’ll see the brown specks in the butter.) Let the butter cool to room temperature for these cookies.
Step 2
Add wet ingredients. To the bowl with the cooled brown butter, add both sugars and mix well. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and two tablespoons of milk and mix until smooth.
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Step 3
Add dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients (flour, oatmeal, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon) to the wet mixture. Use a hand mixer to combine the ingredients.
The dough will be thick – but if it still feels tight or crumbly, add a little bit more milk.
Step 4
Form cookie balls. Scoop cookie dough into three tablespoon balls (or any size you like) and place on a baking sheet. Cover and chill the dough for at least one hour.
Step 5
Prep for baking. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 6
Bake cookies. Bake six cookies at a time for 12-14 minutes, or until edges are set and centers look slightly soft. Add a sprinkle of kosher salt (or sea salt) to the top of the baked cookies immediately after baking.
Step 7
Cool cookies. Cool on the pan a few minutes, then transfer cookies to a wire cooling rack.
Recipe Tips:
- Store cookies in an airtight container in your refrigerator for several days.
- Freeze cookies wrapped tightly in cling wrap and then a freezer bag for up to three months.
- To freeze cookie balls, freeze solid, and then store in a freezer bag for several months. Bake from frozen, adding a couple extra minutes.
Recipe FAQs:
Chilling helps the cookies hold their shape and bake up thicker with chewier centers.
Absolutely. Add up to 1 cup of mix‑ins, and if the dough feels tight afterward, splash in another teaspoon of milk.
The cookies could spread when the butter is still warm or the moisture lost during browning isn’t fully replaced, which leaves the dough looser than a standard creamed‑butter cookie. A short chill and fully cooled butter help the cookies hold their shape and bake up thicker.
Pull them when the edges are set and lightly golden but the centers still look soft. They finish setting as they cool.
Yes – scoop the dough into balls, freeze solid, then store in a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding 1–2 extra minutes.
Other Delicious Cookie Recipes:
Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)
xoxo ~Sue
Brown Butter Oatmeal Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter – browned
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar (165 grams)
- 2 large eggs – at room temp
- 2 Tablespoons whole milk (30 grams) – at room temp
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (240 grams)
- 2 ¾ cups old-fashioned oatmeal (220 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Brown the butter. Add butter to a pan over medium heat. Let the butter melt, and when it starts sizzling, start stirring with a spatula. Keep the heat at medium, and stir gently with a rubber spatula, keeping the butter moving in the pan. After a few minutes, you should see some brown bits starting to form on the bottom. When you see this, stir for a few seconds longer and then remove the pan from the heat. Pour the butter immediately into a bowl. (You’ll see the brown specks in the butter.) Let the butter cool to room temperature for these cookies.1 cup unsalted butter
- Add wet ingredients. To the bowl with the cooled brown butter, add both sugars and mix well. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and two tablespoons of milk and mix until smooth.3/4 cup granulated sugar (150 grams), 3/4 cup light brown sugar (165 grams), 2 large eggs, 2 Tablespoons whole milk (30 grams), 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients (flour, oatmeal, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon) to the wet mixture. Use a hand mixer to combine the ingredients.The dough will be thick – but if it still feels tight or crumbly, add a little bit more milk.2 cups all-purpose flour (240 grams), 2 ¾ cups old-fashioned oatmeal (220 grams), 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Form cookie balls. Scoop cookie dough into three tablespoon balls (or any size you like) and place on a baking sheet. Cover and chill the dough for at least one hour.
- Prep for baking. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Bake cookies. Bake six cookies at a time for 12-14 minutes, or until edges are set and centers look slightly soft. Add a sprinkle of kosher salt (or sea salt) to the top of the baked cookies immediately after baking.
- Cool cookies. Cool on the pan a few minutes, then transfer cookies to a wire cooling rack.
Notes
- Store cookies in an airtight container in your refrigerator for several days.
- Freeze cookies wrapped tightly in cling wrap and then a freezer bag for up to three months.
- To freeze cookie balls, freeze solid, and then store in a freezer bag for several months. Bake from frozen, adding a couple extra minutes.