Browned Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is not my recipe, I only wish I had thought of it first. I ripped it straight from the pages of one of my favorite, super indulgent food blogs, How Sweet It Is. (Jessica, the creator, is a master baker!) I usually don’t copy recipes word for word, but this one was so good, I want to keep it on hand for years to come. I used chocolate chips instead of chunks, but that was the only (and very slight) change that I made.

It’s a basic oatmeal cookie recipe with a decadent, brown butter twist. Although the ingredient change is slight, it makes these cookies intensely rich. Using browned butter adds a deep, nutty flavor that you won’t find in the classic version.

Ingredients: (makes about 2 dozen small cookies)

Borrowed from How Sweet It Is

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup loosely packed brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cups rolled oats
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup chocolate chunks or chocolate chips
optional: 1- 2 tablespoons milk, if dough is crumbly

Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Next, brown the butter. This process is simple, but you must pay close attention so as not to burn the butter. There is a very real difference between browned butter and burned butter and, trust me, you don’t want the latter.

Heat a small saucepan over medium-low heat and add butter. Whisking constantly, cook butter until bubbly and until small brown bits appear on the bottom of the pan – about 5-6 minutes. Watch closely and immediately remove the butter from the heat, whisking for an additional 30 seconds or so. Pour into a mixing bowl and allow to cool to the touch.

In a separate mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, oats and cinnamon, mixing, then set aside.

Once butter has cooled, whisk in sugars, stirring until smooth like caramel.

Add in egg and vanilla, whisking until smooth once again. Slowly begin to stir in dry ingredients. Use your hands to bring dough together. If you find that the dough still won’t come together, add in milk 1 tablespoon at a time. Fold in chocolate chips, distributing them evenly.

Using an ice cream scoop or your hands, form dough into 1 1/2 inch balls. Place about 2 inches apart on a nonstick baking sheet, then bake for 10-12 minutes, or until bottoms and edges are golden. Let cool before serving.