Brown Butter Oatmeal Chunk Cookies

Brown Butter Oatmeal Chunk Cookies.

March 13, 2012

160 comments »

This is like the… quadrjiliionth recipe for a mash up of chocolate chip + oatmeal cookies I now possess.

So what?

I like cookies.

I like chocolate.

I just, uh… sort of love brown butter.

I don’t really like oatmeal… unless it’s in cookies with chocolate and brown butter.

I like things that taste a lot like chocolate chip oatmeal cookies but aren’t chocolate chip oatmeal cookies at all. But whatever.

Huh. This just seems like it’s going to work out perfectly.

Why yes… I will accept this rose.

I mean, these cookies seriously are TOTALLY different than other oatmeal cookies because of the brown butter. Just look at the specks in the dough. Just smell them. Just eat them!

They are diverse in so many ways.

Or not.

But we all know I’ve talked ’til I’m blue in the face about how much brown butter improves, well… life in general. So the depth of flavor in these cookies? The caramelness, the toffeeness, the butterness? It’s life ending. And totally worth it.

Brown Butter Oatmeal Chunk Cookies

[adapted from my chewy oatmeal chocolate chips]

makes about 15-18 cookies

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

optional: 1- 2 tablespoons milk, if dough is crumbly

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. Set aside and let cool COMPLETELY. Note: It does not need to solidfy at all, but it should not be warm to the touch.

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

Once butter has cooled, add to a large bowl. Whisk in sugars, stirring until smooth. Add in egg and vanilla, whisking until smooth once again. Slowly begin to stir in dry ingredients, using your hands if necessary (I always do) to bring dough together. If you find that the dough still won’t come together, add in milk 1 tablespoon at a time (I rarely have to do this.) Fold in chocolate chips, distributing them evenly. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 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. [/donotprint]