Thin and Chewy Spiced Oatmeal Cookies with Brown Butter Icing.
Important question!
Chewy cookie?
Or soft cookie?
Or wait, crunchy cookie?
Or no cookie?
Or all the cookies? (duh.)
There are quite a lot of options I suppose, and I’m going to pretend that I didn’t see that third one considering I did quite zee number on some peppermint bark chocolate cookies this past weekend. Whyyyy are they so good??
And how can I remake them? Without having to do, like, a ton of work? Because I’d probably rather pay $25 for ten of them than make them myself. Truth.
They’d probably taste no different if I made them myself, BUT I’m sure I’d think the million dollar ones taste better because #millennial.
(Sidenote: I’ve been noticing some funny millennial behavior from my very not-millennial husband, but I’m just going to see if he actually reads this before breaking the news. He might be sick of me.)
So. I’ve been baking cookies for Christmas for soooo many years, and really love all the ones on my list, that it makes it nearly impossible to find a new cookie that I love oh so much, one that’s delicious enough to include on the cookie tray.
My specialty today does not only include cookies, but also run on sentences in case you’re wondering.
Like everything else that I’m indecisive on, mostly being food, I find that the texture of a cookie depends on the time, place and obviously, my mood. My grandma (not mother lovett, but my paternal one) made these awesome chocolate chip cookies that were almost paper thin. Do you know what I’m talking about? I’ve made similar cookies, but without any rhyme or reason and it drives me batty. Hers were the same ALL the time and it didn’t have anything to do with melted butter.
I need the secrets!
The deal is that while I’m occasionally up for a soft and fluffy cookie, I am always up for a chewy cookie. Always. All the dang time. Forever and ever.
These particular ones are chewy to the MAX. Like oh-so-chewy, super thin, crazy texture, spiced to perfection and then
get this,
drizzled with brown butter icing.
So there’s that.
Just fantastic enough to make it into my annual rotation. And I might even drizzle them with chocolate! And maybe peanut butter. And eat them. Everyday. Of all time.

Thin and Chewy Spiced Oatmeal Cookies with Brown Butter Icing
Ingredients
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 sticks, 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 1/2 cups loosely packed brown sugar
- 1 egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
brown butter icing
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet (or 2) with parchment paper.
- Place half of the oats in a food processor and pulse until the oats are chopped up, some flour-like, but some pieces remaining. In a bowl, combine all of the oats, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and salt. Whisk together.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth. Whisk in the egg and egg yolk, then the vanilla, until smooth and combined. Take a large spoon and stir in the dry ingredients, mixing until a dough forms.
- Scoop the dough out using an ice cream scoop (you want about 2 tablespoons of dough) and place on the parchment paper 2 inches apart. I put 6 on a baking sheet – because they will spread! Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until golden on the edges and thin and chewy. Remove and let cool completely.
brown butter icing
- Heat a small saucepan over medium-low heat and add butter. Whisk constantly until melted, then continue to whisk as bubbles form, the butter begins to foam, and eventually brown bits appear in the bottom of the pan. This will take about 5-6 minutes total. As soon as the brown bits appear, remove from heat. I always stir for an additional 30 seconds or so. Let cool for 10 minutes.
- Note: if you refrigerate this dough for an hour or so before baking, they won’t be QUITE as thin!
- In a large bowl combine brown butter, vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Whisk until the mixture comes together then add in 1 tablespoon of milk, continuing to mix. I always stir my glazes for a good 3-4 minutes so they really come together. If it still doesn’t appear glaze-like, add in milk 1/2 tablespoon at a time and mix again. Don’t worry if it becomes too liquidy – just add a tiny bit of powdered sugar until you get the desired consistency. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cookies.
Notes
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Okay I’m done for.
65 Comments on “Thin and Chewy Spiced Oatmeal Cookies with Brown Butter Icing.”
These count as breakfast food right?! I could go for some RIGHT NOW! Ahh, they look so dreammmmmmy! That brown butter icing just sets it all!! :)
you’re killing it everyday with your recipes!!! I wish I had more time so I could make them alllllll. Definitely trying these
CHEWY!!! The only way to eat a cookies!
if you’re looking for a thin on purpose chocolate chip cookie try Alexis Stewarts – they are amazing! http://www.marthastewart.com/350439/alexiss-brown-sugar-chocolate-chip-cookies and i’m not normally a thin and crispy fan!
thank you!!
These cookies look amazing. I’m drinking a mug of coffee as I write. I want one of those cookies to go with my coffee. Okay, I would prefer five or six!
i love chewy cookies! (though you’re right, i’m down for alll the cookies). and yay for oatmeal cookies! i always see people snub them and head for the chocolate chip (which i guess i can’t blame them for), even though the oatmeal ones are all toasty and hearty.
Oatmeal cookies are my husband’s favorite! These look amazing!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
I love anything with brown butter! yum!! Might try these for our cookie exchange next week :)
Jamie
http://treatsandtrendsblog.com/
These sound and look amazing – Oatmeal cookies are my favorite! I’m wondering if I can successfully sub 1/2 almond and 1/2 spelt flour for the white flour. Off to try and will report back! Thanks for making my afternoon “treat” of vanilla yogurt seem so much less appetizing. ;)
let me know!! i’m not familiar enough with spelt flour.
I like both chewy and soft cookies! It just depends. I would absolutely, 100%, like this one. LOVE that drizzle!
I love chewy cookies and these sound like a nice addition to put on my Christmas cookie tray.
These cookies look delicious. I love the way the icing looks!
Oh my, these look amazing!!
http://www.bethgargett.com
That dough looks so good that I want to just eat the little balls dipped in the icing!
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com
Chewy all the way! Do these freeze well?
you can freeze the dough, yes – they might not be as flat and chewy if you bake while frozen/cold.
BROWN BUTTER ICING?!?!? dead.
I found this blog’s link on restavista.com a lady highly recommended this blog. I loved the recipes posted here. I was looking for a good cookie recipe recently. I also recommend http://www.restavista.com there are a lot of good restaurants are listed there. Highly recommended.
My grandmother used to make these paper thin cut out sugar cookies. I have no idea how she made them because mine never turn out like hers. Maybe they were butter cookies, but I’ve tried making those too. Unfortunately she passed away earlier this year, so all I have is my memories!
I’m with you, my cookie preferences depend on my mood and environment, but overall I’m a cookie lover. One cookie I cannot stand however is soft pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. Bleh. So actually I guess I will go on record saying I don’t like cookies that are cake texture!
Chewy ALWAYS! Max is one lucky dude to have you as his cookin’ mama.
YUM! These look so good
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Quick question, does the icing harden, or does it stay drippy (for lack of a better word?) Just curious if I can stack these on a cookie tray. Also, my regular grocery doesn’t carry cardamom, but I’m going to try Whole Food’s bulk spice section next…
Hi Jill,
Whether or not an icing hardens depends on the icing sugar to butter ratio. More butter = softer icing. 1/4 cup is a fair amount but if you heat the milk, you’ll be able to add extra icing sugar whilst still retaining a ‘drizzly’ texture and then it’s quite likely the icing will set hard enough to enable you to stack the cookies. If you seriously want it to set, you could cut back a little on the butter as well and just add maybe a tablespoon.
it does slightly firm up, jill!
I am making these this weekend! You never disappoint!
These just got added to my cookie baking list for this weekend – thanks for the additional work and weight, ha ha!!! :)
Make these! I was debating putting on the browned butter glaze, because the cookies are so darned tasty on their own…but I did add it. Turns out browned butter icing is my everything. I added sprinkles so I can call them christmas cookies.
awesome! so glad.
http://www.alvoresblog.com
Enjoy reading your blog.
Re: chewy choc chip cookies, my friend makes his with melted shortening. Sounds gross but they tasted great and had that sort of texture!
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I’m totally with you on the chewy cookie bandwagon. Chewy molasses cookies are my generally my drug, but these may have to make it into my Christmas baking. That brown butter glaze looks amazing! I think I would like to use it as toothpaste.
brown butter toothpaste – market that!
Taste amazing but mine didn’t come out overly flat or chewy, rechecked the recipe and realised I forgot to add the baking soda. So annoyed with myself! Oh well, guess I will just have to make another batch ?
ah bummer!! i’m so glad they tasted great tho!
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Hey Jen, that worked well too. I am very happy to see that happened. Actually I did try that site RestaVista.com it was good. If you own a restaurant like I do I definitely recommend you to check it out. RestaVista.com a good Restaurant Directory website. Thanks for the good tip :)
These are great, they turned out perfect when we made them. Thanks for posting.
Simon
I’ve made these twice now. They are sooo good! I love the spice combo. They’re everything I want in an oatmeal cookie but better. I only did a few things differently. I browned the butter for the cookie and the icing. I used heaping teaspoons of the spices and I reduced the sugar to 1 1/4 cups. Everybody loves them. Thanks for the recipe.
About how long do you let the butter cool for before adding it to the brown sugar? I feel like I rush things to much. Although my cookies turn out just fine, the mixer before I place it on the cookie sheet, doesn’t look as “dry” or together as your’s is. I was just wondering if I was jumping the gun on mixing things together. BTW THANK YOU for all the amazing recipes and things you share!!!! You have made my household believe that I am a baking and cooking master.
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Sold on the cookie, less so on the drizzle. Because doesn’t it crack and smoosh when frozen/stacked? How would one freeze such a thingy? Because I love to freeze cookies. Because I always make more than can be eaten immediately. Please advise. Love a craggy cookie BTW. So ugly-cute and perfect/imperfect.
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Major issues with the icing. Looks lumpy and watery. What did I do wrong???
Ok… so I’m thinking my butter seized..kinda like chocolate??? I heated it for 15 seconds. Super runny… probably cuz I added too much milk earlier cuz it was thick, added a bunch of powdered sugar… I seem to have a glaze now. But the brown bits really show up. Looks like peppered gravy almost. ? Not sure it’s appetizing looking for the tips of cookies. Uuuggg…I was so hoping to get these to turn out.
These are the best cookies I’ve ever tasted. I made three batches this week. I added maple syrup to the glaze. Thank you for sharing. So good!
I was not successful with the icing! It was not a drizzle, it was a spread. I will try adding more milk. Also, it doesn’t look as light brown as the pictures. Delicious regardless! But I need help with the icing.
I put the icing mix into the food processor and was able to get a glaze. I let the cookies out over night, and almost 12 hours later the icing still hasn’t hardened. Just put the cookies in the refrigerator. Please help with more directions on the icing. Eek!
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