Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are loaded with chocolate chips, flaky sea salt, and oats. They’re soft, chewy, and perfectly crisp on the edges.
author’s note
A Texas Reader Shared This Recipe… and Now It’s My #1 Cookie!
A while back, I asked my readers to share their all-time favorite cookie recipes, and I was blown away by the responses! Leisa from Texas sent me this gem, and after testing (and taste-testing… a lot), I knew this one was special.
The moment I pulled them from the oven, the smell of nutty brown butter filled my kitchen. My kids ran in, begging for “just one bite,” and even my husband—who has seen more cookie tests than I can count—said these were different. The edges had that caramelized crunch, the centers stayed perfectly chewy, and the sprinkle of flaky salt on top sealed the deal.
As Leisa put it:
“Brown butter baby! I love everything that starts with browning butter. I love the salty gorgeous flakes on top, too! OK – I guess I truly love it because it has chocolate in it—but isn’t that almost a given?”
Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Ingredients
| Ingredient | Swap or Tip |
|---|---|
| Butter | Cool it before mixing so it doesn’t melt the sugar. |
| Brown Sugar | Light brown sugar works, but cookies will be lighter in flavor and color. |
| Oats | Don’t use quick oats (too powdery) or steel-cut oats (too tough). |
| Chocolate Chips | Use chopped chocolate bars for gooey puddles. Try mixing dark and milk chocolate for contrast. |
| Flaky Sea Salt | Skip if you don’t like sweet + salty desserts, but I highly recommend it. |
How To Brown Butter
For a visual guide, check out this video.
- Melt: Add unsalted butter to a light-colored pan over medium heat.
- Stir: Stir often; the butter will foam and sizzle.
- Watch: The color changes from yellow → golden → deep amber.
- Pull Early: Remove from heat as soon as the milk solids turn golden brown.
- Cool: Transfer to a heat-safe bowl to cool before mixing into the Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies cookie dough.
How To Make Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Brown Butter: Cook until golden and nutty, then let cool.
- Mix with Sugar: Beat together cooled butter and brown sugar.
- Add Eggs & Vanilla: Mix just until combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Stir in baking soda, baking powder, salt, and oats.
- Fold in Flour & Chocolate: Mix until combined, then chill dough.
- Scoop & Bake: Bake at 350°F until edges are set but centers look soft.
- Finish with Salt: Right out of the oven, press in extra chocolate and sprinkle with salt.
Quick Tip
Chill the Dough: Chilling is essential for perfect texture and flavor. Skip this, and the cookies may spread and burn at the edges.
More Delicious Cookie Recipes
Brown Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1-1/2 cups brown sugar packed, see note 1
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 cups flour
- 1-3/4 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1-3/4 cups chocolate chips
- Flaky sea salt optional
Instructions
- Melt butter in a light-colored, wide saucepan over medium-high heat. Once melted, reduce to medium and stir constantly with a silicone spatula. Butter will bubble and foam. When it smells nutty and you see light-brown specks beneath the foam, remove from heat and pour into the stand mixer bowl, scraping in all the bits. Let it fully cool to room temperature (I like to pop the bowl in the freezer).
- Place the stand mixer bowl onto the mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the dark brown sugar and whisk on medium-high speed for 2 minutes.
- Add eggs and vanilla and mix until just combined.
- Add baking soda, salt, baking powder, and oats. Mix. Stir in flour and chocolate chips until no dry streaks remain; don’t overmix. Tightly cover dough and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside.
- Scoop then roll balls of dough about 2-1/2 tablespoons (50 grams) each and place them on the pan. Leave space for spreading—only bake 6 cookies at a time. Bake for 8–11 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Keep a close eye to ensure they remain soft and chewy in the center. I prefer to slightly underbake for a tender texture. See note 2.
- Once removed from the oven, you can press in a few extra chocolate chips on top and sprinkle with flaky salt if desired. Let the cookies sit on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Storage
- Room Temperature Storage: Keep cookies in an airtight container for 2–3 days to maintain texture.
- Freezing: Freeze dough instead of baked cookies.
- Freeze Dough Balls: Place dough balls on a pan, freeze until solid, then transfer to a bag. Store up to 3 months.
- Bake from Frozen: Bake dough balls directly from frozen, adding a few extra minutes. No thawing needed.
cut down on the sugar…
It could mess up the cookies, but you can certainly try!
I just wanted you to know that these are THE BEST Oatmeal Cookies!!!( They taste just like my mom’s when I was growing up!!! Thank you So Much!!!
Yay! I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Deborah!
I made these cookies yesterday. I’ve never browned butter before and it was an experience. I love them. There’s not many left and it’s just me and my husband 😁.
Question! Do you think they can be made gluten free? Just subbing out the oats and flour for GF versions. Have you ever tried them GF?
Thank you!
Vicki
Sorry Vicki I haven’t tried them gluten-free and am not super experienced with gluten-free baking (with cookies). Wish I could be of more help!
Can I use ghee in this recipe?
I’m sorry Rhonda, I haven’t tested these with ghee!
I started making homemade cookies to put in my sons(11&8) school lunches. I would always send extra so they could share. Well, after making these….the request for dad’s cookies have me making a couple of batches a week. I tell them what my dad always told me, ‘nothing says lovin, like something from the oven;and dad says it best!’ Thanks Chelsea!
I absolutely love this! I think you should be in the running for Dad of the year! Thanks so much Aaron! 🙂
This was my first time using browned butter in a cookie recipe! I enjoyed the nutty flavor it added to the cookies! Also loved the fluffiness. I left my first batch in a little too long. Oops! Second batch was perfect. Do take these cookies out when they look a little underdone, otherwise they will end up overdone. Thanks Chelsea!
So happy to hear that! 🙂 Thanks for the comment Lindsay!
These look so good! I’m breaking out my cookie sheet now. Thanks Chelsea!
I hope you love these Sharon! 🙂
Outstanding cookie. Chilling overnight really made a difference in the flavor.
Thanks so much Diane! 🙂
omigosh YES. This is exactly my kind of CCC and I love that they also have oats so I bet they’re extra chewy!
These look killer amazing! The first time I tried brown butter I flipped out so I know these cookies must be amazing!