Brown Butter Spiced Oatmeal Cookies
I know what you’re probably thinking… oatmeal cookies for Christmas?! And trust me, it wasn’t remotely on my radar either until I was doing a little holiday shopping and came across a brown butter spiced oatmeal cookie mix. It got me thinking that it’s not so much the kind of cookie that you make, but the spices that you use that really lend themselves to those “holiday feels.” I don’t have anything against mixes, in fact I think that some are quite good, but I was a little perplexed as to how this mix would capture the perfection that is browned butter and deduced that it was likely some kind of combination of extracts or dried milk powders or something and thought they’d likely be better homemade. So I gave it a try!
I made a few batches adjusting the spice level… I didn’t want these to be just some kind of gingerbread spice-like cookies in oatmeal form (although that would probably be delicious) but there really are a set of usual suspects when it comes to holiday baking - cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and the like. I wanted to keep the warmth and nostalgia of a chewy delicious oatmeal cookie and spice it up a bit, so to speak. What you find here is a delicious brown butter oatmeal cookie - absolutely delightful on its own - with a bit of holiday flair. This recipe is forgiving when it comes to the spices as well - you can tone it down a bit, or kick one of the spices up slightly if you favour it over another. You can also add some mix-ins - I’m sure a sprinkle of white chocolate chips, or pecans would be lovely here too. I even added a little flaky sea salt to mine before baking, just because. I hope you’ll grow to consider oatmeal cookies a part of your holiday cookie repertoire too!
Browned Butter Spiced Oatmeal Cookies
*Recipe requires chilling time*
Tools: Two medium sized bowls, wire whisk, flat bottomed pan, spatula, baking sheets, 1.5 tablespoon scoop or measure, parchment paper or silpat liners, cooling rack.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 11/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon allspice
2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup unsalted butter, browned and cooled
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Start by browning your butter: Heat butter in a flat bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking occasionally. It will melt, start to foam then turn a clear golden colour (whisk more frequently at this time) and then begin to brown and smell nutty. Remove from heat and transfer to a separate medium sized bowl (be sure to get all the little browned bits off of the pan!) to cool before using below.
2. In a medium sized bowl whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda, salt and spices and set aside.
3. *Once the butter has cooled* add the eggs, vanilla, and light brown sugar to the bowl and mix until smooth and combined.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix with a spatula until just combined (be sure not to leave any dry bits at the bottom of the bowl).
5. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before baking.
6. *After chilling time* Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line your baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat liners. Using a 1.5 tablespoon measure, roll balls of the dough and press them down slightly on the baking sheet, making sure to leave 2 inches between each.
7. Bake the cookies in your preheated oven for 9-12 minutes or until the edges are browned and the middles are set. Keep in mind they will continue to come together on the baking sheets, so don’t overtake.
8. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheets for 3-5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
9. Store the cookies in an airtight container. They will keep 4-5 days on the countertop and a day or two longer in the refrigerator.
Happy (holiday) eating! Xo
