These brown butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are irresistibly chewy, packed with hearty oats and rich chocolate chips. The nutty, caramel-like flavor of brown butter takes these cookies to the next level, making them a must-bake for any cookie lover. This is hands down my favorite cookie recipe to ever come out of my kitchen! Ready in just about 30 minutes, this easy recipe makes 10 large, bakery-style cookies that are perfect for sharing—or not!
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 large egg+ 1 large egg yolk
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup + 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup old fashioned oats
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips
Step by step instructions
Note: Find the full ingredient measurements and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Add butter to large saucepan over medium heat. Butter will begin to foam and then brown quickly. Stir constantly during entire process. Once butter begins to brown, remove from heat and pour into a mixing bowl. Mix in sugars and set aside to cool for about 10 minutes.
- Add vanilla extract, egg, and egg yolk. Mix until combined.
- Add salt, baking soda, flour, and oats and mix until just combined.
- Stir in chocolate chips. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop out 10 cookies. Add 3-4 chocolate chips on top of each cookie dough.
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Bake for 13-14 minutes. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
Why you’ll love these brown butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
- Makes 10 Big, Bakery-Style Cookies – Perfectly thick and chewy with crispy edges.
- Easy, One-Bowl Recipe – Just a mixing bowl and a whisk—no electric mixer needed!
- No Stand Mixer Required – Minimal cleanup, maximum flavor.
- Rich, Nutty Flavor from Brown Butter – The brown butter adds a deep, toasty, caramelized taste you won’t get from regular butter.
- Quick and Simple – Ready to eat in just over 30 minutes.
- Freezer-Friendly Dough – Make a batch now and bake fresh cookies anytime!
- Customizable – Easily add chopped nuts, dried fruit, or swap chocolate chips for chunks or white chocolate.
- Smells Amazing While Baking – Your kitchen will smell like a cozy bakery thanks to the brown butter and chocolate.
Tips for the best brown butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
- Use a Large Cookie Scoop for Bakery-Style Cookies – These cookies are best when made large, using a 3-tablespoon scoop. It creates that ideal contrast of crispy, golden edges and a soft, gooey center.
- Want Smaller Cookies? – You can absolutely make these with a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop for smaller portions. Just reduce the baking time by 2–3 minutes and keep an eye on them so they stay soft and chewy.
- Top With Extra Chocolate Chips – Once you’ve scooped your dough, press a few extra chocolate chips on top before baking. It guarantees a beautiful, bakery-style appearance with melty pools of chocolate in every cookie.
- Sprinkle with Sea Salt – For extra flavor and a pretty finish, sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt on top of the cookies right after they come out of the oven. It enhances the chocolate and brown butter beautifully.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, but you’ll miss out on the rich, nutty flavor that brown butter adds. If you’re short on time, you can substitute regular melted butter, but for best flavor, brown butter is highly recommended.
If your cookies didn’t spread, you probably added too much flour. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, you can use the scoop and level method. Even an extra tablespoon of flour will make a huge difference!
Heat a light-colored pan over medium heat. Cut your butter into equal pieces so it melts evenly. Place the butter in the pan. Use a silicone spatula to stir the butter around as it begins to melt. Once it’s melted, it will begin to foam and make tiny popping sounds. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Do not stop stirring the entire time. The foam will begin to subside and you’ll notice the butter start to brown. Continue to stir until it’s reached a golden brown color and you see dark flecks in the pan. It should smell intensely rich and nutty. Turn the heat down to low near the end if your butter hasn’t gotten quite golden enough. Browning butter is quick so be careful it doesn’t burn.
I normally use a large cookie scoop like this one, but for this recipe I used this ice cream scoop here.
Old-fashioned rolled oats are best for texture. Quick oats can work in a pinch but will make the cookies softer and less chewy. Avoid instant oats—they’ll make the dough too mushy.
Definitely! Chopped pecans, walnuts, or even dried cranberries are great add-ins. Just keep total mix-ins (including chocolate chips) around 1 & 1/2 cups.
How to store and freeze
These cookies are best fresh, but can be kept in an air tight container up to 3 days.
To freeze the cookie dough, roll the dough into balls and place them on a plate and set in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Then transfer them to a freezer safe ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Remember to label the dough with what it is, the date you made the batch, and the baking time as well. Add an additional 1-2 minutes onto the baking time when baking frozen dough.
Did you make this?
Please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. This helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Be sure to tag me on Instagram using @schmidtybakes so I can see. I love to see what you’re baking!
Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons (142g) unsalted butter (browned)
- 3/4 cup (165g) dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk (room temperature)
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup + 3 tablespoons (152g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (75g) old fashioned oats
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 cup (130g) chocolate chips (plus more for topping)
Instructions
- Add butter to large saucepan over medium heat. Butter will begin to foam and then brown quickly. Stir constantly during entire process. Once butter begins to brown, remove from heat and pour into a mixing bowl. The entire process should take no more than 5 minutes. Mix in sugars and set aside to cool for about 10 minutes.
- Add vanilla extract, egg, and egg yolk. Mix until combined.
- Add salt, baking soda, flour, and oats and mix until just combined. There should still be some streaks of flour visible.
- Stir in chocolate chips. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop out 10 cookies using an ice cream scoop or large cookie scoop. Add 3-4 chocolate chips on top of each cookie dough.
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Bake for 13-15 minutes. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
Notes
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
These are my favorite. Perfectly sweet and so gooey!
I’m not usually an oatmeal cookie type of person, but this recipe has totally changed my mind on that. These cookies are SOOOO good (like maybe my new favorite cookie ever), so easy to make, and come out perfect every single time!! Thank you!!
Thank you Sara!! I appreciate that so much!!
The BEST oatmeal chocolate chip recipe there ever was! I’ve made it multiple times since the release of the recipe. My family loves the cookies so much that we now keep backup cookie dough scoops in the freezer for freshed baked cookies whenever the teenagers and their friends want them.
I give this recipe 5 stars and then some!
Thank you so much for sharing!! 💕
I love these cookies! Browned butter makes everything better and the smell when you mix it with brown sugar is amazing. Luckily this is a quick recipe because I will be craving these on a regular basis.
Thank you Samantha! So glad you love them!
I love these cookies!!! We made them for a night in with friends and spooky movies, which made the scary movies a heck of alot more sweet!
A great cookie to share with friends that is quick, easy, and oh … did I mention the brown butter???
Thank you Jaime!! It sure did pair well with the scary movie 🤭
10/10! These cookies were amazing! I did a mix of semi sweet chips and peanut butter chips
I’m so glad to hear that, Michelle! Thank you for trying these cookies! That flavor combination sounds so good!
I loooooove your cookie recipes Tyler!!! Thank you so much for your uploads! All of your recipe instructions are simple & easy to follow and they are the tastiest cookies I’ve ever made from scratch! This is the second cookie I’ve made from your website and both recipes are a 10 out of 10!!! I plan on making & trying every cookie on your site. Thanks again for sharing and Keep up the good work!!
Thank you so much for sharing!! I’m so glad you enjoy them! 💕
Thank you for your great recipe I made them and their taste were fantastic but they were spreading more than usual how can I fix this problem?
Thank you so much definitely try again with your tips
These are so good! Come together easily, one bowl, no mixer required. I did chill my dough balls because I had time, and the cookies turned out thick and chewy. Will definitely put these in my rotation!
I am so glad you enjoyed them! Thank you for sharing!
If you want to WOW your friends/family/coworkers… anyone, really, make these cookies!! They are to die for! This is one of my go-to recipes, anything with brown butter is absolutely delicious but the chewiness of the oats take it to another level. I like to use unsalted Kerrygold butter. Love love love this recipe
Thank you so much for sharing, Katie! Kerrygold, yum! Now I need a batch! 🙂