brown butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

last updated on October 29, 2026

You all know I am a sucker for all things brown butter, and these brown butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are no exception! They are thick and dense and so good.

I first posted about these cookies in our baby gender reveal video! I stuffed one of the cookies with pink frosting to announce that we are having a GIRL! I’ll share that video below for anyone who missed it.

After sharing this video I got lots of requests to share the recipe for the cookies, so here we are! I only put frosting in them for the gender reveal, so this recipe doesn’t include frosting! You could stuff them with frosting if you want, but I think they’re better without it.

what ingredients will i need for these cookies?

• butter
• brown sugar
• eggs
• yogurt / sour cream
• vanilla
• flour
• rolled oats
• cornstarch
• baking soda
• salt
• chocolate chips

what is brown butter and how to make it

Brown butter is regular butter that has been cooked just past its melting point to toast the milk solids found in butter. Toasting the milk solids gives brown butter an amazing nutty taste! It can be used in savory dishes (like my spring brown butter gnocchi) or in sweet dishes (like my banana bread donuts with brown butter glaze).

If you’ve never made brown butter before, don’t stress because it’s easy to make! Start by adding butter to a pan over medium heat. Let the butter melt, stirring continually. After a couple minutes, the butter will start to bubble. Keep stirring. After a couple more minutes, the butter will start to foam up. Once the foam starts to subside, you will begin to smell a nutty aroma and see that the butter is beginning to turn brown. You’ve got brown butter! Take the pan off the heat and pour the butter into a bowl. For these cookies we then put the butter into the freezer to chill for a bit, but then you’re set!

substitutions

There are really only two ingredients that can use any substitution. First is the yogurt. The yogurt helps to make these cookies extra soft. We are only adding 1 tbsp, so it isn’t much, but it makes a difference! Don’t use flavored yogurt here, even vanilla, as it will change the taste of the cookies. Use plain yogurt, although it can be normal yogurt or greek yogurt! If you don’t have yogurt, you can also use sour cream. If you don’t have either of those, you could also use ricotta cheese or mayo. So many options! Hopefully you can find one that works best for you.

The other ingredient that can differ in this recipe is the type of oats used. Rolled oats are definitely best in this recipe — they are thicker and heartier. But, if you only have quick oats that will work too! They won’t be quite as hearty, but it will work.

chilling the dough

I know, I know. Chilling the dough is the WORST. I hate when I read a recipe and it says to chill the dough overnight. I get it! That’s why I’ve provided two options! These cookies really are best if the dough chills overnight. the butter sets up well and the cookies brown much better. And they have a thicker, denser flavor.

But, if you can’t wait until the next day to eat these cookies (and I don’t blame you) then you don’t have to chill them at all! Just bake them right after you make the dough. They will still taste amazing, just not as good. But then you don’t have to be patient, so that’s a win, right?

how to store these cookies

If you want to save the dough to cook another time, it stores great. If you will be using the dough in the next 5-7 days, keep the dough in a sealed container in the fridge. If you aren’t using it for a week or longer, keep it in a sealed container in the freezer. I would suggest scooping the dough into balls first, as it can be hard to scoop cold dough.

If you’ve cooked all your dough and all the cookies weren’t eaten, keep the cookies in a sealed container. The cookies do not have to be kept in the fridge — on the countertop is just fine!

other recipes you will love

• pumpkin snickerdoodles
• stuffed carrot cake cookies
• brown butter raspberry white chocolate cookies
• banana bread donuts with brown butter glaze

brown butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

5 from 4 votes

[category] Dessert

[published] October 26, 2021

[PREP] 30 minutes mins

[COOK] 10 minutes mins

Print recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp plain yogurt / sour cream
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
• flaky salt optional

Instructions

1. Begin by browning the butter. Add the butter to a pan over medium heat. When it melts begin to stir the butter. After a couple minutes it will start to bubble — continue stirring. After another couple minutes the butter will begin to foam up. Keep stirring and you will begin to smell a nutty aroma and see brown in the butter. Take it off the heat and pour the butter into a bowl. Transfer the butter to the freezer for 15 minutes to cool down.
2. Add the chilled brown butter and brown sugar to a bowl. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, mix for 2 minutes. Add the eggs, yogurt, and vanilla. Mix until combined.
3. Add flour, oats, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Mix until flour is just combined. Add chocolate chips and pulse until they're evenly distributed.
4. These cookies are best if the dough chills overnight. So if you have time, cover the dough and let it chill in the fridge overnight. Take it out 15 minutes before you want to scoop the dough then proceed with the next step. IF you can't wait (which sometimes you just can't!), the dough does not have to be chilled. It can be scooped out immediately after mixing it up and baked. The cookies will still taste amazing, they just don't bake quite as well.
5. Preheat the oven to 350. Using a 1/4 cup cookie scoop, scoop out dough onto a greased or lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 8-11 minutes, until the top of the cookies are slightly golden brown. Top with some flaky salt and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and enjoy!