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COOKIES – JUNE 21, 2024

Brown Butter Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies

These Brown Butter Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies are a twist on your traditional oatmeal cookies. They are soft on the inside, and crispy on the edges, highlighted by the nutty flavor of brown butter. The ideal combination for an irresistible cookie!

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These oatmeal cookies are adapted from my Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies which were then adapted from my mother’s oatmeal cookie recipe that she used to make when I was a child. The variations to the recipe include browning butter, and adding cranberries and white chocolate chips.

Oatmeal cookies are a household staple because they are pretty easy to put together and require barely a whisk and a bowl. This modernized version will probably be one of the best cookies you’ve had in a while, after the original recipe with the chocolate chips, I must add.

Why you will love them?

My Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies were such a hit, the recipe is easy to make, has few ingredients, and has so much flavor! For that reason, I remade these to include two delicious flavors, cranberries and white chocolate. If you’ve tried the OG recipe, you will love these too. The browned butter gives them a toasty caramelized taste, highlighting nutty tones that pair well with oats.

These Brown Butter Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate cookies are meant to be soft on the inside and crispy on the edges. You can make whatever size you prefer, from bakery-style giant cookies to smaller bite-size cookies to share. Regardless of the size you go for, mind your baking time and keep an eye on them as they bake. Because cookies can go from done to overcooked, quickly!

Lastly, they are also a one-bowl-and-done cookie recipe and the ingredients are pretty basic and easy to find. There is also no need for equipment or fancy mixers.

Ingredients to make Brown Butter Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies:

I’ve adapted this cookie recipe from my previous Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies to add cranberries and white chocolate, and turn it into a Brown Butter Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookie! As you know, the original recipe was adapted from my childhood oatmeal cookies to have brown butter, and trust me, it is worth the extra step! It makes the flavors totally irresistible! Here are the ingredients:

Butter: Unsalted butter that is browned deepens the flavor of these cookies. The nutty aroma of the brown butter is the best part. You can substitute for melted butter if you don’t feel like browning it but it is worth it!
Sugar: This recipe uses two types of sugar. Brown sugar will add flavor and moisture to the cookie, keeping it soft and chewy while the ¼ cup of white sugar will also sweeten them and let those edges crisp up when browned.
Eggs: you will need just 1 for this recipe.
All-purpose flour: all-purpose flour gives it the necessary structure and perfect chew.
Oats: I use rolled oats for added texture but you can substitute with steel cut if desired.
Salt: boosts sweet flavor and brown butter always!
Baking soda: leavening agent for the perfect cookies.
Vanilla extract: use your favorite or what you have on hand. Adds delicious flavor to your cookie dough.
White Chocolate Chips: although it’s optional, it is worth it if you like white chocolate chocolate! You can sub for regular chocolate, too!
Dried Cranberries: I like to use these ones, they are easy to find. Make sure they’re fresh and plump.

Tips for making brown butter:

Cut butter into equally sized pieces, about 1 tablespoon squares. This will ensure it melts evenly.
Swirl the pan or stir constantly to brown butter evenly and avoid burning milk solids at the bottom. Do not leave the stove!
Medium heat is best. Avoid high heat as it may burn the butter and low heat may take too long.
Browning the butter slightly evaporates its water content and may affect the wet-to-dry ingredient ratio of your recipe. Cook until just golden brown and stop the cooking process to avoid more water from evaporating.
Try to see through the foam by pushing it away to check for golden brown butter and stop cooking immediately once you see the right color and it emits a nutty smell. From here, it can burn quickly and taste bitter.
Remove brown butter from the saucepan to stop the cooking process. Place in a heat-resistant container to cool and use later (even if a few minutes later).
Brown milk solids may appear at the bottom of your liquid melted butter. This is normal, and we will include it in the recipe; it holds extra delicious flavor!

Tips for making delicious Brown Butter Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies

The number one rule of baking cookies is the same with any baked goods: DO NOT OVERBAKE! Yes, the cookies should only brown on the edges before you take them out of the oven. The rest will continue to set with the heat from the pan when cooling. This will also create a soft and chewy cookie with crispy edges. If you like crispy cookies, bake them longer for sure!
Babysit your pan with the butter through the entire browning process. Things can burn quickly, and burnt brown butter can have an acidic taste that will not enhance the flavor of your cookies.
Scooping the cookie dough out is the easiest thing to do. However, if you do not have a cookie scoop just use your hands or two spoons and roll out cookie dough into about 1 ½” or 2” balls.
The cookies will spread. Separate them at least 2 inches and bake them into two cookie sheets if needed.
Chilling the dough is a must! Do it for the texture and do it for the flavor! Firstly for the texture, it will help your cookie keep some shape and height when baked, and secondly for taste. Chilling the dough is like ‘marinating’ it. The flavors meld together and infuse your dough, resulting in better-tasting cookies.
Baking times vary depending on the size of your cookie and your oven. Always evaluate the condition of the cookie inside the oven. I typically start 1 minute before the estimated time by turning on the oven light and seeing through the window. Then I open and check for set browned edges and soft centers and may add 1 minute or 2 if needed. If your oven runs too hot, start checking 1-2 minutes before the recommended time.