Brown Butter Iced Oatmeal Cookies
Soft, chewy oatmeal cookies with nutty brown butter, warm spices, and sweet vanilla icing. These nostalgic treats are perfect for holidays and gifting.
Ingredients
- For Cookies
- 1 1/4 cups 282 g unsalted butter
- 2 cups 190 g old fashioned oats
- 2 cups plus 4 tablespoons (280 g) all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup 200 g light brown sugar (packed)
- 1 cup 200 g granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons molasses not blackstrap
- For Icing
- 2 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Brown the Butter
- Melt butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly as it foams and bubbles.
- Watch for golden-brown specks to appear at the bottom and a nutty aroma to develop.
- Remove from heat immediately and let cool for 20 minutes.
- Prepare the Oats
- Add old fashioned oats to a food processor and pulse until you have a mixture of fine crumbs and larger pieces. Do not pulverize into flour.
- Make the Dough
- Pour cooled brown butter into a large bowl. Add both sugars and whisk vigorously until well combined.
- Add eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth and glossy.
- Add molasses and stir thoroughly until completely mixed in.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients and pulsed oats to the wet mixture. Switch to a spatula and fold gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Chill the Dough
- Scoop dough into equal-sized balls (about 2 ounces each) using a cookie scoop.
- Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
- Bake
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack for 9 to 10 minutes. Edges should be set while centers remain puffy and slightly underbaked.
- Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Ice the Cookies
- Whisk together sifted powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until thick like honey.
- Dunk the top of each cooled cookie into the glaze, letting excess drip off before flipping upright.
- Place on a wire rack and let set for 2 hours.
Notes
Pro Tips: Pulse the oats for those signature crackled tops. Don't skip this step!
Start checking cookies at 8 minutes. They should look slightly underbaked in the center.
Cool cookies completely before icing to prevent melting.
Use a kitchen scale for uniform 2-ounce dough balls. Storage:
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 6 days. Cookies taste even better on day 2-3 as the icing settles into the cracks.
Freezing:
Freeze before or after icing. Wrap individually in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Gingerbread Variation:
Replace cinnamon and nutmeg with: 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp ground cloves. Sprinkle cinnamon over wet icing or use brown sugar maple glaze.
Start checking cookies at 8 minutes. They should look slightly underbaked in the center.
Cool cookies completely before icing to prevent melting.
Use a kitchen scale for uniform 2-ounce dough balls. Storage:
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 6 days. Cookies taste even better on day 2-3 as the icing settles into the cracks.
Freezing:
Freeze before or after icing. Wrap individually in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Gingerbread Variation:
Replace cinnamon and nutmeg with: 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp ground cloves. Sprinkle cinnamon over wet icing or use brown sugar maple glaze.
