Featured Recipe

Brown Butter Oat Cookies

Name: Brown Butter Oat Cookies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 32 min
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients: 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup spelt flour; 1/2 cup old fashioned oats; 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/4 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar; 1/4 cup granulated sugar; 1/2 cup unsalted butter, browned and cooled; 2 large eggs; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 3/4 cup butterscotch chips; 3/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon; Flaky sea salt for sprinkle

By Kate

Created on 27 January 2026

Brown butter, oats, and a combo of chips create chewy cookies with a toasty nutty background. Cake flour replaced with spelt brings a hearty texture. Cornstarch swapped for arrowroot powder for a bit softer crunch. Salt flakes hit right at the end, balancing sweetness. A dash of cinnamon sneaks in for depth. Edges crisp just right while centers hold on to that gooey stage. Timing adjusted to trust feel over the clock. Mixing dry separately from wet keeps everything light. Folding in chips at the end prevents overmixing. A sprinkle of flaky salt gives the final pop. Yields a dozen generous pieces.

Prep: 20 min

Cook: 12 min

Total: 32 min

Serves: 12 servings

cookies desserts baking brown butter

Introduction

Brown butter—game changer. Nutty, toasted, adds richness. Patience—cool it well, don’t rush or eggs cook. Oats for chew, spelt flour adds rustic bite replacing cake flour that’s too soft. Arrowroot powder instead of cornstarch gives same tenderness but cleaner finish. Cinnamon’s subtle but shifts flavor deeper, try it. Sugar ratios tweaked—brown sugar dominant for moisture, granulated for structure. Fold chips last to keep dough from toughening. Eyes on edges, not minutes. Melted chocolate chips sneak in gooey, butterscotch adds sweet punch. Flaky sea salt is not optional. Scattered on top, brightens flavors. Scrape warm dough’s sticky challenge with a sturdy scoop, chill if needed—don’t fight stickiness endlessly. Cookies spread determine spacing—less crowding equals perfect edges. Learn to see golden edges and shiny soft centers—hot oven temp helps quick rise and crisp. Easy tweaks make big difference. Tried and true.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup spelt flour

1/2 cup old fashioned oats

1 teaspoon arrowroot powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, browned and cooled

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup butterscotch chips

3/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Flaky sea salt for sprinkle

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About the ingredients

Butter browning triggers Maillard reaction—toasted nutty flavors that cut through sugar’s sweetness. Substituting spelt for cake flour adds depth and chew; spelt absorbs moisture distinctly so keep an eye on dough texture. Arrowroot powder instead of cornstarch holds moisture but won’t gunk up dough. Oats add chew, fiber, subtle nuttiness. Cinnamon’s small dose lifts complexity without overpowering sweet chips. Butterscotch chips interact well with chocolate—both in bite and melting behavior. Flaky sea salt sprinkled last adds crucial contrast, keeps sweetness in check. Using a mix of sugars balances moisture and crisp. Brown sugar retains moisture; granulated keeps cookie structure stable and less cakey. Varying baking soda and powder gives a gentle rise without blowouts or heavy cake texture.

Method

Preheat oven to 380F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Set aside.

Brown butter in a light skillet over medium heat, swirling often. Watch for foam bubbling followed by nutty brown specks and aroma hinting toasted nuts. Remove immediately to cool 10-15 min off heat. This step adds depth and complexity not found in plain melted butter.

Whisk all dry ingredients — all-purpose flour, spelt flour, oats, arrowroot powder, baking soda, baking powder, kosher salt, and cinnamon — in a medium bowl. This blending ensures leavening distributes evenly. Set aside.

In separate bowl, whisk sugars with cooled browned butter until smooth and glossy. Warm butter helps sugars dissolve better, preventing gritty texture. Add eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each for stable emulsion. Add vanilla extract last.

Fold in dry mix carefully until barely combined. Overmixing develops gluten, toughening cookies—avoid. Then stir in butterscotch and chocolate chips gently, just enough so dough looks speckled.

Scooping dough can feel sticky. Use a cookie scoop for consistent shapes—about 10-12 on your trays. Space them apart; they spread. Refrigerate dough 5-10 minutes if too soft, especially in warm kitchens.

Bake 8-13 minutes, watching edges, not just time. Edges gain light gold tone, centers still look set with faint shine and slightly puffed. Underbaking leads to gooey centers that collapse; overbaking dries cookies out.

Remove from oven. While warm, sprinkle flaky sea salt over the tops. Salt balances sweetness and cuts fat heaviness, vital in brown butter recipes. Optionally add extra chips on top for show.

Cool 5 minutes on sheets before transferring. Centers finish setting but stay tender. Store airtight after fully cooled to retain chewiness.

Technique Tips

Brown butter carefully—watch for bubbling foam, bubbling fades, and color shifts from amber to rich brown. Pull off heat before burnt aroma appears. Cooling avoids cooking eggs prematurely. Whisk sugars and butter fully—no clumps for uniform cookies. Adding eggs one by one stabilizes batter, stops it from breaking down. Folding rather than stirring maintains tender crumb. Dough stickiness signals moisture level—cooling tightens dough, making scooping easier. Watch baking visually: edges golden, centers slightly shiny but set. Ovens vary; trusting look and touch beats timer settings. Overbaking dries out texture. Flaky salt added fresh; it dissolves slowly on warm cookies, enhancing rich browned butter notes. Rest cookies 5 minutes on sheet to finish crisping while centers settle. Transfers too early risk breaking or squashing soft cookies.

Chef's Notes

💡 Watch butter closely. Color changes from light tan to rich brown. Aromas become nutty, if burnt, start over. Texture shifts—don’t rush or eggs scramble. Chill big scoops if dough’s too sticky.
💡 Use a scale for precision. Weigh flours, sugars—consistent results. Baking’s precise. Baking soda and powder are key. Too much, cookies spread too thin. Ovens run hot or cold; adjust temperatures carefully.
💡 Choosing mix-ins matters. Butterscotch chips for sweetness; chocolate chips bring depth. Try nuts for crunch or dried fruit for chewy bites. Swap flours—use gluten-free options but adjust ratios.
💡 Storage affects freshness. Airtight containers keep chewiness longer. Refrigerate for several days, or freeze dough for future cookie cravings. Scoop and freeze, then bake from frozen—great in a pinch.
💡 Baking time can vary. Ovens differ. Edges golden? Center’s slightly shiny, set but soft. Underbake if unsure, centers set as cookies cool. Salt flakiness on top balances sweetness beautifully.