Brown Butter Coconut Oatmeal Cookies
While driving home through a particularly nasty thunderstorm yesterday afternoon, I had a good long think about what I wanted to do for Sunday Night Cookie Blogging. I really wanted a simple cookie, without any chocolate after last week’s brownie blitz, and with a strong butterscotch flavor.
On getting home, I rummaged through the cupboards for more candidates in the pantry elimination, and, noticing the unopened tub of old-fashioned oats, remembered the recipe for crisp oatmeal cookies I’d been meaning to try from Cook’s Illustrated several months back. Digging the magazine out of the pile on top of the microwave, I was pleased to see that the coconut variation conveniently called for exactly the amount of sweetened coconut I had left. The decision practically made itself.
While the recipe sounded great, I didn’t think it would have quite the butterscotch depth I was craving, so I decided to really amp things up by browning the butter first. Because I also prefer smaller cookies, I cut the size of the cookies in half.
The resulting cookie not just met but exceeded all my expectations, and was wildly popular with the coworkers, who snarfed them all up well before lunchtime. It’s unassuming in appearance, but those humble little freckles pack a wallop of noisette intensity, and the texture is shatteringly crisp and light. It’s a very grown-up oatmeal cookie, elementally airy and earthy at the same time, and I’ll absolutely be making it again. Next time, I might make it even more sophisticated by trying the suggestion of sprinkling with flakes of Maldon salt or fleur de sel on top before baking.
Flecks of Toasty Buttery Goodness
In the win-win-win column, it also used up all my remaining coconut and half the oats, but the important thing is that these are spectacularly delicious.
Brown Butter Coconut Oatmeal Cookies
( Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated January/February 2008 )
Makes 5 dozen
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
2 cups rolled oats (old-fashioned, not instant or quick)
1 1/2 cups sweetened coconut
In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and bring to a simmer. Lower heat as necessary to maintain a vigorous simmer and continue to cook, swirling occasionally, until butter separates into a dark golden liquid layer and a deep brown layer of caramelized milk solids and gives off a nutty aroma. Be careful not to let the solids turn black.
Pour butter into a liquid measuring cup, making sure to get all the delicious brown solids out of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until it solidifies.
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a standing mixer with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars until fluffy, scraping down the sides once. Beat in the egg and vanilla. With the mixer running on low, mix in the dry ingredients until just combined. Scrape down again, return to low, and mix in the oats and coconut until uniformly incorporated. Cover the dough and chill until firm enough to roll into balls, at least half an hour.
Preheat oven to 350, and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Scoop dough by rounded tablespoons (I use a small scoop) and roll into balls. Place balls on sheet 2 inches apart and flatten to 1/2 inch thickness with your fingertips.
Bake until golden, 14-16 minutes. Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool completely on the sheet. Once cool, store in airtight containers to maintain crispness.
Notes:
In case you’re nervous about browning butter and want to have an idea of what it should look like, here’s an expert’s take on it.
If you’re not a coconut fan, you could leave it out and increase the oatmeal to the 2 1/2 cups in the original plain version, although I still urge you to brown the butter.
You should have seen me pouting when I read about your co-workers getting to eat those cookies!
The only thing worse was my little wrinkled brow when I read “vanilla paste.” I can imagine what it is, but I’ve never seen it. Course, I’ve never looked for it either.
It’s vanilla in a gel form, which I get at Trader Joe’s during the holidays, when they carry it. I like the little black vanilla flecks, but you can substitute the same amount of vanilla extract with no problem.
Last week’s Chronicle had a recipe for pie crust with brown butter — it was for an article about cutting out fat in desserts. It called for a half stick, then you’d chill the resulting brown butter before making the crust. More flavor, less saturated fat and add a tablespoon or two of canola oil.
Mmmmm… those sound great. No coconut fans here (except me, and in small doses), so I might have to try to original version. I love brown butter, and I’ve done brown butter shortbread cookies, but I don’t think I’d have thought of it with oatmeal cookies.
This one, I’ll have to try. As soon as I get more oatmeal. Temps have dropped (50s in the AM) and the kids want oatmeal for breakfast… and now I’m all out!
My jaw just dropped. Name two of my favorite things: brown butter and oatmeal cookies. Sounds fabulous!
I actually got the idea from a very similar place, Andrea. One of my favorite pumpkin recipes is a spice cake from a low-fat baking book, and the trick they used to give that cake more butter flavor with less butter is to brown it first.
Thanks, Camille! That’s high praise indeed.
So. I made these yesterday, using the all oats version.
OMG, these are so good! I mean, really really really good.
I’ve made brown butter shortbread cookies before, so I know that brown butter is an all around good thing… but the pairing with oats is just spectacular.
I used regular butter because I don’t keep unsalted in the house (I buy it when I need it, and since making these was a last minute decision, I didn’t!), to cut back a bit on the salt. I’ll still have to work on the baking time, because at 14 minutes, one batch was a bit white, but at 15, perfect, but 15 didn’t work for the next batch. Sigh… Something about opening the oven and peaking etc, I bet!
Also. I stupidly decided to use a 1 1/2 qt saucepan to brown the butter, instead of the larger pot I usually use. It wasn’t quite big enough and at the point when the butter fuzzes up, I lost about 1T! Grrr… Next time I’ll use a bigger pot.
Thanks for a great recipe!
I am honored and delighted that you tried the recipe and liked it, NWH.
The last of these got eaten tonight after dinner. I could have taken another dozen to work, but I wanted to make sure I’d have enough pretty, intact ones to take the pictures.