Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Alternatively titled – THE BEST FREAKING COOKIES EVER. NO SERIOUSLY, EVER.

Ahem. Have I ever told you we have the best neighbors in the entire world? Mike and Deb are just…beyond. Two of the kindest people we know who I think truly adore our kids, ie listen intently and with genuine interest when Lincoln goes on and on about whatever he’s currently excited about, and Cameron shows them his shoes for the 400th time, anytime we see them. They’re inspiring examples of how neighbors should take care of each other.

With Gwen here now we have very limited free time which means our grass has gotten a little, uh, unruly (trust me, we’re not THOSE neighbors, but Ben’s twice-weekly mowing sked has been cut down to maybe once a week,) and Mike has on more then one occasion zipped right past his property line while cutting his grass and continued on across both our front and back yards. We are simultaneously horrified because we hate feeling like a burden to our neighbors, and immensely grateful because, well of course. Mike and Deb are the best.

To show our appreciation, I’ve been baking them cookies. Because I don’t know, what says thank you better then baked butter and sugar? How about brown butter, dark chocolate, and a pinch of coarse sea salt, too? Gluten-free Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies were this weekend’s “we’re the worst/you’re the best” delivery and, shhh – don’t tell Mike and Deb, but I may have snuck a cookie or two before sending the boys over with a plate of these babies, chocolate still warm from the oven.

In my defense – could YOU resist?!

The recipe for Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies is sponsored by one of my favorite brands, Enjoy Life, whose products are staples in my home. ALL of Enjoy Life’s products, including the Dark Chocolate Morsels studding these cookies, are free from wheat, dairy, soy, sulfites, lupin, fish, crustaceans, peanuts, tree nuts, casein, egg, sesame, mustard, and shellfish, which means both Lincoln (who has a dairy allergy,) and I (celiac disease,) can safely and happily eat them.

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Plus what can I say, each time I sink my teeth into these cookies with crispy edges, chewy centers, and the perfect combination of sweet and savory, I enjoy my life just a little bit more. Har! Sorry. Here’s a store locater for ya – locals: I buy them at HyVee, Target, and Whole Foods.

In all seriousness, this cookie recipe might sound fancy, but it’s a standard oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe using gluten-free flour, TONS of dark chocolate chips, a sprinkling of coarse sea salt, and brown butter which lends a warm and toasty flavor to each bite. The only way I can describe the flavor or scent of brown butter is that it reminds me of a campfire. Not smokey, but just…warm. I don’t know – it’s wild, so easy to make, and I’m kind of thinking that no oatmeal cookie base should ever be made with out it. You’ll see!

Whether you make these cookies for your neighbors, a friend, or your cookie loving-self – everyone will ADORE them.

Start by browning 1 stick salted butter. Like I said, this sounds fancy but all you’re basically doing is sauting butter. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat then start swirling the skillet when it begins to foam and sizzle. Keep swirling, scraping down the sides of the skillet every now and again, until the butter is the color of maple syrup. Voila – you now have brown butter!

Scrape the butter into a dish to cool completely – you can do this a day ahead of time if you like.

I’m telling you – the scent of warm brown butter will make you ALL kinds of happy. Warm, toasty – irresistable!

Add the cooled brown butter to the bowl of an electric mixer, or to a large glass bowl if you’re using a hand held mixer, with 1/2 cup white sugar and 1/4 cup brown sugar then cream. Add 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla then mix until the egg is just combined.

Next add 3/4 cup gluten-free “measure for measure” flour (ie gluten-free flour WITH a binder,) 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt then mix to combine. Finally, add 1-1/2 cups gluten-free old fashioned oats (I use GF Harvest oats) and 1 heaping cup Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Morsels then mix to combine.

Scoop 2 Tablespoons worth of dough into your hands then roll into a ball and slightly flatten, and then place on a half sheet pan lined with a silpat or parchment paper and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. I use Morton Coarse Sea Salt which is like $2 at the grocery store!

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the top is still a little gooey. Mine took exactly 10 minutes. Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. That’s all she wrote!

I hope you love these crispy, chewy-gooey, sweet, salty, toasty, PERFECT Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies! Enjoy!