Brown Butter Maple Chocolate Chip Cookies

These brown butter maple oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are a dream come true. The name says it all. These cookies have salted brown butter, pure maple syrup, oats, and melty pools of semi-sweet chocolate. They are bursting with flavors and textures and are sooooo addicting.

Why you will love these brown butter maple chocolate chip cookies

1. The flavors. These cookies are exploding with flavors - we have the browned butter which gives us a butterscotch, almost caramel-like flavor. We also have the maple syrup/maple extract, as well as oats which add a nutty flavor. And of course, we can't forget about the semi-sweet chocolate.
2. The textures. When I set out to make these cookies I wanted a thick and puffy cookie - almost bakery style like. These cookies are just that. They are a thick and chewy cookie. The chew from the oats paired with the melty chocolate is just *mwah* chef's kiss.

Key ingredients

• All purpose flour: all purpose flour is the flour of choice for these cookies. It makes for the perfect soft and tender crumb.
• Leavener: we use baking powder and baking soda in this recipe. Baking powder helps the cookies puff up, while baking soda helps the cookies spread.
• Oats: we add oats to this recipe to add to the texture and bring a nuttiness to the flavor. Old fashioned or quick cooking oats work here!
• Butter: salted butter is the butter of choice for this recipe. The salted butter really offsets the sweetness from the maple syrup and brown sugar.
• Sugar: maple syrup and brown sugar are the source of the sweetness in these cookies.
• Eggs: we use two eggs in this recipe to help the structure of the cookie and add chewiness.
• Maple extract: this is optional but the extract really goes a long way with the maple flavor!
• Chocolate: I think semi-sweet or dark chocolate go best in this recipe, but feel free to use whatever kind of chocolate chips you like! This recipe is used with chocolate chips, NOT chunks. Although, if you want the melty pools of chocolate on the tops of the cookies like I show here, we use chopped chocolate for that.

Steps

1. Brown the butter. Brown the salted butter on the stove over medium heat. The butter will crack and sizzle, but will eventually calm down and begin to bubble up in the pan. Once golden brown, remove from the heat and immediately add the maple syrup. Stir to combine.
2. Whisk wet ingredients. Once the butter/maple syrup mixture is cool, add the brown sugar and whisk vigorously to combine. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and maple extract (if using) and whisk to combine.
3. Add the dry ingredients. Add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda and fold until a dough forms but there are still a few streaks of flour remaining.
4. Add the mix-ins. Add the oats and chocolate chips and fold until evenly incorporated.
5. Bake. Scoop the dough into balls and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15-16 minutes.

Cookie baking tips

I have made many cookies in my lifetime and I have some tips and tricks that I do every single time to ensure my cookies come out *mwah* chef's kiss.

Properly measure the flour.

This applies to all baked goods, but especially in cookies. Too much flour and the cookies will be way too dry and not spread. The best way to measure flour is with a kitchen scale - it is the most accurate. If you don't have a kitchen scale, spoon the flour into a measuring cup, then level it off with a knife.

Don't over bake.

Cookies are actually really easy to over bake. You want to pull the cookies from the oven when the edges are crisp and golden but the centers are soft and slightly underdone. This is because the cookies continue to bake when you take them out of the oven - so that slightly underdone cookie center will turn into a soft and melty center by the time they are ready to eat.

Chill the dough.

I know chilling the dough can be frustrating, because who wants to wait? But chilling the dough allows the flavors to develop and intensify. You get a caramelized butterscotch flavor that is only achieved by chilling the dough. Think of it like marinating a steak - the longer you marinate, the better the flavor in the end.

Store the cookies in an airtight container.

Make sure the cookies are stored in a completely airtight container - this will preserve the freshness of the cookies.

If you wish to freeze the cookie dough, follow the recipe instructions up until baking. Once the dough is in balls, place them on a baking sheet in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer the frozen cookie dough to a ziplock bag. There is no need to thaw them when you are ready to bake - just add a minute or two to the bake time!

Baking in grams

While I provide volume measurements for the recipes on my blog, I highly suggest baking these recipes using weight. It is the most standardized and accurate way to bake. I carefully recipe test all of my recipes using a kitchen scale, not by using cups, and therefore I cannot guarantee the success of my recipes when using volume measurements.

Other recipes you may like

• Chocolate Caramel Thumbprint Cookies
• Inside Out Chocolate Chip Cookies
• The Best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Tried this recipe? Make sure to rate and review and tag @sturbridgebakery on Instagram!