True life: I’m in love with brown butter, or if you want to be fancy, beurre noisette. For those of you who have ever browned butter before, you already know the wonderful nutty, caramel magic that happens when you take regular ‘ol butter and cook it until the milk solids begin to brown. For those of you who have never had brown butter before, you’ve been missing out.In preparation for a ski trip to Mad River Glen with my two friends today, I made a cookie inspired by trail mix, with oatmeal, dried cranberries, pistachios, and white chocolate (chocolate makes anything better). I’m keeping this post short since we’re leaving in about ten minutes…just a four hour car ride until we’re at MRG!

If you like salty, sweet desserts, then this is the cookie for you. The saltiness of the pistachios pairs beautifully with the sweetness of the cranberries and chocolate, and with the brown butter undertones, this cookie is a winner!

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Brown Butter Oatmeal Cookies with Cranberries, Pistachios, and White Chocolate 

3/4 cup unsalted butter

3 cups old fashioned rolled oats

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup dark brown sugar

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 eggs

1/2 cup pistachios, shelled and roughly chopped

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

 

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly. After a couple of minutes, the butter will begin to foam; continue whisking until the butter is brown and gives off a nutty aroma. Make sure to continually whisk during this process to prevent burning. Immediately remove the butter from the heat and pour into a separate bowl to cool slightly before using.

Combine the oats, flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside. Once the butter is slightly cool, beat it with the white and brown sugars in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment until smooth. Add the vanilla and egg and beat until combined.

Gradually add the oat mixture, and then the pistachios, cranberries, and chocolate, mixing just until combined. Roll the dough into one inch balls and place on the prepared cookie sheet, flattening the tops slightly. Bake 10-12 minutes or until the tops are golden.

Makes: 32 cookies