Brown Butter Oatmeal Cookies with Pecans, Dates, & Chocolate Chunks
Published on March 05, 2025
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Quick Summary
These Brown Butter Oatmeal Cookies with Pecans, Dates, and Chocolate Chunks are a delightful twist on a classic favorite. The rich, nutty brown butter paired with chewy oats, sweet dates, and chocolate chunks creates a cookie that’s hard to resist. These cookies are guaranteed to impress!
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The Ultimate Comfort Cookie
I LOVE a good oatmeal cookie and these cookies are loaded with goodness.
The nutty richness of the brown butter, the chewiness of the oats, the sweetness of the dates, the toasted pecans, AND the melty chocolate chunks all come together beautifully. And of course the cookies are finished with a little flaky sea salt. The flavors will WOW you!
And I normally don’t love nuts in my cookies, but trust me, the pecans work in this recipe. They add the perfect crunch and nutty depth, complementing the the dates and rich chocolate.
The cookies are comforting, satisfying, and oh so delicious! I hope you love them as much as I do.
Key Ingredients
- Brown Butter: This is the secret ingredient that elevates the flavor profile of the cookies. Brown butter adds a toasty, nutty richness to the dough.
- Oats: Old-fashioned rolled oats are the key to achieving that chewy, satisfying texture. I don’t recommend quick oats because they will change the texture of the cookies.
- Pecans: You don’t have to toast the pecans, but toasting enhances their natural flavor, making them taste richer and nuttier. To toast the pecans: In a skillet, add the pecans and cook for a few minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until toasted. Watch them closely because they can go from toasted to burnt quickly. Let them cool before chopping and adding to the dough. I have also used candied pecans in this recipe and they are good too!
- Dates: Use medjool dates, if they have a pit, remove before chopping. Make sure the dates are nice and soft. You can always soak them in hot water for 10 minutes if they are a little hard, this will soften them up. Pat dry with a paper towel before chopping.
- Chocolate Chunks: I like to use dark chocolate chunks for maximum chocolate flavor. The chunks will melt and create chocolate puddles in the cookies. You can use semisweet or milk chocolate and chocolate chips will work too.
How to Make Brown Butter Oatmeal Cookies with Pecans, Dates, & Chocolate
- Brown the butter. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir constantly as the butter foams and turns golden brown and smells nutty (about 5-7 minutes). Once done, remove it from the heat and transfer to small bowl. Place in the fridge to cool while you prep the other ingredients.
- Combine dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- Mix the Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, beat together the cooled brown butter with the sugars. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, if necessary. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until smooth.
- Combine dry and wet ingredients. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and mix on low until just combined. Don’t over mix.
- Add the oats and mix-ins. Fold in the oats, pecans, chopped dates, and chocolate chunks. The dough will be thick, but that’s what makes these cookies so chewy and delicious. I always sample a little cookie dough:)
- Form into balls. Scoop the cookie dough into balls, about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie.
- Chill. Place onto a plate or baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Cover the balls with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes. The dough can be chilled for up to 48 hours.
- Bake. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden brown, but the cookies are still soft in the center. Don’t over bake.
- Cool. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
How to Store
- Storing at Room Temperature: Store the cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 4 days.
- Freezing Baked Cookies: Place cooled cookies in a freezer container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Eat frozen or thaw and enjoy!
- Freezing Cookie Dough: Place the cookie dough balls on a baking sheet. Freeze for 30 to 60 minutes or until solid. Transfer the dough balls to a freezer bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, just place the dough balls on a baking sheet and bake from frozen, adding an extra minute or two to the baking time.
Brown Butter Oatmeal Cookies with Pecans, Dates & Dark Chocolate Chunks Recipe
These Brown Butter Oatmeal Cookies with Pecans, Dates, and Chocolate Chunks are the perfect blend of sweet and savory, offering chewy texture, rich flavors, and irresistible crunch. Ideal for any occasion!
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup chocolate chunks
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans
- 3/4 cup chopped dates
- Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling on cookies
Instructions
- Place the butter in a medium saucepan and melt over medium heat, stirring often, until it foams, smells nutty, and browns. This will take about 5 to 7 minutes. Scrape the browned butter into a small bowl. Cover and place in the fridge so it can cool while you prep the other ingredients.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the brown butter and sugars together until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as necessary.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined. Don’t over mix. Stir in the oats, chocolate chunks, pecans, and dates.
- Scoop the cookie dough into balls, about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie. Place onto a plate or baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Cover the balls with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes. The dough can be chilled for up to 48 hours.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the dough balls from the fridge to allow them to soften a little while the oven preheats. Place the balls on a large baking sheet with parchment paper, about 2-inches apart.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies are golden brown around the edges but still soft in the center.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with a little flaky sea salt. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
I like to toast the pecans before adding them to the dough. In a small skillet over medium heat, add the pecans and cook, stirring occasionally, until toasted. This will only take a few minutes, watch closely so they don’t burn. Let them cool before chopping and adding to the dough.
If your dates are a little hard, you can place them in hot water for 10 minutes to soften them up. Dry with a paper towels and then chop them into small pieces.
Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days on the counter. You can also freeze the cookies or cookie dough for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 194kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 26mg, Sodium: 115mg, Potassium: 103mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 14g, Vitamin A: 201IU, Vitamin C: 0.03mg, Calcium: 20mg, Iron: 1mg
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If I don’t want chocolate in the cookies should I increase other things?
You can add a little more pecans and dates if you want!