Browned Butter Oatmeal, Pecan and Pear Cookies
Six dozen cookies
16 Tbsp unsalted butter (2 sticks), room temperature
2 cups pecans, coarsely chopped
3 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking soda
2 tsp fine sea salt
½ tsp freshly allspice
2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
¼ cup pure maple syrup
1 cup chopped dried fruit (I prefer dried pears, but the choice is yours. Also try chocolate)
Flaky, or coarse, salt for sprinkling
1) In a large sauté pan, melt 4 Tbsp of the butter until the sizzling stops and the milk solids start to brown. Measure the oats into a large bowl. Add the chopped pecans to the sauté pan and stir until the nuts begin to caramelize in the browned butter. Pour the nuts/butter over the oats and stir to combine. Set aside to cool.
2) In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, sea salt and freshly grated nutmeg. In a stand mixer, cream together the brown sugar and the remaining 12 Tbsp butter. Add the eggs and maple syrup and mix until evenly combined. Add the flour mixture and mix until evenly combined. Be sure to scrape the bowl as necessary.
3) Finally add the oats/nuts and mix only until evenly combined. Remove from the mixer and fold in one cup of chopped dried fruit (or chocolate, or whatever you choose that day).
4) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a 1” cookie scoop, form the dough into six dozen balls and fill the baking sheet (it’s OK if they are touching). Chill the tray of dough balls at least three hours and preferably overnight.
5) When ready to bake, heat your oven to 350 degrees. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper. Evenly space 12 dough balls on each tray. Slightly flatten the dough balls and lightly sprinkle the tops with flaky, or coarse, salt. Bake the trays on the center rack, one tray at a time for 8 minutes, rotate the tray, and bake for 3 minutes more until the cookies are puffed and the edges are beginning to brown.
6) Cool the cookies completely on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack
