These Brown Butter Chai Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies are reminiscent of the old school, creamy icing-filled, soft, oatmeal cookie sandwich, but with an elevated twist from chai spices and brown butter! The cookies are richly caramelly, soft and chewy, and they’re filled with the most incredible chai cream cheese frosting. They’re nostalgic, comforting, ridiculously delicious, and perfect for holiday gifting!
(This post is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill. Thank you SO much for reading and supporting the brands I love!)
Where do I even start with these cookies! They are quite possibly my dream cookie – the best ever chai cream cheese frosting, sandwiched between caramelly, soft, chewy, brown butter filled oatmeal cookies. What could be better?! They’re super easy to make, foolproof, and the kind of cookies that evoke that nostalgia. Can you say oatmeal cream pies?! But even better.
I’m all for classic Christmas cookies – decorated sugar cookies, peanut butter blossoms, thumbprint cookies, molasses cookies, spritz cookies, snickerdoodles, gingersnaps, etc. Love them all. However, I enjoy switching it up with something a little different – last year it was these chewy tahini gingersnaps, and this year, brown butter oatmeal sandwich cookies!
They’re special for so many reasons: they have brown butter, which makes everything better, the cookies themselves are spiced with chai spices, and the silky frosting in between is ALSO filled with chai spices, and cream cheese too! They are perfectly sweet, but not too sweet, and they have plenty of richness from the depth that the toasty brown butter adds to the cookie.
But they’re also special for a couple of other reasons.
These oatmeal sandwich cookies are made with one of my all-time favorite pantry staples – the all purpose flour from Bob’s Red Mill.
It’s in my kitchen at all times, especially during baking season! I do a lot of baking year round, but especially during the holidays! I’ve never come across a flour as high quality, perfect in texture, consistent, and as fresh as Bob’s. I can honestly see the difference just by looking at the flour. It’s forever my go-to for baking all things, from cookies, to cakes, to pie crusts, and even thickening sauces for things like mac & cheese, and gravy for Thanksgiving turkey!
In addition to Bob’s all purpose flour, I love using their quick cooking rolled oats for baking especially! They are rolled thinner, so they cook more quickly, and they have a finer texture. Perfect for things like cookies, breads, and bars. The oatmeal texture in these cookies is the BEST – not too chewy, just perfect – thanks to their oats!
If you’re a cookie dough person like me, you will have a very hard time not eating this dough by the spoonful.
I know I’ve said it a million times, but the brown butter really makes them! Especially with the brown sugar in these cookies, it’s a match made in heaven.
If you’re wanting to get ahead of schedule on Christmas cookies this year, you can absolutely make the dough ahead of time, scoop it into balls, and freeze them until you’re ready to bake!
I’m a huge proponent of having scooped and ready cookie dough in the freezer anyway, because a warm freshly baked cookie is always at-the-ready, whenever you might want one!
Once you bake them, it’s just a matter of making the super simple, foolproof chai cream cheese frosting, and piping it onto the cookie halves. You can use a pastry bag, but for time’s sake, I often just use a zip-top plastic bag!
It doesn’t have to be fancy, we’re just putting another cookie on top – so no need to pipe beautiful frosting here! The only thing you’ll want to make sure of, is to leave a little border on the edges, so that when you place the other cookie half on top, there won’t be messy frosting overflow!
Here’s a quick rundown on how to make these oatmeal cookie sandwiches:
- Brown your butter. If you’ve never done this before, don’t be scared! It’s super easy to do, it just requires your attention because it can burn quickly if you’re not watching closely. If you follow me on Instagram – I’ll be showing what the butter should look like in a few clips on Instagram stories!
- Mix together your dry ingredients. While you’re waiting for your brown butter to cool off, whisk together your flour, quick oats, baking soda, salt, and chai spices! Here we’re using cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice.
- Whisk together your wet ingredients. Your cooled brown butter, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla!
- Add your dry ingredients to your wet. This cookie dough doesn’t require a mixer of any kind – just a couple of bowls, and a rubber spatula!
- Scoop your dough balls, and bake! I like to let all cookie dough rest for at least 5 minutes after mixing, before scooping and baking. This allows the flour time to absorb all of the wet ingredients. It really makes a difference – trust me!
- Let your cookies cool. We can’t fill warm cookies with icing, or else it will melt! Let your cookies cool completely before filling them with the chai cream cheese frosting.
- Make the chai cream cheese frosting. All you need: softened butter, softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and chai spices! A pinch of salt and a splash of heavy cream too – makes for the best texture and best tasting frosting!
Super simple, and like I said, you can do this in steps! The icing also makes extra, and keeps well in the fridge, for whatever you might want to use it for! More cookies, cupcakes, or cake is always a good idea.
These oatmeal cookie sandwiches keep well at room temperature for a few days, and even longer in the fridge. But trust me, they will not last long. I like to make these cookies regular size, but you can make them smaller if you’re looking for more of a bite-size cookie!
And if you’re looking for more holiday cookies to bake this year, I’ve got you covered:
Chewy Tahini Gingersnaps with Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt
Ultimate Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies
Salted Dark Chocolate Cookie Dough Bites
Brown Butter Dark Chocolate Cranberry Walnut Cookies
Chocolate Mocha Pecan Salted Caramel Cookies
Healthy Monster Cookies
Mango Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Salted Triple Chocolate Pistachio Cookies
Don’t forget to share a photo on Instagram and tag me @spicesinmydna if you make this recipe! Nothing makes me happier than seeing what you create in the kitchen!
Brown Butter Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies
These Brown Butter Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies are reminiscent of the old school, creamy icing-filled, soft, oatmeal cookie sandwich, but with an elevated twist from chai spices and brown butter! The cookie is richly caramelly, soft and chewy, and they're filled with the most incredible chai cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 1 cup salted butter
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, loosely packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill Organic All-Purpose Unbleached White Flour
- 2 cups Bob's Red Mill Organic Quick Cooking Rolled Oats
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
For the chai cream cheese frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
Instructions
Begin by making the cookies. Preheat oven to 350℉. Start by making the brown butter. Melt the butter in a medium sacepan or skillet over emdium heat. Once it has melted, start whisking constantly for 3-4 minutes. Watch carefully, as it can burn easily. The butter will begin to bubble, get a little foamy, and develop a golden brown color with a nutty aroma. Once the little brown bits start to appear, keep cooking for about a minute, until the butter is golden brown, but not too dark. Remove from heat immediately and transfer to a large, heat-safe mixing bowl. Let cool completely.
Once the brown butter has cooled, add the brown sugar and granualted sugar. Whisk until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk again until smooth and combined.
In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, quick oats, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing with a rubber spatula until combined. Let the dough sit for 5-10 minutes before scooping.
Using a cookie scoop (I like a 1.5 tablespoon sized scoop), scoop the dough and roll into balls. Place on a parchment or silicon baking mat lined baking sheet. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown on the edges. Let cool completely.
While cookies are cooling, make the chai cream cheese frosting. Combine the softened butter and cream cheese in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, or until mixture is light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar. Once incorporated, add the vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, allspice, and salt. Beat for 30 seconds, then add the heavy cream. Increase speed to high, and beat for 1-2 minutes, or until frosting is light and fluffy. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag or plastic zip-top bag. If using a plastic bag, snip a corner of the bag off with scissors.
Lay the cookies on a cooling rack or baking sheet bottom side up, and pipe a dollop of frosting on half of the cookies, leaving a little bit of space on the borders. Top the cookie sandwiches with the remaining cookie halves. Enjoy at room temperature for 3-4 days, or keep refrigerated for 1 week.
Recipe Notes
*Extra chai cream cheese frosting will keep in the fridge for several days - you can use for more cookie sandwiches, cupcakes, or cakes!
*Raw cookie dough balls will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months!
*Cookies can be made a day or two ahead of time, and then filled with the cream cheese frosting later!
These were a hit and were surprisingly simple! I left out the ginger because I didn’t have it on hand, but they were perfectly spiced. I will definitely be making again
I am so happy to hear that, Erin! Thank you!!