Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats (5.1oz, 144g)
- 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (dip and sweep method, 7.5oz, 212g)
- 1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut (1.3oz, 37g)
- 1 cup light brown sugar (packed, 8.5oz, 240g)
- 1 teaspoon salt (4g)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon, optional (3g)
- 1/2 cup butter (4oz, 113g)
- 5 tablespoons maple syrup (3.6oz, 101g)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (6g)
- 2 tablespoons boiling water (30g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla (or scrapings from a 2 inch piece of vanilla pod)
- 1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped (4oz, 113g)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F with the oven racks set in the top and bottom third of the oven. Prepare 2 baking sheets with parchment or a silicone mat.
- Combine oats, flour, coconut, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon, if using, in a large mixing bowl.
- Brown the butter in a small saucepan (see note). When the milk solids become golden brown, transfer the butter to a small bowl and add the maple syrup.
- Dissolve the baking soda in the boiling water then add to the butter and maple syrup. It will become slightly foamy. Add vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients. Add pecans and combine thoroughly.
- Shape into 1/4 cup size balls and place on parchment covered baking sheets, a few inches apart. Flatten balls slightly.
- Bake, one sheet in the top third and one in the lower third of the oven, switching positions half way through the baking time, just until set and golden on the edges but still soft inside. Be careful not to overcook or they will be dry and hard. My baking time was about 16 minutes.
- Cool cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack.
- After completely cooled, store in an airtight container.
Notes
It is important not to overbake the cookies otherwise they will be hard and dry. The cookies should be just set and only a little golden on the edges. As ovens vary, judge the doneness of the cookies by how they look. Mine took 16 minutes, yours may take less or more.
Browned butter adds a delicious nutty, toasty flavor. To brown the butter, heat butter over medium heat, preferably in a light colored pan so that you can see the changing color of the milk solids. The butter will bubble and start to foam. Stir constantly, moving aside the foam to keep an eye on the milk solids as they become a golden brown color, they can burn in an instant. Turn of the heat and transfer the butter and the browned milk solids to a bowl so they do not keep browning.