Browned Butter Oatmeal Raisinet White Chocolate Bars
Browned butter lends an unbelievable amount of nutty, rich and comforting flavor to the bars. The brown sugar caramelizes while baking, lending caramel undertones. They’re loaded with oats and Raisnets for an abundance of dense, chewy texture. Raisnets and sweet white chocolate chips are a match made in heaven and are the perfect sweet complement to the nutty browned butter.
Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving overhang. Spray with cooking spray; set aside.
Place butter in medium-sized heavy saucepan and heat over medium-low to medium heat. Butter will melt, begin to bubble, foam, hiss, sputter, and brown specks will form in the bottom of the pan; this takes approximately 2 to 4 minutes. During the process, whisk or swirl the pan frequently and keep an extremely watchful eye on the butter. Brown it long enough to see browned bits and specks, but don’t burn it. Butter can go from browned and nutty-smelling to burnt and inedible in less than one minute. Watch for the brown specks and once you see them, remove the pan from the burner, continuing to whisk or swirl for another 30 seconds or so.Transfer butter into large mixing bowl and allow it to cool for a few minutes (so you don’t scramble the egg).
To the slightly cooled melted butter, add the egg, sugars, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, optional salt, and whisk to combine. Add the oats, flour, and stir until just combined. Fold in the Raisinets and white chocolate chips. Turn batter out into prepared pan, smoothing it lightly with a spatula.
Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until top surface of bars has just set and edges have firmed up. Don’t overbake or bars will set up on the crunchy and crumbly side. Allow bars to cool for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving. Bars can be stored airtight at room temperature for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.