Brown butter caramel cookies recipe plus a tasty excerpt

Writing has been a slow, painful process for me in the past few months. But I did manage some, and I'm determined to pick up the pace - and the desire - during the next couple of weeks when my personal life should settle down a bit.
So, I guess I can admit it publicly now - I've been working on a novel about an ex-soldier turned baker and an artsy college student. It's set in Cambridge and has a feel-good vibe to it which I adore. It'll be very low angst but it'll surely make you drool.
Why? Because said ex-soldier turned baker has his own bakery and baking tasty treats is his favourite past time as well as his job! I promise I'll write at least one sex scene involving sticky caramel being spread on various body parts.
I have a delicious title and an even more delicious cover thanks to my super talented friend Jay Aheer. I'm hoping to be able to reveal them all soon!
So, keeping up with today's blog post theme, here's a recipe that inspired the very first scene in my new book:

Brown Butter Oatmeal Cookies Filled with Caramel and Peanut Butter

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cups old fashioned oats
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 12 caramels
• 12 tsp peanut butter
• 
  

Directions:

Preheat oven to 180C. 

In a small sauce pan melt butter on low heat until it has become a golden brown colour and remove from heat.

In a bowl mix both sugars, egg and vanilla together. Add the browned butter.

Mix in the oats, flour, salt and baking powder. Once the dough has come together refrigerate for 20 minutes.

After removing from refrigerator, roll into 12 equal sized balls. Place each cookie dough ball on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet about 2 inches a part.

Push a caramel square into the centre of each cookie dough ball. You can form the sides of the cookies a bit if you want to cover the caramel more.

Dollop a tsp of peanut butter on the top of each caramel.

Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the cookies are golden. 

Allow to cool for about 15 minutes then enjoy.

And here's the delicious excerpt I promised - it's the very beginning of the novel.

“How hard is the caramel in the brown butter caramel filled cookies?”

My head snapped up from packing a twelve piece box and my eyes searched for the guy asking the most ridiculous question I’d ever heard.

“Is it really runny? Coz it sounds so good,” he continued, groaning a little as the last word rolled off his tongue. “But I really don’t want to mess my outfit.” He bit his plump lower lip when he finished talking, the sparkle in his eyes resembling childish mischief.

I stared at him. I couldn’t help myself. He was so fucking gorgeous that I didn't care if he asked stupid questions. He could ramble all he wanted as long as I got to feed him caramel filled cookies and lick the sauce dripping down his chin.

“Um...” He glanced uncertainly behind me at Chris as she poured a shot of espresso in a cup of frothed milk.

Realising I was staring at him, unblinking, like an idiot, I tore my eyes away, handed the lady in the line before him her takeaway box and wished her a pleasant evening with a charming smile.

Then I focused my full attention at caramel guy.

“I tell you what,” I said, placing my elbows on the counter. “You can have the chunky oatmeal now and I guarantee you won’t mess your clothes.” I slid my eyes down his body appreciatively, taking in his lithe frame dressed in dark slacks and crisp green button down. “And I’ll wrap a couple of the brown butter caramels for you to enjoy later.”

A cheeky smile made an appearance on his full mouth and, God help me, his cheeks dimpled as he tried to contain it.

The woman behind him rolled her eyes, pointedly looking at her wrist watch.

“Cool. Thanks,” caramel guy said, lowering his lashes.

Chris appeared next to me and took the woman’s order. Double skinny latte. No cookies. I hated her even more.