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Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sweet and chewy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies loaded with oats and chocolate chips. These big, sturdy cookies are sure to fly off the cooling rack. With their chewy middle and crisp edges, they are totally irresistible!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

We all know that peanut butter and chocolate is one of the most beloved combinations in the baking world. We all love it. Well, most of us do. These cookies combine the sweet taste of brown sugar with peanut butter, oats, and dark chocolate chips – a combination that will have these cookies flying off the cooling rack (at least that’s how it went down at my house). I started with my Peanut Butter Monster Cookies recipe and tweaked the amount of dry ingredients to get these big, sturdy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies.

These cookies come together just like a standard chocolate chip cookie, but you’ll add peanut butter, an extra egg yolk for chewiness, a bit of corn starch (also for chewiness!), and dark chocolate chips. Of course you don’t have to use dark chocolate, but I think it balances out the sweetness of the cookies perfectly. Top these cookies with a bit of sea salt (if you like) and you’ve got an irresistible batch of cookies that you’re sure to love.

Why You’ll Love These Cookies

  • Made in one bowl
  • Require no chill time
  • Chewy texture
  • Made with pantry staples
  • Chocolate and peanut butter (need I say more?)

What You’ll Need + Possible Substitutions

  • Plant-based butter adds that buttery taste we all love in our cookies. Feel free to use your favorite vegan butter or regular dairy butter in this recipe.
  • Light brown sugar adds sweetness and moisture. The molasses in the brown sugar helps add a chewy texture to these cookies.
  • White granulated sugar also adds sweetness. It helps the cookies spread, creates that cookie texture we all love, and even adds a nice crisp to the edges of the cookies. If you’re looking to cut sweetness in these cookies, you can use coconut sugar 1:1 in this recipe (raw sugar and unrefined cane sugar will work as well). Note that the gram measurements will vary based on sugar type.
  • Natural peanut butter brings all the PB flavor. I like to use a runny, room temperature peanut butter made with just peanuts. I haven’t tested this recipe with a peanut butter spread (what we all like on our PB&J sandwiches).
  • Egg and egg yolk are added to these cookies to help bind the ingredients together. The extra yolk adds a rich flavor and chewier texture.

Continued below…

Ingredients Continued…

  • Vanilla extract adds flavor – you don’t want to skimp here.
  • Corn starch also lends a hand to a chewier cookie texture. Feel free to use arrowroot starch or tapioca starch in its place. You can also leave it out completely for a less chewy cookie.
  • Baking soda leavens these cookies and aids in proper spread.
  • Salt helps cut sweetness and enhances flavor.
  • All-purpose flour also binds ingredients and makes up the cookie dough. Feel free to use a bleached or unbleached variety. If you’re looking to add a whole wheat variety, I recommend only replacing up to 1/2 of the AP flour with a whole wheat flour (white whole wheat, spelt, etc).
  • Quick oats are added to make these oatmeal cookies. I like to use the smaller quick oats as I find they bind to the other ingredients better than regular rolled oats.
  • Dark chocolate chips pair wonderfully with the sweet cookie. Of course you can use your favorite chocolate chips, but I really only recommend semi-sweet or dark chocolate to help balance the sugar in the cookie.

More Peanut Butter & Chocolate Recipes

Spelt Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars with Peanut Butter

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies with Whipped Ganache

Chocolate Cookies Stuffed with Peanut Butter

Peanut Butter Swirl Brownie Cookies

Yield: 12 Big Cookies

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

recipe peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

Sweet and chewy peanut butter cookies loaded with oats and chocolate chips. These big, sturdy cookies are sure to fly off the cooling rack - you will love them!

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Additional Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup (58g) plant-based butter (or regular butter), softened
  • 1/2 cup (85g) light brown sugar, lightly packed (see Note 1)
  • 1/2 cup (105g) white granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (128g) natural peanut butter (made with just peanuts), room temp
  • 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, room temp
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp corn starch
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup (65g) unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup (75g) quick oats
  • 1/2 cup (90g) dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • Flakey sea salt to top (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes.
  2. In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter and sugars for 30 seconds. Beat in the runny peanut butter. Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract.
  3. Add the corn starch, baking soda, and salt and beat until combined. Add the flour and quick oats and use a large spoon or spatula to mix the ingredients until no flour streaks remain. Stir in the chocolate chips (tip: leave a few chocolate chips out to press into the dough balls later).
  4. Scoop dough balls 3 Tbsp in size, six per batch/baking sheet. Roll each dough ball smooth, pulling chocolate chips from within each dough ball and pressing them into the top. I like to make sure no chocolate chips are hanging out the bottom of the dough balls - this makes for less chocolate mess when moving baked cookies off the baking sheet. If desired, press the extra chocolate chips you saved into the tops of the dough balls.
  5. Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before removing to a cooling rack. If desired, sprinkle sea salt top each cookie.
  6. Repeat Steps 4 & 5 to finish baking the dough, making sure your baking sheet is completely cool before adding more dough balls (I gently wave mine in the air to cool it down).
  7. Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

  1. Brown Sugar: if using cup measurements (instead of grams), I've found that using the cup to directly scoop the brown sugar creates what I call "loosely packed". You don't want to smash or pack the brown sugar into the cup.

© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Cookies

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Berry Brownie Pizza

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Berry Brownie Pizza with Cream Cheese Frosting

A delightfully nostalgic Berry Brownie Pizza topped with vanilla cream cheese frosting and summer berries. This “pizza” is always a crowd-pleaser and can be customized to include your favorite fruits!

Berry Brownie Pizza

A few years ago, I created my own version of the Brownie Fruit Pizza I fondly remember enjoying at birthday parties as a kid. My “pizza” had chocolate cream cheese frosting and a mix of berries and nectarines (so good). With Valentine’s Day approaching, I wanted to make a red berry version with vanilla cream cheese frosting. I love the combination of rich, fudgy brownie with tangy vanilla frosting and sweet cherries and strawberries on top. The fruit brings a freshness to this indulgent dessert that makes it such a crowd-pleaser!

You’ll need a pizza pan (you can find these online or at stores like Target), your favorite cream cheese (vegan or regular), and whatever fruit you’d like to top your pizza with. Softer fruits like berries, stone fruits, and banana or kiwi work best for this kind of dessert. This recipe includes a homemade brownie base, but if you’d like to make this extra easy, feel free to use your favorite boxed brownie mix (you may not need all of the batter – I’m not sure as I haven’t made this with boxed brownies).

Why I Love This “Pizza”

  • 100% homemade (unless you forgo the brownie recipe for a boxed brownie – no judgment!)
  • Quick to make (especially if you have experience with homemade brownies)
  • Perfect balance of rich, tangy, and sweet
  • Will fly off the pan at any gathering
  • Leftovers are a welcomed blessing (I could eat a slice every day!)

What You’ll Need + Possible Substitutions

  • Melted chocolate chips create a fudgy, rich brownie.
  • Olive oil adds moisture to the brownies. If you prefer, you can use melted butter (or melted vegan butter) instead.
  • Instant coffee adds depth to the chocolate flavor. Feel free to leave this out if you don’t have any readily on hand.
  • Eggs are whisked until thick to create lift in the brownies and work alongside the sugar to give the pizza a perfect, crinkly top. I don’t recommend any egg replacements for this recipe, but you can find my vegan brownie recipe here.
  • Granulated sugar adds sweetness to the rich brownie. You can use white granulated sugar, raw cane sugar, or coconut sugar.
  • Dutched cocoa powder adds richer flavor and darker color to the brownie base.
  • All-purpose flour gives the brownie batter structure. Feel free to use a bleached or unbleached variety.
  • Salt enhances flavor and cuts sweetness.
  • Baking powder leavens the brownie base a tad.
  • Plant-based butter helps make up the cream cheese buttercream frosting. You can use your favorite vegan butter or regular butter in this recipe.
  • Plant-based cream cheese creates a delicious, tangy cream cheese frosting. Plant-based or regular cream cheese will work in this recipe – note that vegan cream cheese needs to be cold and regular cream cheese must be softened at room temperature.
  • Vanilla extract adds flavor to both the brownie base and the cream cheese frosting.
  • Powdered sugar is added to the cream cheese and butter to create a sweet frosting. There are no substitutions for regular powdered sugar.

More Brownie Recipes

Chocolate Strawberry Brownies

Brownie Fruit Pizza with Chocolate Frosting

Orange Brownies (grain-free)

Peanut Butter Swirl Brownie Pizza

Yield: 8-12 Servings

Berry Brownie Pizza

berry brownie pizza recipe

A crowd-pleasing dessert "pizza" topped with vanilla cream cheese frosting and summer berries. Customize it to include your favorite fruits!

Prep Time 50 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Additional Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours

Ingredients

Brownie

  • 1 cup (175g) chocolate chips
  • 1/3 cup (60g) olive oil
  • 1 tsp instant coffee
  • 2 large eggs, room temp
  • 3/4 cup (169g) white granulated sugar (see Note 1)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup (20g) Dutch-process cocoa powder
  • 3/4 cup (98g) unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1/4 cup (58g) plant-based butter, softened (or regular butter, softened)
  • 4oz plant-based cream cheese, cold (see Note 2)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups (300g) powdered sugar

Topping

  • 1-2 cups fresh fruit, sliced and/or pitted (as needed)

Instructions

Make the Brownie

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and spray a 12" pizza pan with non-stick spray. Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes.
  2. In a microwaveable bowl, add the chocolate chips, oil, and instant coffee. Microwave in 15-30 second intervals, stirring well between each, until chocolate is melted; set aside.
  3. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the eggs and then the sugar. Whisk on medium-high until thick and light in color (about 3-5 minutes). Whisk in the vanilla.
  4. Add the melted chocolate and gently fold into the egg/sugar mixture until well combined. Sift in the cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder. Gently mix until no flour pockets remain.
  5. Spoon batter into your greased pizza pan and spread evenly - if needed, spray the back of a spoon or spatula with non-stick spray and then spread the thick batter into the pan.
  6. Bake the brownie at 350°F for 9-11 minutes, being careful not to over-bake. Allow the brownie to cool completely in the pan before frosting.

Make the Frosting + Assemble

  1. Once your brownie is cool, prepare the frosting. In a medium bowl, beat together the softened butter and cold vegan cream cheese (or softened cream cheese if using regular cream cheese). Beat in the vanilla extract.
  2. Add the powdered sugar and slowly beat, increasing speed as the powder gets incorporated into the butter and cream cheese. Beat until totally combined and smooth. If your frosting is too thick at this point, you can add your favorite milk 1 tsp at a time until the frosting is spreadable. It's normal for cream cheese frosting to be less stiff than traditional American buttercream.
  3. Spread the frosting over the cooled brownie, leaving about 1/2" of crust around the edge. Immediately top the frosting with fresh fruit - I chose strawberries, cherries, and raspberries.
  4. Slice and serve the pizza. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Allow pizza to come to room temperature before enjoying (at least that's how I like it!).

Notes

  1. Sugar: you can use white granulated sugar (169g), unrefined cane sugar (180g), raw cane sugar (160g), or coconut sugar (124g).
  2. Cream cheese: plant-based or regular cream cheese will work in this recipe. Plant-based cream cheese must be cold when beat with the butter. Regular cream cheese must be softened (at room temperature) when beat with the butter.

© Rachael
Cuisine: American / Category: Brownies

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Gingerbread Hot Cocoa

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Gingerbread Hot Cocoa

A rich and flavorful homemade hot cocoa spiced with ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice – everything you need for a cozy cup of Gingerbread Hot Cocoa!

Gingerbread Hot Cocoa

We’re in the throes of holiday season, and that means consuming all things gingerbread for the next few weeks – and enjoying every spicy, sweet second of it! Ginger snaps and molasses cookies are some of my all time favorite cookies. The melding of rich molasses with the flavorful spices of gingerbread is just too good. For this Gingerbread Hot Cocoa, we’re simply adding gingerbread spices to my best rich hot cocoa recipe. You won’t find any molasses in this recipe as I like to keep things as simple as possible for a quick cup of cocoa – and adding more than one ground spice is as much complication as this recipe needs! I promise you won’t miss the molasses!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • It’s thick, creamy, and heavy on the cocoa
  • The gingerbread spices make it extra cozy
  • You can add as much or as little spice and sweetener as you’d like
  • Any milk will work for this recipe

What You’ll Need

  • Plant-based milk (or regular milk) adds a creamy texture to this hot cocoa. You don’t want to skimp by using water – milk really is the best for rich hot cocoa.
  • Cocoa powder brings all the chocolate flavor. I like a regular (natural) cocoa powder for this recipe, but you can also use a Dutched cocoa powder for an even richer chocolate flavor.
  • Agave syrup is sweeter than cane sugar (and better for you by having a lower GI!) and easy to whisk into the milk and cocoa. If you don’t have agave on hand, feel free to use your favorite liquid sweetener OR regular cane sugar (just be sure the sugar dissolves completely before enjoying your cocoa).
  • Ground ginger brings the ginger to gingerbread! You won’t want to leave this out.
  • Ground cinnamon also adds to the classic gingerbread flavor.
  • Ground nutmeg is one of my favorite spices to bake with. It adds a lovely flavor and goes right along with the other gingerbread spices.
  • Ground allspice adds that oomph and extra spiciness. I like to add just a tiny pinch for one cup of cocoa. You can replace the allspice with ground cloves or a little more ground nutmeg, or leave it out altogether for a more subdued flavor.
Yield: 1 Serving

Gingerbread Hot Cocoa

recipe gingerbread hot cocoa

A rich and flavorful homemade hot chocolate spiced with ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice - everything you need for a cozy cup of Gingerbread Hot Cocoa!

Prep Time 3 minutes
Cook Time 3 minutes
Total Time 6 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup plant-based milk (or regular milk)
  • 2 Tbsp natural (regular) cocoa powder
  • 2 Tbsp agave syrup (or other liquid sweetener to taste)
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
  • Pinch ground nutmeg
  • Pinch ground allspice (optional)

Instructions

  1. Place a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the milk, cocoa powder, agave, and spices.
  3. Whisk continually until all ingredients are combined, scraping the cocoa from the sides and bottom of the pan as needed.
  4. Whisk for a couple of minutes or until hot cocoa reaches the desired temperature.
  5. Carefully pour into your favorite mug and top with marshmallows, whipped cream, and/or a gingerbread cookie!
© Rachael
Cuisine: American / Category: Drinks

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Maple Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

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Maple Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

If fall were a cookie, this is it. Heavy on the brown sugar and crunchy pecans, these lightly spiced Maple Pecan Oatmeal Cookies have a smidge of maple flavor for extra autumn oomph. If you love oatmeal cookies then you will really love these!

It’s officially November and that means it is holiday season at our house. Throwing up the Christmas decorations, prepping for Thanksgiving, and enjoying all things cozy. I’m ready for it all! These Maple Pecan Oatmeal Cookies are perfect for the weeks leading up to December (and even into January as the weather gets chillier).

The cookie dough base is a simple, no-chill dough with a few key ingredients added in for ultimate autumn vibes. Make these chewy, comforting cookies for Thanksgiving, take them for your co-workers, or bake them up on a cool night to enjoy with your favorite movie. Whatever you bake them for, I know you will love them!

 

What You’ll Need

Plant-based butter brings that classic buttery flavor to these cookies. Feel free to use regular butter instead, making sure to use a stick butter that is softened.

White granulated sugar sweetens these cookies and brings a perfect cookie texture to this recipe. You can swap this sugar for raw or unrefined cane sugar, or coconut sugar.

Light brown sugar adds flavor and sweetness to this recipe. The molasses in the sugar adds flavor depth that you won’t get with other sugars.

Egg binds the ingredients together. I haven’t tested this recipe with any egg alternatives.

Maple extract adds maple flavor (duh). It has a very distinct maple scent and flavor – one whiff will take you back to maple donuts from your favorite donut shop. If you can’t find maple extract, you can replace it with vanilla extract and consider these Pecan Oatmeal Cookies 🙂

Salt enhances flavor and cuts sweetness. You can use whatever plain (unflavored) salt you have on hand.

Baking soda leavens the cookies and allows for proper spread.

Ground cinnamon & ground nutmeg both add flavor. I don’t recommend skipping either!

All-purpose flour makes up the bulk of the cookie dough. Feel free to use bleached or unbleached flour.

Old-fashioned oats make these oatmeal cookies. I haven’t tested this recipe with quick oats.

Pecans add flavor and crunch, and make these so seasonally appropriate for the fall and holiday season.

 

More Fall Recipes

Chai Spice Brown Sugar Cookies

Pumpkin Chai Spice Rice Krispie Treats

Mulled Apple Cider Cake with Penuche Frosting

Caramel Pecan Coffee Cake

Yield: 12 Big Cookies

Maple Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

maple pecan oatmeal cookies

Classic oatmeal cookies get an upgrade for autumn! The crunchy pecans, cozy spices, and smidge of maple extract will keep you coming back bite after bite!

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Additional Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (113g) plant-based butter (or regular butter), softened
  • 1/2 cup (113g) white granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (104g) light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp maple extract
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup (130g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 cups (125g) old-fashioned oats
  • 2/3 cup (86g) chopped pecans

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet (or two) with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter and sugars until combined and fluffy. Beat in the egg and maple extract. Beat in the salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  3. Add the flour and oats and use a large spoon or spatula to stir until a cookie dough forms. Finally, gently stir in the chopped pecans.
  4. Scoop dough balls 3 Tbsp in size, 6 per baking sheet. Roll the dough balls smooth and use your fingers to slightly flatten them.
  5. Bake cookies at 350°F for 10-12 minutes. (Optional: as soon as the cookies come out of the oven, use the back of a small spoon to gently re-shape them for more perfect circles.) Allow the cookies to cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet before moving to a cooling rack.
  6. Repeat steps 4 & 5, making sure your baking sheet is totally cool before placing dough balls on it (you can gently, and carefully, wave your baking sheet in the air to speed up the cooling process).
  7. Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.
© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Cookies

 

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Caramel Pecan Coffee Cake

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This sweet Caramel Pecan Coffee Cake is made with extra brown sugar, spicy cinnamon, and crunchy pecans. All topped off with a homemade caramel. Perfect for your next gathering with friends or family!

Caramel Pecan Coffee Cake

It’s officially fall! And this Caramel Pecan Coffee Cake is exactly what you need to ring in the start of the holiday season – yes, holiday season! With its crunchy, caramel-y crumb topping and ribbon of cinnamon sugar throughout the center, this cake will definitely satisfy your urge for fall baking, and tasting. Slice it up warm and add a touch of butter if you’re really going for it (the only way I ever want to eat this cake). Most importantly, take your time while baking, enjoy the process, and then enjoy your delightfully autumnal coffee cake 🙂

Why You’ll Love This Cake

  • Crunchy caramel topping adds lovely texture
  • Tons of cinnamon and brown sugar flavor
  • Scrumptious presentation
  • Cozy, fall flavors will satisfy your urge for fall baking 😉
  • Your home will smell AMAZING while this bakes

The 4 Components of Caramel Pecan Coffee Cake

  1. Cinnamon Sugar Filling: This simple filling is made by combining brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. You’ll layer it between equal amounts of cake batter before baking the cake. As the cake bakes, the brown sugar in the filing melts to create a sweet and spicy stripe of goodness in the middle of the cake.
  2. Pecan Crumb Topping: An easy streusel topping made up of brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, chopped pecans, and cold butter. When gently mixed together and then baked on top of the cake, this delicious crumb adds a sweet crunch in every bite.
  3. Coffee Cake: Of course it wouldn’t be a cake without the cake batter! This homemade cake butter is made up of pantry staples and comes together quickly. Made with only brown sugar, the cake itself is flavorful and delicious.
  4. Caramel Sauce: I like to make my own caramel sauce for drizzling on top of the cooled cake. The caramel goes right on top of the pecan crumb, settling into the nooks and crannies of sugar lumps and pecans. It holds its shape and doesn’t disappear into the cake. Once set, the caramel stays on top of the cake and makes slicing easy. If you’re looking to cut back on time, feel free to use your favorite store-bought caramel!

More Caramel Recipes

Caramel Linzer Cookies

Caramel Turtle Brownies

Vegan Blondies with Salted Caramel

Double Chocolate Mini Muffins with Caramel

Yield: 12 Slices

Caramel Pecan Coffee Cake

caramel pecan coffee cake recipe

A sweet brown sugar coffee cake topped with a pecan crumb and homemade caramel. Perfect for your next fall or winter gathering!

Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 1 hour
Additional Time 1 hour
Total Time 3 hours

Ingredients

Caramel Sauce

  • 1 cup (225g) white granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (100g) water, lukewarm
  • 1/2 cup (113g) oat milk (or 1/2 cup heavy cream)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Cinnamon filling

  • 3/4 cup (120g) light brown sugar, loosely packed
  • 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup (65g) all-purpose flour

Crumb topping

  • 3/4 cup (120g) light brown sugar, loosely packed
  • 3/4 cup (98g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup (65g) chopped pecan pieces
  • 6 Tbsp (85g) plant-based butter, cold & cubed (or regular butter)

Cake

  • 1 3/4 cups (228g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup (32g) corn starch
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup (113g) plant-based butter, softened (or regular butter)
  • 3/4 cup (180g) light brown sugar, packed
  • 3 large eggs, room temp
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup (169g) oat milk, lukewarm (or 3/4 cup regular milk)

Instructions

Make the Caramel (skip if using store-bought)

  1. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, add the white granulated sugar and water, swirling gently to make sure the sugar is coated. Add the pan to medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
  2. Meanwhile, set up a hot pad holder or folded towel next to your stove. Get a wooden/bamboo utensil (like a large spoon or long chopstick) ready. Combine the oat milk and vanilla extract and set the mixture near the hot pad holder.
  3. Once the sugar water begins to boil, keep an eye on it until it reaches a dark amber color. It will take a while for the sugar to turn from clear to amber, but once it begins to color, it can burn quickly - so keep an eye on it!
  4. When the sugar turns a dark amber color, immediately remove it from the heat and place on your hot pad holder. While stirring gently, slowly pour the cream mixture into the hot sugar. BE CAREFUL with this step as the hot sugar will bubble up, doubling or tripling in size, and splatter.
  5. Once the cream is added and the caramel mixture has calmed down, place it back over medium heat and bring to a boil. Use a candy thermometer to cook the caramel until it reaches soft ball stage - 235°F to 245°F. I like to take mine off the heat at 240°F. This ensures your caramel will have the perfect texture to set properly atop the cake.
  6. Transfer the hot caramel to a heatproof bowl (like a metal mixing bowl) to cool. Once it has cooled a bit, you can go ahead and transfer it to a smaller jar or glass to easily pour later.

Make the Filling & Crumb Topping

  1. For the filling, add the brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour in a small bowl; whisk until combined & set aside.
  2. For the crumb topping, whisk together the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and chopped pecan pieces. Add the cold, cubed butter and use a fork (or your hands) to gently mash the butter into the mixture. You should end up with a crumb-like mix with some bigger chunks of butter. Set the crumb topping in the refrigerator (to keep the butter cold).

Make the Cake

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare a 9" springform pan (or 8x8" baking pan) by spraying it with nonstick spray and lining the bottom with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, and then beat in the vanilla extract.
  4. Add in 1/3 of the flour mixture and beat. Add 1/2 of the milk and beat. Repeat. Finally, add the last 1/3 of the flour mixture and beat until smooth.
  5. Pour half of the cake batter into your prepared pan, smoothing out the top. Sprinkle the cinnamon filling over the batter. Scoop the remaining cake batter over the top of the filling, gently leveling and smoothing out the top - be careful not to mix the filling and batter.
  6. Finally, sprinkle the crumb topping over the batter. Bake the cake at 350°F for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out with a few crumbs.
  7. Allow the cake to cool in the springform pan for 10 minutes before releasing and allowing to cool completely - I let mine cool on the bottom of the pan. If using an 8x8" pan, allow the cake to cool completely in the pan.
  8. Once cooled, remove the cake from the pan and drizzle the caramel over the top of the cake. Some may drip down the side of the cake, so you may want to do this on a surface that can easily be cleaned. If the caramel is too thick to pour, heat it in the microwave in 10 second intervals until it's just thin enough to pour.
  9. Store leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature. Re-heat leftover cake and top with butter for an extra delicious slice.
© Rachael | Sugared & Stirred
Cuisine: American / Category: Cake

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