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Home » Recipes

Swedish Oatmeal Cookies (Havreflarn)

Published: Jul 28, 2023 by Kristi · This post may contain affiliate links.

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Pinterest pin for Swedish Oatmeal Cookies (Havreflarn).

These Swedish Oatmeal Cookies (Havreflarn in Swedish) are possibly like no other oatmeal cookie you've had before. Light, crispy and nearly see-through thin, these cookies are wholesome, delicate and SO satisfying, particularly with that afternoon cup of coffee or tea.

Thankfully, havreflarn are also easy to make and come together in less than an hour. Ready to make a batch of these sweet and crisp Swedish Oatmeal Cookies in your kitchen? Keep reading for all of the tips, tricks and step-by-step instructions!

Stack of Swedish Oatmeal Cookies (Havreflarn) next to a cup of coffee.

Why This Recipe Works

These cookies are something special because:

  • They contain a short list of wholesome ingredients and come together quickly.
  • They are light as air but still satisfying thanks to the addition of hearty rolled oats.
  • This recipe contains a special ingredient (brown butter) which elevates these cookies from good to out of this world.

Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for Swedish Oatmeal Cookies (Havreflarn).
  • Old-Fashioned Rolled oats are the star of this recipe. I like to pulse mine in the processor briefly to break them up a little. You could also use quick cooking oats instead (which are already processed into smaller pieces).
  • Butter brings richness and, because we will be browning it in a skillet before adding it to the recipe, nutty caramel-y flavor.
  • Sugar adds sweetness and an egg binds everything together.
  • Vanilla extract brings it's signature seet-floral notes to this recipe.
  • Salt, baking powder and a mere 1 tablespoon of flour finish off our list of ingredients for these easy cookies.

How to Make This Recipe

  • Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees and lining to baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • Combine the oats, flour, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
  • Place the butter in a medium skillet (preferably not nonstick or cast iron so that you can more easily see the color change) and heat over medium low heat, swirling the pan frequently.  Once the butter has melted, continue to cook, swirling the pan frequently, until the butter has a nutty aroma and is golden brown in color.  Immediately transfer brown butter to a bowl to cool.
Stick of butter in a gray skillet.
Melted brown butter in a gray skillet.
  • In a large bowl, combine the sugar and egg and vanilla extract. Whisk until the sugar has dissolve and the mixture is frothy. Add the brown butter and mix until thoroughly combined.
  • Add the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Let sit for 10 minutes.
Eggs mixed together in a bowl with a whisk.
Swedish Oatmeal Cookie dough in a white bowl with a rubber spatula.
  • Drop heaping teaspoonfuls of the cookie dough onto the baking sheets. Be sure to leave a couple of inches between the cookies so that they don't spread together. You should be able to get four rows of three or twelve cookies on each sheet.
  • Bake for about 10-12 minutes, either one sheet at a time or both at the same time, rotating the pans half way through. Once the cookies are cool, remove them from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Person dropping spoonfuls of oatmeal cookie dough on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Baked Swedish Oatmeal Cookies (Havreflarn) on a baking sheet.

Expert Tips

  • If you are using old-fashioned rolled oats, break them up a little by pulsing them a few times in the food processor.
  • You could certainly just use melted butter here but brown butter adds so much flavor to these cookies! Definitely take the time to do that step.
  • Let the batter sit for about 10 minutes to let the oats fully hydrate before spooning the dough onto the baking sheets.
  • Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets before transferring them to a wire rack. If you try to move them too quickly they have a tendency to stick to the parchment paper.
Swedish Oatmeal Cookies on a cooling rack.

FAQs

How do I store these Swedish Oatmeal Cookies?

These cookies keep well at room temperature for 2-3 days. They will become a little softer/chewier as time goes by so for maximum crispness, enjoy as soon as possible. For longer storage, freeze for up to 3 months in a tightly sealed, freezer-safe container.

What is brown butter?

Brown butter is quite simply butter that is melted in a skillet on the stove until it smells nutty and turns golden brown in color. It is easy to make and adds toasty, caramel notes to baked goods. If you've never baked with brown butter before you are in for a treat. If you enjoy the rich, nutty flavor it brings to these Swedish Oat Crisps, try it in my recipe for Krumkake or this delicious Simple Brown Butter Carrot Cake). If you don't want to use brown butter here, simply substitute melted butter instead.

What is the best way to melt and drizzle chocolate on these cookies?

Adding drizzled chocolate is entirely optional, but should you chose to go that route, I achieved the best results with microwaving semi-sweet chocolate chips at 50% power for one minute at a time, stirring between each interval. In my microwave, it took about three minutes to melt one cup of chocolate.

As far as drizzling goes, I tried using a fork (not very easy to control), but found that it was much easier to place the warm melted chocolate in a quart-sized ziploc freezer bag and snip a tiny hole in the corner. This creates a makeshift pastry bag that produces a nice, even zig zag drizzle every time. Better Homes and Gardens magazine has a great article about melting, dipping and drizzling chocolate here if you are interested in learning more.

Swedish Oatmeal Cookies drizzled with chocolate.

Related Recipes

Looking for other classic Swedish cookie recipes? Give these a try!

  • Overhead view of coffee and Swedish Chocolate Slice Cookies (Chokladsnittar)
    Swedish Chocolate Cookie Slices (Chokladsnittar)
  • Featured image of Swedish Chocolate Balls.
    Swedish Chocolate Balls (Chokladbollar)
  • Raspberry thumbprint cookies on a marble surface with a glass of milk.
    Raspberry Hazelnut Thumbprint Cookies (Hallongrottor)
  • A close up of a stack of Swedish Ginger Cookies (Pepparkakor).
    Swedish Ginger Cookies (Pepparkakor)
Close up of a stack of Swedish Oatmeal Cookies (Havreflarn).

Swedish Oatmeal Cookies (Havreflarn)

Swedish Oatmeal Cookies (Havreflarn) are light and crispy with a delicate crunch. They are the perfect accompaniment to an afternoon cup of tea or coffee!
4 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Fika, Snack
Cuisine: Nordic, Swedish
Keyword: crispy cookies, fika, havreflarn, oat cookies
Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Calories: 100kcal
Author: Kristi

Ingredients

  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 ¼ cups rolled oats pulsed briefly in a food processor (or use quick rolled oats instead)
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.  Set aside.
  • Place butter in a medium skillet (preferably not nonstick or cast iron so that you can more easily see the color change) and heat over medium low heat, swirling the pan frequently.  Once the butter has melted, continue to cook, swirling the pan frequently, until the butter has a nutty aroma and is golden brown in color.  Don’t walk away from the stove! Brown butter can go from perfect to burnt in a matter of seconds. Immediately transfer brown butter to a bowl to cool.
  • Whisk oats, flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl.  Set aside.
  • Combine egg, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl and whisk until sugar is dissoved and mixture is frothy.  Add brown butter and whisk until everything has just come together. Add dry mixture and stir to combine.  Let the dough rest at room temperature for 10 minutes prior to making the cookies.
  • Drop heaping teaspoonfuls of batter onto prepared cookie sheet, leaving at least 2 inches between each cookie (they will spread considerably).  Bake 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies are set and the edges are golden brown. Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Repeat with remaining batter.

Notes

Storing Swedish Oatmeal Cookies:  These cookies keep well at room temperature for 2-3 days. They will become a little softer/chewier as time goes by so for maximum crispness, enjoy as soon as possible. For longer storage, freeze for up to 3 months in a tightly sealed, freezer-safe container.
Chocolate variation:  Drizzle the cookies with melted chocolate before enjoying if you like!  Microwave 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips at 50% power for one minute at a time, stirring between each interval. In my microwave, it took about three minutes to melt one cup of chocolate.  Place the warm melted chocolate in a quart-sized ziploc freezer bag and snip a tiny hole in the corner. This creates a makeshift pastry bag that produces a nice, even zig zag drizzle every time. 

Nutrition

Calories: 100kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 46mg | Potassium: 60mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 87IU | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg

If you loved this recipe, give it a star review! Also, snap a picture of your Swedish Oatmeal Cookies (Havreflarn) and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #truenorthkitchen and tagging me @true_north_kitchen.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Pat Donovan

    March 21, 2020 at 8:25 pm

    I know what I'm making tomorrow! These look and sound like they will be delicious!

    Reply
    • Kristi

      March 21, 2020 at 8:28 pm

      Yay! You’ll love them. Let me know how they turn out!

      Reply
  2. Patricia Donovan

    March 22, 2020 at 1:28 pm

    OMG these are SO good! I didn't even drizzle chocolate, I'm just eating them off the tray before they completely cooled 🙂

    I did not have unsalted butter so they are a little bit salty. I cut the added salt to about 1/8th teaspoon. Also, you are not exaggerating when you say they expand! I put six on a tray and that filled it once they spread out. Thanks, Kristi, for sharing this awesome recipe and for making my stir crazy Sunday delicious!

    Reply
    • Kristi

      March 22, 2020 at 6:09 pm

      I'm so glad you liked them! Thanks for the feedback! You are totally right...they don't need the chocolate drizzle. They are just as delicious plain!

      Reply
  3. Jennifer

    December 20, 2020 at 9:44 am

    Suggestions for something other than chocolate to drizzle on these?

    Reply
    • Kristi

      December 20, 2020 at 9:50 am

      Hi Jennifer, you could skip the drizzle altogether....they are delicious plain. Otherwise I think a simple white icing or a caramel drizzle would be nice!
      Kristi

      Reply
  4. Urvi

    April 17, 2021 at 3:50 am

    My first batch spread out and were super thin, crisp and super delicious !!!
    Though the next two batches didn't spread out much and I got thick cookies instead which were also delicious but I really liked the thin crisp ones
    Could you tell me where I went wrong.. ?

    Reply
    • Kristi

      April 20, 2021 at 9:17 am

      Hi Urvi,
      Thanks for your question! I wonder if the batter maybe thickened up a bit while it was sitting? I would try loosening it with just a splash of water (maybe just a teaspoon) and see if that helps them come out thinner. Let me know if that is helpful!
      Kristi

      Reply
  5. Fiona Tucker

    May 03, 2021 at 6:49 am

    Sound yummy but I prefer savoury. Could I replace weight of sugar with small seeds?

    Reply
    • Kristi

      May 03, 2021 at 2:57 pm

      Hi Fiona,

      I've never tried to make a savory version but that sounds really tasty!

      Kristi

      Reply
  6. Ericka

    May 17, 2022 at 8:15 pm

    Well you are serious about the spread. I couldn’t find my cookie sheet so I used my small air fryer and it’s pan. Lol, I have one big cookie .
    So, so good!

    Reply
  7. Mathias

    June 02, 2022 at 3:41 pm

    4 stars
    Is the baking temp in °F or °C?

    Reply
    • Kristi

      June 02, 2022 at 6:09 pm

      Hi Mathias,
      It is in fahrenheit.
      Kristi

      Reply

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