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Oatmeal Cookies are the underdog of cookies but they really are my favorite cookies. This recipe is my absolute go-to because it yields a soft cookie with a chewy texture. They’re great plain or you can add anything you like – chocolate chips or nuts, raisins or candy. They’re perfectly golden brown and super flavorful – this will be your favorite oatmeal cookie recipe – and maybe your favorite cookie of all time!
The secret to making soft and chewy oatmeal cookies are twofold: using all brown sugar and using quick cooking oats (not old fashioned). Brown sugar keeps the cookies soft and the molasses in the sugar adds a ton of depth of flavor to the cookies. Using quick oats keeps them chewy without being too hearty like rolled oats would be.
Ingredients in Oatmeal Cookies
- I use unsalted butter in this recipe, and you need to start with it softened. Learn how to soften butter quickly here. Butter substitutes and low-fat butter won’t work in these cookies. The only exception to that rule is if you use Earth’s Balance Vegan Butter Sticks (those are a 1:1 sub for butter).
- Instead of mixing sugars in my cookies, these are a brown sugar oatmeal cookie. The flavor that molasses brown sugar gives to the cookie is unparalleled, plus it keeps them soft for days.
- Use room temperature eggs so they emulsify better with the creamed butter and sugar.
- All-purpose flour: Be sure to spoon and level your flour into your measuring cup or use a scale so you just the correct amount.
- While many recipes call for Old Fashioned oats, I find that Quick Oats are the true secret to a soft and chewy oatmeal cookie. Because Quick Oats are smaller and thinner, they absorb moisture from the butter and eggs more efficiently, creating a cohesive, tender dough that won’t feel ‘sandy’ or dry after baking.
- You can make your own quick cooking oats from rolled oats (old fashioned oats) by pulsing them a few times in a blender or food processor, then measure out the amount of quick oats called for.
Click to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions. See below the recipe card for even more information: process shots, variations, FAQ and more.
Oatmeal Cookies Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (186g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups (300g) packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 ¼ cups quick cooking oats
- 1 ½ cups mix-ins (see below), optional
Instructions
- Note: this dough needs to be chilled. Plan ahead!
- In a medium bowl, whisk cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and flour. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. (You can also use a large bowl and a hand mixer.) Cream until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Mix in eggs and vanilla, beat until smooth.
- Gradually mix in dry ingredients until smooth, being careful not to over mix. Add oats and mix, then stir in desired mix-ins.
- Scoop 2 tablespoon sized balls of dough and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or wax paper. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silpat baking mat and place the cookie dough balls 2” apart.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the bottom is slightly golden. Cool on cookie sheets for 10 minutes, then remove to a rack to cool completely.
- Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days. They can also be frozen in an airtight container or ziploc bag for up to 2 months.
Notes
Mix in options:
Use 1 1/2 cups of M&Ms, chocolate chips, chopped nuts, raisins, or other candy.Baking options:
- 1 tablespoon cookies (8-10 minutes)
- Two (9-inch) cookie cakes (18-25 minutes)
- 9×13-inch pan (20-28 minutes)
Dietary Substitutions:
- Substitute equal amount Earths Balance Vegan Butter Sticks for the butter called for.
- Substitute equal amounts of bread flour or GF 1:1 AP flour
- Substitute half whole wheat flour and use AP flour for the remaining amount
- Substitute 1 1/4 cups Swerve Sweetener Brown Sugar for the brown sugar to make them sugar-free.
Other Tips
- This recipe can be easily doubled or halved.
- Be sure to cream your butter and sugar before adding any other ingredients.
- Whisk together your dry ingredients before adding to the wet ingredients.
- You can make these cookies with a hand or stand mixer.
- Be sure to use baking soda in the cookies (not baking powder).
- Don’t forget to chill the cookie dough. This ensures a puffy soft and chewy cookie!
- I prefer baking cookies on silicone baking mats (Silpats) but you can also use parchment paper.
- How do you know when your cookies are done? They’ll be golden around the edges and have just lost that glossy sheen on top.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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How to make Chewy Oatmeal Cookies
- It will take 2-3 minutes to fully cream the brown sugar and butter. The mixture should be fluffy, smooth, and no longer grainy.
- f desired, you can instead whisk together the cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and flour first, or you can add them individtually.
- Once the flour mixture is incorporated the mixture will be mostly smooth and wet.
- The quick oats will make the mixture a bit lumpy.
- At this point you can add any mix-ins, scoop 1-tablespoon or 2-tablespoon cookie dough balls and bake at 350°F until light golden around the edges and no longer glossy on top.
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Storing & Freezing Oatmeal Cookies
- Store these in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- You can freeze baked and cooled cookies up to 3 months. Always store layers of cookies between paper towels to absorb condensation when thawing.
- Chilled cookie dough balls can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge. Freeze cookie dough balls in a single layer then transfer to a container so they don’t stick together.
- When baking cookies from frozen dough add 1-2 minutes cook time.
Customizing Cookies: Variations and Mix Ins
I’m showing you four different versions of cookies today, but the options for making different flavors is endless!
- Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies are a huge hit. Simply adding chocolate chips to your batter make one of my favorite oatmeal chocolate chip cookies!!
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are a classic. I don’t like raisins, so these aren’t my first choice, but a lot of people love them!
- I love adding M&Ms to cookies.
- Try adding peanut butter to make peanut butter oatmeal cookies!
- Add chopped peanut butter cups or Reese’s Pieces, swap pumpkin pie spice for the cinnamon.
- Oatmeal Scotchies are also a favorite – they add butterscotch chips.
- Add pecans or walnuts or chopped almonds.
- Add cranberries (I love white chocolate cranberry cookies) or even dried cherries.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you don’t chill the dough they might flatten too much. I prefer a fluffy cookie that’s nice and soft – so chill cookie dough balls at least 30 minutes.
Did you accidentally use old fashioned oats? Those will soak up much more moisture and make the cookies dry. So will not using real butter (not margarine or butter substitutes).
We’ve chilled our dough to make soft cookies. Sometimes, when the cookie dough is really cold, they have a hard time getting started flattening. If you’ve chilled them longer than specified (or if you notice this happening during baking) you might want to give them a little press with a spatula or your palm to get them going.
Yes, you can, but the texture will be heartier and slightly more “rustic.” Quick Oats are preferred for a softer, more cohesive cookie. Instead, make your own quick oats by pulsing old fashioned or rolled oats in a food processor a few times.
Chilling the dough solidifies the butter, which slows down the spread in the oven, resulting in a thicker, softer, and chewier cookie.
Yes! You can substitute an equal amount of Earth’s Balance Vegan Butter Sticks for the dairy butter.
Pull them from the oven when the edges are perfectly golden brown but the centers still look slightly soft and under-baked.
Serving size says 1 cookie, is this accurate?
I’m not a nutrition, so I just say 1 cookie on all recipes.
These are the best cookies I have ever made.
Glad to hear it! Thanks, Gwen.
oreos or raisons or m&m’s reases miniatures chocholate chips/toll-house or chips o’ hoy with milk
Such delicious possibilities! Hope you like the recipe, Scarlet.
Do i need to add more oats for the mix ins if im leaving them just oatmeal cookies?
You don’t have to add anything if you’re leaving them plain!
You listed them as Diabetic; Gluten Free under Diet. How can they be gluten free when they contain all purpose flour? You need to change that in the recipe info. as it is very misleading.
Thank you for letting me know; I have no idea how those got checked – I’ve removed them.
She has a note suggesting which flour to use to make them gluten-free, which I appreciated. I think the box should stay checked for gluten-free because the recipe includes instructions for both “regular” and gluten free.
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