A good oatmeal cookie is the perfect breakfast, snack or coffee-mate around. It's a treat, but there are oats... so... it's also doing some good for you isn't it? I love oats in any way, shape or form, and "cookie" is no exception! I know you will love my Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies because they truly are the BEST and packed with oats. They have deep rich buttery, butterscotch flavors with caramelized edges and such a wonderful chewy texture thanks to a thoughtful blend of two types of oats. I warn you, they are addictive! Sometimes oatmeal cookies can by dry or bready, but not these. They are divine. If you love baking with oats, check out my irresistible Salted Caramel Oatmeal Cookie Bars.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Easy to make - these cookies are a cinch to make! You don't need an electric mixer - in fact, they're best when you make them by hand with a bowl and a spatula!
- Super soft and chewy oatmeal cookies - the best part about these cookies is how chewy they are! They are not crumbly nor dry. They have the most wonderful soft and chewy texture and they stay chewy for days.
- Not dry - the culprit for dry oatmeal cookies is too much flour. Measure the flour accurately so that you get the right amount of set, but not so much that they become crumbly.
- Blend of oats - a combination of rolled oats and quick oats is how to get a nice chewy texture and correct thickness without having to add more flour.
- Rich flavor - these are not bland nor doughy. They are so rich in buttery brown sugar notes and you really taste the oats!
- Chocolate chip cookies - I love chocolate in my oatmeal cookies. If you love raisins, feel free to substitute half or all of the chocolate chips with raisins. I also prefer chocolate chunks, but chips work too.
- Long shelf life - I love how these oatmeal cookies store so well. They stay soft for days unlike a lot of oatmeal cookie recipes that can stale quickly.
INGREDIENTS FOR CHEWY OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
You don't need any specialty ingredients to make great oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. This recipe comes together with just simple pantry ingredients.
- Unsalted butter - soft butter adds incredible flavor and helps build some structure during the creaming step for crisp caramelized edges. Pull it out at least 2 hours before baking so it is softened to room temperature.
- Brown sugar - the molasses in brown sugar gives these cookies a toffee-like flavor. Either light or dark brown works well. If you use dark brown sugar, the cookies will have a darker color, richer flavor and be extra soft.
- Rolled oats - this recipe is designed to use both regular large flake old fashioned rolled oats and quick oats. Rolled oats contribute lovely texture.
- Egg - one large egg provides just the right amount of moisture and structure for this cookie dough.
- Pure vanilla extract - good vanilla is absolutely essential to making delicious cookies. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
- Quick oats - the quick oats help to give these cookies the right amount of structure so they bake up thick, but not too thick. Since they are process further to break them down, they hydrate faster and bake right into the dough to incorporate more evenly and essentially become part of the cookies rather than a chewy inclusion. This is the perfect balance and I highly suggest you do not try to replace the quick oats with more rolled oats because the cookies will spread more.
- Baking soda - it gives the right amount of spread and also helps with browning.
- Baking powder - the blend of bicarbonate and baking powder creates the right amount of spread and puff so the cookies aren't too flat.
- Dark chocolate - I use 70% chocolate chunks chopped up from a bar. Chocolate that is made into bars, also known as "tablets", has a higher cocoa butter content so that it can be poured into molds at the factory and it typically melts smoother than chocolate chips to give you puddles of chocolate in the cookies. I love this effect! Chocolate chips will hold their shape and spread less so you will have thicker cookies. If you prefer chips, these are my favorite semisweet chocolate callets.
ROLLED OATS VS. QUICK OATS
Both types of oats are the same ingredient just processed differently. Both are made from de-husked, steamed oat groats. Rolled oats are pressed and flattened between two stainless steel rollers and then dried. Quick oats are rolled oats that have been steamed a little longer, rolled thinner and then cut up to break them down finer. Quick oats cook faster than rolled oats since they have a smaller size, which means they absorb water and hydrate more quickly.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
- STEP 1). Combine dry ingredients. Mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
- STEP 2). Cream butter and sugar. Mix together the soft butter with brown sugar and vanilla until smooth and a bit fluffy. It will look more like wet sand than a pale and aerated mixture.
- STEP 3). Mix in egg. Add the egg mix until well combined.
- STEP 4). Add dry ingredients. Add the flour mixture along with the oats and chocolate and fold them in until just combined.
- STEP 5). Chill the dough. Cover the dough in the bowl and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
- STEP 6). Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden and still soft in the middle!
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
- Measure the flour accurately to ensure you get the right texture. Too much flour will makes them dry and crumbly, and too little will cause them to spread excessively. Using just the right amount of flour is what will make these cookies taste great too.
- Don't over mix the butter and sugar. Incorporating a lot of air at this stage will make these cookies more crisp than chewy. I prefer making the dough by hand so I can control this better.
- Use a trigger-release ice cream scoop to portion these cookies for even baking.
- Cool the baked cookies on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes before transferring them. They are delicate while still warm so they need a few minutes to set up.
RECIPE FAQ
This recipe has a mix of old fashioned large-flake rolled oats and quick oats to get the very best texture. The quick oats hydrate and soften more quickly and incorporate more thoroughly into the dough as it bakes so that the cookies set up thick without over-spreading. If you want to use all rolled oats because that's all you have, I suggest adding another 2 tablespoons of flour.
If you make this recipe using all quick oats, the cookies will not spread as much and so they will be thicker and much hardier without the caramelized edges.
Both types of oats are the same ingredient just processed differently. Both are made from de-husked, steamed oat groats. Rolled oats are pressed and flattened between two stainless steel rollers and then dried. Quick oats are rolled oats that have been steamed a little longer, rolled thinner and then cut up to break them down finer. Quick oats cook faster than rolled oats since they have a smaller size, which means they absorb water and hydrate more quickly.
Yes! Unsalted butter will be fine. In this case I would suggest to double the salt to ½ teaspoon of salt instead of ¼ teaspoon.
It is very important to chill this cookie dough since the oats need time to hydrate. If you don't chill this dough, the cookies will likely spread too much in the oven and they will be flat. Refrigerating will help with the chewy texture. If you absolutely don't have time to chill the dough, then you can add 2 tablespoons more flour, but it will dilute the flavor.
These cookies are best stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. They stay nice and soft and chewy!
Yes, you can freeze these cookies. First let them cool completely, then place them in a resealable freezer bag. You can keep them frozen for up to 3 months, and if you want them to keep longer, wrap them individually in plastic wrap before placing in the freezer bag.
If you love oats, check out these recipes:
Gooey Almond Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars (gf, df option) Chewy Reese’s Peanut Butter White Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies Ultimate Monster Cookies Thick White Chocolate Chunk Peanut Butter Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Dark Chocolate Cherry Coffee Oatmeal CookiesVideo
Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113g) salted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (165g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (105g) all-purpose flour (measure by weight since too little flour will make the cookies spread excessively - see notes in the article above for details)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup (100g) rolled oats
- ⅓ cup (35g) quick oats
- 1 cup (142g) dark chocolate, (55-70% cocoa) roughly chopped into chunks, plus extra for topping if desired
NOTE: I also love these single origin couverture chocolate discs or chopping up my favorite 70% bars. If you prefer semisweet chocolate, these are my favorite semisweet chocolate chips.
Instructions
- Combine butter with brown sugar and vanilla in a large bowl and mix by hand using a wide spatula until smooth and creamy, and a little bit fluffy. The mixture will look more like wet sand than an aerated mixture. Mix in egg until well combined and evenly incorporated.
- Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon (if you're using it) and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture along with the oats and chocolate chips and fold them in until evenly combined.
- Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the dough in the bowl and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Do not skip this step or the cookies may spread too much.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Use a 1.35-oz cookie scoop to portion dough and roll into smooth balls for a more polished look and for rounder cookies. Place them onto the prepared baking sheets spacing them 3 inches apart. Do not flatten the dough balls.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden around the edges and still slightly gooey in the center (they will set as they cool). Let cookies cool for 3 minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Gloria McFarling
I didn’t take a picture because they’re not as pretty as yours! These are absolutely the best oatmeal cookies I’ve ever made! I’ll definitely have to double the recipe next time.
christina.marsigliese
Thank you Gloria! I'm so glad you enjoyed the cookies 🙂
Kate
I made a few of scientifically sweets recipes for an event, and these may have been my favorite. absolutely perfect texture.
christina.marsigliese
Thank you Kate! Glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Cece
Really need to get your baking books because your recipes are always so spot on. This oatmeal cookie recipe was perfect for bringing to company.
I used your add ins for unsalted butter and no refrigeration, which worked great.
How would you do it with olive oil instead of butter?
christina.marsigliese
Thank you Cece! I wouldn't recommend oil as it will change the spread more and be greasy.
Amy
I loved them so much that I brought them into work and 4 co-workers asked me for the recipe! honestly, this is bakery worthy. if you have any tips on adjusting ingredients so I can reduce the amount of sugar while maintaining texture, I'd love your insight - thank you!!
christina.marsigliese
Thank you Amy! Unfortunately, it is difficult to reduce the sugar without the cookie becoming more dry and crumbly. It will also spread less.
Luna
I've made these cookies and they were amazing. They have that bakery flavor I haven't been able to find in other recipes. Question ~ In classic Asian fashion my parents find even these cookies too sweet. I've found that if I reduce brown sugar in recipes that have both brown and white sugar the structural integrity and spread isn't too affected but I wonder if you have some insight into how reducing the brown sugar in this recipe (with only brown sugar) might affect spread or other structural aspects -- before I throw a hail Mary and try it myself 😅
christina.marsigliese
Thanks Luna! If you reduce the brown sugar, it will reduce the spread and they will be drier and more crumbly.
Molly
Hi. Can we use all one kind of oats? All rolled insetad of the additional use of quick oats?
christina.marsigliese
Hi Molly! Please see my FAQ section in the recipe page as I go over the two oat types and adjustment when using rolled oats only. Happy baking!
Cori
Is there a typo in the amount of grams for brown sugar? Are we sure that 165g equals 3/4 cups? Further down you say 3/4 cups of flour but that's 105g? Just wondering which is correct.
christina.marsigliese
Hi Cori! Yes the amounts in the recipe card are correct for both ingredients. Brown sugar and unsifted flour have a very different specific volume.
Beth
Tell us you are an American without a scale, without telling us....
Denise
This recipe was easy to make and required being in the fridge only for an hour prior to baking. The flavors are wonderful, and the texture was perfect - a delightful combination of crisp edges and a chewy center! Will definitely add them to my rotation!
christina.marsigliese
Thanks Denise! Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Jenny
✨LEGIT FAIL PROOF✨Super adored this quick to prepare and totally great tasting recipe! I used all quick cook oats with mine and they still turned out beautiful🫶🏼 made it in a wood-fired brick oven, and they turned out great! Would definitely make it again and again! Thank you for the recipe!
XO, from 🇵🇭
christina.marsigliese
You are welcome Jenny! I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe, and that is so cool you made them in wood-fired oven!
Sara
Great cookie to make and tasting delicious, long 2 hr wait before baking but worth it
christina.marsigliese
Thank you Sara! Glad you enjoyed them.
Deedee
Easiest cookie recipe! I baked 2 in my toaster oven for a little dessert at lunch without having to heat up the house in summer. I will definitely bake up the rest of the cookie dough tonight. Thanks for a great recipe!
christina.marsigliese
Thank you so much Deedee!
Priscilla
Just made these cookies and will definitely be a repeat recipe!!
So good!
christina.marsigliese
Thanks so much Priscilla!
Poko
Amazing cookie recipe! I used a combination of dark and light brown sugar with some amout of Castor sugar.. it made the cookies a little too sweet. But that's mistake. I used only rolled oats.. and it turned out great. My suggestion would to be to bake the cookies on the same day . Not to chill the cookie dough more than 3 or 4 hours. That's when you get the perfect cookie texture. But the recipe is just amazing ! Thanks for sharing
Sravya
Can I use a neutral oil instead of butter?
Maria
Hi, I see that the recipe calls 3/4 cup of flour but then it says 105 grams. That doesn’t seem correct?
christina.marsigliese
Hi Maria, yes that's correct. 3/4 cup flour = 105 grams as 1 cup of flour = 142g.
Sarah
I made these for the first time today, and they are FANTASTIC! Don't hesitate if you're on the fence about baking these!
Meghan Montoya
Would you change anything for high elevation?
christina.marsigliese
Hi Meghan, I'd maybe add 1-2 tbsp more flour.
Mary
How do we store these cookies ?? How long can we store??
christina.marsigliese
Hi Mary, store them in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Allison Coffey
I’ve made a lot of cookies but this recipe has been by far my favorite! So good. I go to bed dreaming about these cookies!
christina.marsigliese
Thanks so much Allison! I love that I'm not the only one who dreams of cookies lol