Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
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.
Hi, have you made this without chocolate? If I substitute raisins for chocolate, will it still turn out? Thank you for sharing your recipes!
Hi Tammy, yes raisins will work in this recipe too!
Hi, I made these with raisins, and they're terrific. I now make double or even quadruple batches, half with chocolate chips and half with raisins. I prefer the raisins, but other family members prefer the chocolate chips. This is an amazing cookie. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Best and easiest cookies! Melt in your mouth delicious!
I made these and I'm so happy with the texture. They are so chewy like you said and also thick.
FYI the recipe doesn't state when to add the oats. I tried watching the video but it cut to another recipe after I skipped an ad.
Hi Kate, yes it does in step 3 of the recipe card at the bottom of the page. To watch the video, you need to click "stay" when it shows up on the screen so it stays on that video.
I am so excited to try this recipe-especially after falling in love with your chocolate chip cookie recipe! One question though, you mention molasses but I don't see it in the recipe. Is it an optional ingredient? if so, how much do you add?
Hi Elizabeth, sorry that's an error! There's no molasses in this recipe. The recipe card at the bottom of the post is correct.
I've been looking for a chewy thick oatmeal cookie for a long time, and tried these. I made a double batch, half with chocolate chips and half with raisins. They turned out perfectly. I prefer the raisins, while the grandkids like the chocolate chips. Everybody was happy! Thanks for a great recipe.
Thanks so much Martha!
I made these oatmeal chocolate chip cookies but substituted with raisins. Finally! After years of trying to find a recipe with perfect texture and a balanced flavour, these are it! Our new favourite oatmeal cookie
Thank you so so much Sheila! I'm so glad you found this recipe!
These are so yummy but mine spread a little too much. I'm wondering if reducing the baking soda might lessen the spread?
These are so so good! They are really chewy and the flavor is so rich! Usually oatmeal cookies are bland but these are the best I’ve ever had.
Thanks so much Sarina!
The cookies tasted amazing! I put the dough in the fridge for about 30 mins but then the they didn't spread that much. I also measured everything with a scale to ensure the right wet to dry ratios. Any thoughts on how come they didn't spread that well?
Hi JP, these cookies always spread for me. Maybe the baking soda was expired or reacted already? Next time maybe you can skip chilling the dough. Did you add the molasses?
Once you have made a few successes using recipes from this blog, you would keep coming back over and over again!
These were great. Will be gifting these. Perfect amount of sweetness. Instructions were easy to follow. Enjoyed the tips throughout. Also liked the measurements in grams - much easier/ more accurate than just scooping.
I'm so glad you have such success with these recipes. Sounds like you're a great baker Elaine!
I know right? Ive made tons of her recipes too. My family and friends love them. And I enjoy reading the whole article. I learn a lot.
Thank you Somi!
Best oatmeal cookie recipe I have ever made. Thank you very much. I followed the recipe and advice exactly, except didn't include cinnamon (don't really like it much). I wouldn't change a thing.
Thanks so much Jenn!
Can not even count how many times Ive made this. Cant find molasses so did the substitute. Have tried corn syrup and honey. Both turned out great. Have changed up the mix ins a lot too. To name a few, there’s choco chips and reeses chips, dried cranberry and white chocolate, butterscotch chips, even dried mango and choco chips. They never go wrong!!!!
Great cookies! I baked them a bit longer (maybe 15min) because I prefer a nicely toasted cookie, and I swapped out the chocolate for raisins, because in my opinion that is the superior oatmeal cookie add-in! 😉
Hi Alexandra, I like a nice toasted cookie too!
These are so so chewy even after 3 days! Perfect texture. Everyone loved them.
I'm so glad everyone enjoyed them Vanessa! I love how they stay chewy forever!
Hi! Can gluten free flour be used 1:1 instead of all purpose? Thank you!
Hi Kristin! This recipe has only been tested with AP flour, but many readers have reported success with King Arthurs and Bobs Read Mill gluten free flour.
These were absolutely amazing!! 10/10 would bake again ??
Delicious! Loved the chewy centers. We put vanilla I've cream on top while they were still warm... perfect!
Omgosh that sounds so good!
These were amazing! Thank you so much for another great recipe. I did my first batch exactly like you said. Then the second batch, I dipped one side in heath chocolate toffee pieces before baking! I love them both ways! Everything I’ve made from your recipe has become a family favorite ❤️
OMG Chrystal, the dip in toffee pieces sounds amazing!
Can I cut the granulated sugar? I prefer the cookies not too sweet.
Hi Mel, if you reduce the sugar they will not be as chewy.
My son-in-law is somewhat of a cookie connoisseur. I baked these for the grandkids, and they all LOVED THEM! I also used honey instead of molasses. The quantity is great, not too many at a time to bake. Enough to eat and share.
I loved these! So chewy and caramelly. I bookmarked it to make them again!
Thanks so much Dylan! I love how chewy they are too.
These are so perfectly chewy! It’s my new go-to oatmeal cookie recipe.
New go-to! I substituted honey as I didn’t have molasses and they still were delicious and chewy. Will make again and again!
Woohoo! Thanks Elizabeth. Good thinking to use honey as a substitute for molasses.