Best Oatmeal Cookies
Posted Nov 03, 2019, Updated Jun 18, 2024
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The best Oatmeal Cookie Recipe – crispy edges with soft and chewy centers, these oatmeal cookies are easy to make with simple ingredients and no chilling! . Add your favorite mix-ins to make them your own.
You all know I love cookies. From chocolate chip cookies to peanut butter cookies to fun and festive cut-out sugar cookies, I have spent many, many years developing the best cookie recipes, and now I present to you, the best oatmeal cookies ever.
Sometimes you just need the comforting nostalgia of a chewy oatmeal cookie. With hints of cinnamon and vanilla, these oatmeal cookies will soon become your go-to recipe.
These Oatmeal Cookies have crispy edges and soft and chewy centers. They’re made with simple ingredients and don’t need to be chilled. Add your favorite mix-ins to make them your own.
Oatmeal Cookie Recipe: Ingredients
Before we walk through how to make oatmeal cookies, let’s chat about the ingredients in this oatmeal cookie recipe.
- Salted Butter. Unsalted butter is a good substitute.
- Flour. gluten-free flour can be used in place of all-purpose flour to make these cookies gluten free.
- Oatmeal: For the perfect, chewy texture use old-fashioned (or rolled) oats. You can use quick oats, just be aware it will change the texture of the cookies.
- Light Brown Sugar. using dark brown sugar will impart a slightly bolder molasses flavor.
- Granulated Sugar. Organic cane sugar works well.
- Fine Sea Salt. if using iodized table salt, decrease the amount by half.
- Mix-ins. Adding mix-ins is optional. Some possibilities include: chocolate chips, raisins (try these oatmeal raisin cookies), white chocolate chips, cinnamon chips etc.
How to Make Oatmeal Cookies
Let’s walk through how to make oatmeal cookies step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.
Begin by creaming the butter and sugars together on speed until the evenly combined (about 60 seconds). You may need to pause, scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue beating.
You can also use a large mixing bowl and a hand mixer if you do not have a standing mixer.
Next, add the egg and vanilla extract and beat for about 60 seconds until the mixture is light and fluffy.
After 1 minute, beat in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt and cinnamon until just combined.
You can either mix the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl before you begin the rest of the recipe, or just toss them into the mixer on top of the beaten wet ingredients.
Next, add the oatmeal and beat it’s evenly distributed in the dough. Then, add the mix-ins, if desired. Here are some suggestions:
- chocolate chips (obviously)
- white chocolate chips
- raisins
- dried fruit (cranberries, raspberries, blueberries, etc.)
- cinnamon chips (YUM)
- nuts (walnuts, pecans, sliced almonds, etc.)
Portion & Bake
Use a small cookie scoop (1.5 to 2 TBS) to measure out the oatmeal cookie dough. Roll each portion into a smooth ball and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
Once the dough balls are on the parchment paper, gently and ever-so-slightly press the tops down. This will ensure even baking.
Then, bake the oatmeal cookie recipe in the preheated oven. If you have a convection oven you can bake two trays at a time. If not, I recommend only baking one tray at a time.
All ovens bake differently
Know your oven. Invest in an inexpensive oven thermometer to check the temperature and ensure the internal temperature is actually the temperature to which the oven is set. If your oven is baking too hot or too cold, then the cookies will not turn out well.
Cool & Serve
Let the oatmeal cookies sit on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool. Enjoy them with a glass of milk or cup of coffee!
Store
Store oatmeal cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days.
Freeze
Instead of baking, you can also freeze the oatmeal cookie dough balls
- Place cookie dough balls on a non-stick cookie sheet and put them in the freezer for 1-2 hours or until firm.
- Transfer to an airtight, freezer-friendly container (I recommend either a glass storage container or a freezer-friendly ziplock bag).
- Freeze for up to 1 month.
- To bake: remove dough from the freezer and let it come to room temperature. Then bake according the the recipe instructions.
Oatmeal Cookie Recipe FAQS
Here are some frequently asked questions about oatmeal cookies! If you have other questions I did not address in this post, please leave a comment and I will answer them!
These cookies shouldn’t be dry, if they are – here are some possible reasons:
Too much flour. Scoop and level the flour to get just the right amount.
Over-mixing. Mix the dry ingredients in until they are just combined.
Over-baking. Don’t do this! Remember they continue baking slightly after they are removed from the oven as they cool on the baking pan.
A combination of butter/sugar/eggs, rolled oats and proper baking time/temperature will result in perfectly chewy oatmeal cookies.
No! Old fashioned (or rolled) oats are whole-grain oat kernels that have been rolled flat. Quick-cooking oats are also rolled, but the oat kernel is cut into smaller pieces so it can cook faster.
They are done when the top is just barely set and the edges begin to crack slightly.
For the perfect, chewy texture use old-fashioned (or rolled) oats.
Yes, you can, just be aware that it will change the texture of the oatmeal cookies to be less chewy!
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Best Oatmeal Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup salted butter (softened)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar (packed)
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cup old-fashioned oatmeal
- 1 cup mix-ins (chocolate chips, raisins, cinnamon chips, etc.)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Place softened butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer and beat until combined.
- Add egg and vanilla and beat on medium speed until the mixture is light (about 30-60 seconds).
- Add dry ingredient mixture and beat on low speed until just combined.
- Add oatmeal and beat on low speed until combined.
- Add mix ins (if desired) and stir until evenly distributed in the dough.
- Use a 1 ½ to 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop to measure out the dough.
- Roll the dough into a ball and place on the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat until all the dough is used.
- Gently and very slightly press down tops of cookies until they are flat.
- Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes until the top is just set.
- Let sit on the baking pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
Video
Notes
- Flour. for a gluten-free version, use an all-purpose gluten-free baking flour.
- Salted Butter. Unsalted butter also works well, you may just need to increase the amount of sea salt.
- Light Brown Sugar. If you like a bolder molasses taste then you can use dark brown sugar.
- Granulated Sugar. Organic cane sugar is my granulated sugar can be used in place of regular white sugar.
- Fine Sea salt. I only ever bake with pure, fine sea salt. If you are using iodized salt I recommend decreasing the amount of salt by half.
- Mix-ins. Adding mix-ins is optional. Here are some suggestions:
- Baking chips: chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips,
- cinnamon chips.
- Dried fruit: (cranberries, raspberries, blueberries, etc.)
- Nuts: (walnuts, pecans, sliced almonds, etc.)
- Place oatmeal cookie dough balls on a non-stick cookie sheet and put them in the freezer for 1-2 hours or until firm.
- Transfer to an airtight, freezer-friendly container (I recommend either a glass storage container or a freezer-friendly ziplock bag).
- Freeze for up to 1 month.
- To bake: remove dough from the freezer and let it come to room temperature. Then bake according the the recipe instructions.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Perfect cookies! I added white chocolate chips this time. Did one batch on parchment and another on a Pampered Chef stone and the stone was better IMO. Definitely a keeper!
I added Nestle Caramel chips instead of chocolate chips, and used Pumpkin spice instead of just cinnamon. OMG, these are the best cookies I’ve ever made! Thank you so much for the
wonderful base for oatmeal cookies. It was such an easy recipe, too!
Finally, I made a cookie that actually tastes good. Perfect, like a bakery!
These turned out so well! My girlfriend said they were the best oatmeal cookies she’s ever had. I added shredded coconut to the dough because I was concerned the quick oats I had on hand wouldn’t give the cookies enough texture. The raisins and coconut were perfect together, and now my kitchen smells incredible:)
They tasted great! , however, they were incredibly thin and crispy, I did the flour by spooning and leveling. i’m not sure what went wrong!, if you have an idea lmk !
Hi Laura,
These are the best oatmeal cookies I have ever made and I had made them many times. Your recipe
and detailed directions are amazing. THANK YOU so much for sharing !!
Thank you, Laura!
So good! Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Hello Laura,
Your site here is my “go to” whenever I want to make cookies! I’ve made these a several others and they NEVER disappoint. The ingredient ratios are absolutely perfect. I will definitely be trying more of your recipes here!
Thank you Kim!
These are the yummiest oatmeal cookies I’ve ever made, and may be the best I’ve ever tasted. I made them for a friend who used to own an upscale restaurant, and she said the same thing. Thank you for sharing it.
These cookies are fantastic! I added a sprinkle of both nutmeg and mace to the cinnamon, as well as 1/2 cup slivered almonds and 1/2 cup fresh dates finely chopped (sprinkle dates from combined flour and spice bowl to keep from sticking). I have made them 2x – both incredibly delicious. Thanks Laura!
This recipe made absolutely perfect cookies. I followed the instructions with the exception of not using cinnamon or add ins. I’m a bit of a purist when it comes to oatmeal cookies. This is the best recipe I’ve found. Thank you. It’s my go to recipe now. 😊
Greetings from Maryland Eastern Shore! 🦀🦀🦀🦀
I just made a double batch of the “Best Oatmeal Cookies” and they are absolutely delicious 😋 My husband likes plain oatmeal cookies so I used half of the dough for plain and in the other half I mixed in chocolate chips and pecan pieces. They cookies turned out perfectly. Soooooooo yummy!! Honestly, I think these are the best oatmeal cookies I’ve ever made ! Thank you so much for the recipe!