Best Oatmeal Cookies Recipe

Name: Oatmeal Cookies Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
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.))

By Laura

Updated Apr 24, 2026

5 from 616 votes

758 Comments

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This is the best oatmeal cookie recipe ever. These oatmeal cookies are buttery and perfectly sweet with crispy edges & soft and chewy centers. They’re easy to make – no chilling required. Add your favorite mix-ins to make them your own!

7 oatmeal cookies on parchment paper, 3 without chocolate chips 3 with chocolate chips, surrounded by oats and chocolate chips.

I am passionate about making the most delicious cookie recipes, and I can say with confidence that these are truly the best oatmeal cookies ever.

They are buttery with hints of cinnamon and vanilla. The edges are chewy and slightly crispy but the inside is soft and gooey – especially when they’re fresh from the oven.

They are made with ingredients you probably have on hand in your pantry and fridge, and don’t need to be chilled.

But don’t just take my word for it, with over 450 5-star reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, this oatmeal cookie recipe lives up to its name.

I have been baking for over 50 years and I can honestly say that this oatmeal cookie recipe is the best I have ever tried! Golden brown around the edges and soft in the middle. Perfect!
– lyne

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Also, try my chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter cookies, cut-out sugar cookies, and more!

a stack of seven oatmeal cookies with the top cookie broken in half, placed on parchment paper with scattered oats on the paper

labeled ingredients for oatmeal cookies arranged on a surface, including butter, brown sugar, flour, oatmeal, egg, vanilla, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and optional mix-ins.

Salted Butter. Unsalted butter and coconut oil are both great substitutes! Or use brown butter and make these brown butter oatmeal cookies.
All-purpose flour. Use gluten-free flour (and oats) to make this recipe gluten-free!
Old-fashioned oatmeal: quick oats work well too, the cookies will just be a little less chewy.
Light brown sugar. dark brown sugar works great, and imparts a bolder molasses taste.
Granulated sugar. I suggest using white sugar or organic cane sugar for the best results.
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 (oatmeal chocolate chip cookies), raisins (try these oatmeal raisin cookies, cranberry oatmeal cookies and oatmeal butterscotch cookies), white chocolate chips, cinnamon chips etc.

four oatmeal cookies on parchment paper next to a bowl of raw oats and a bowl of chocolate chips

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 for further guidance..

Begin by lining two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

a baking sheet lined with parchment paper

Then, combine the flour, salt, cinnamon, baking soda and baking powder in a small bowl and set the dry ingredients aside.

a bowl of flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon before stirring

a bowl of the dry ingredients in this oatmeal cookie recipe with a spoon

Next, cream the butter and sugars together on speed for about 1 minute. 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, or simply beat the cookies by hand.

a bowl containing butter, brown sugar and white sugar before mixing while making oatmeal cookies

a bowl containing beaten butter, brown sugar and white sugar to make oatmeal cookies

Then, add the egg and vanilla extract and beat for and additional 1 minute. The beating is very important, so I suggest you set a timer to ensure you beat for the correct amount of time.

Getting the mixture night and light and fluffy is a key step in making the perfect oatmeal cookies! I suggest even setting a timer so you make sure to beat the mixture enough!

egg and vanilla added to butter and sugar mixture in a mixing bowl with the paddle attachement before beating

wet ingredients in this oatmeal cookie recipe beaten together in a mixing bowl with the paddle attachment

After 1 minute, add the dry ingredients and beat until they are just combined.

dry ingredients being added to the beaten wet mixture in a mixer with the paddle attachement, preparing oatmeal cookies.

oatmeal cookies dough after beating dry and wet ingredients in a bowl with a paddle attachement

Next, add the oatmeal and beat it’s evenly distributed in the dough. Then, add the mix-ins, if desired. At this point, you can refrigerate the dough in an airtight container and bake later.

Here are some mix-in suggestions:

Chocolate chips (obviously)
White chocolate chips
Raisins (try my oatmeal raisin cookies)
Dried fruit (cranberries, raspberries, blueberries, etc.)
Cinnamon chips (YUM)
Nuts (walnuts, pecans, sliced almonds, etc.)

oatmeal added to the oatmeal cookie dough in a mixer with the paddle attachement

oatmeal cookie dough in a bowl with the paddle attachement

Bake & Cool

Once the dough is ready, use a cookie scoop (I suggest using a 1 ½ to 2 Tablespoon scoop) to portion and roll it into smooth balls.

Cookie dough scoop being held over a glass mixing bowl filled with more dough making oatmeal cookies

a hand rolling oatmeal cookie dough balls

Then, place the oatmeal cookies evenly spaced, on the prepared baking sheets (8 to 9 per sheet).

Once the dough balls are on the parchment paper, gently press the tops down. This will ensure even baking. Or, if you like puffier, thicker cookies – skip this step.

8 oatmeal cookie dough balls on a baking sheet before baking

a hand pressing down the top of a cookie dough ball

Then, bake the oatmeal cookies 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.

Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes after they are removed from the oven.

8 oatmeal cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper before baking

8 oatmeal cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper after baking

After 5 minutes, transfer the oatmeal cookies to a wire rack to cool.

If desired, once the cookies are cool, make vanilla icing and dip them in to make an extra special treat like these iced oatmeal cookies!

12 oatmeal cookies on a wire cooling rack

Serve

I love eating these oatmeal cookies slightly warm for the maximum gooeyness! But they taste amazing warm or room temperature. Serve them with your favorite cookie recipes or on a holiday cookie tray.

You can also serve them as cookie ice cream sandwiches with vanilla ice cream in the middle, or use them to make oatmeal cream pies.

six oatmeal cookies on parchment paper next to a bowl of raw oats

Store or Freeze Oatmeal Cookies

Store oatmeal cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Roll the dough into balls and place in a single layer in an airtight container or bag.
Freeze for up to 1 month.
To bake: remove dough from the freezer and let it come to room temperature. Then bake according to the recipe instructions.

a stack of five oatmeal cookies on a wire cooling rack

Can I double this recipe?

Absolutely, double the ingredients and you will make 36 cookies.

What are the most common mistakes when making oatmeal cookies?

Over-baking. Pull them out when they still look a little gooey.
Too much flour. Use the the “scoop and level” method if you don’t have a kitchen scale. Or use a kitchen scale and the metric measurements listed in the recipe card.
Over-mixing. Don’t mix the wet and dry ingredients together for too long.
These mistakes lead to dry cookies!

Are old fashioned oats and quick oats the same?

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.

How do you know when oatmeal cookies are done?

They are done when the top is just barely set and the edges begin to crack slightly.

Can you use quick oats instead of old fashioned in oatmeal cookies?

Yes, you can, just be aware that it will change the texture of the oatmeal cookies. I also suggest reducing the amount by about 2 Tablespoons.

What gives oatmeal cookies chewy texture?

A combination of butter/sugar/eggs, rolled oats and proper baking time/temperature will result in perfectly chewy oatmeal cookies.

Can I use brown butter in this recipe?

Yes, absolutely. Follow my detailed guide on How to Brown Butter. Then use it to bake brown butter oatmeal cookies.

Why did my oatmeal cookies take longer to bake?

It’s possible your oven isn’t heating properly. Buy an inexpensive oven thermometer to ensure your oven is heating correctly.

four oatmeal cookies on parchment paper next to a bowl of raw oats

If you make and love my recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so I can see your creations!