These oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are made with oats, butter, and brown sugar and are the softest, chewiest oatmeal cookies to come out of my kitchen. Use this perfect oatmeal cookie as the base for other add-ins such as raisins, dried cranberries, and nuts. Cinnamon and a touch of molasses add that little something extra.
I originally published this recipe in 2017 and have since added new photos and helpful success tips.
Today we’re mixing big chewy oats with the flavors of butter, brown sugar, a touch of molasses, a dash of cinnamon, and a mountain of chocolate chips.
One reader, Kelly commented: “These are hands down the best oatmeal choco chip cookies I’ve ever made! Soft and chewy, I followed the recipe exactly except for adding 1/2 cup chopped walnuts. Perfection. ★★★★★“
And another, Valerie, commented: “More compliments than I have ever heard from my family and friends, and I bake a lot! ★★★★★“
My Favorite Base Oatmeal Cookie Recipe
These soft & chewy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies start from my base oatmeal cookie recipe and it makes quite a few appearances in my cookbook, Sally’s Cookie Addiction. I’m a firm believer in having a handful of base recipes from which you can develop virtually hundreds of variations. For example: my standard muffin recipe. This chocolate cookie dough and this peanut butter cookie dough have both inspired quite a few spin offs as well.
The cookies have a slightly crisp edge with a soft center and enough chew that the cookie won’t immediately break when you bend it. A “slow bend cookie” as I like to call them—and this is the key difference between a regular oatmeal cookie and a really great oatmeal cookie.
They’re also:
- Supremely soft, buttery, and flavorful. Using more brown sugar than white helps guarantee a flavorful base.
- Super chewy thanks to old-fashioned oats. Thick whole rolled oats, not quick oats, guarantee a chewier cookie. Quick oats are finer; you simply don’t get the same texture.
- Loaded with chocolate chips. Lots of chocolate in every single bite. And for my fellow raisin lovers: try subbing in half raisins. The dough is pretty similar to my oatmeal raisin cookies.
- Taste just like grandma’s. I find the 1 Tablespoon of molasses is what makes these taste like grandma’s old-fashioned oatmeal cookies. I strongly encourage adding it.
About the molasses, one reader, Hannah, commented: “These cookies are FANTASTIC! I’ll admit, I was a little skeptical about adding the molasses, but it added a depth to the cookies that I wasn’t expecting. Bookmarking to use again for sure! ★★★★★“
Key Ingredients You Need & Why:
- Baking Soda: Baking soda helps the cookies rise and spread.
- Butter: Butter is the base of any delicious cookie recipe. Make sure you are using room-temperature butter.
- Brown Sugar & Granulated Sugar: Sugar is not only used for sweetness, but also for providing structure and tenderness. I like to use more brown sugar than white sugar because (1) it has incredible flavor and (2) it contains more moisture than white, which produces a softer cookie.
- Molasses: Molasses is my secret ingredient! 1 scant Tablespoon enhances all the wonderful flavors of these buttery, cinnamon-sweet cookies.
- Vanilla Extract, Cinnamon, & Salt: Each provide flavor. You can also top the cookies with a little flaky sea salt for more flavor.
- Oats: Oats provide a chewy texture, and there is no shortage in this dough! I use and recommend old fashioned whole oats here—just like I do for flourless peanut butter oatmeal cookies and big giant monster cookies.
How to Make Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
I especially love this recipe because the process is quick & simple—with minimal dough chilling.
Whisk the dry ingredients together. Just the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt—you’ll add the oats later. Use an electric mixer for the wet ingredients, then add the dry ingredients and mix in the oats and chocolate chips.
The dough will be thick and sticky:
Chill the cookie dough. I recommend at least 45 minutes in the refrigerator, which helps prevent the cookies from overspreading.
How Large Do I Make the Cookies?
These are drop-style cookies, so scoop the dough and drop it onto the baking sheets. 1.5 Tablespoons (30g) for regular-size cookies, 2 T. (40g) for large cookies (pictured), or 3 T. (60g) for XL cookies!
Success Tip: Use a cookie scoop. Oatmeal cookie dough is super chunky and soft, and this one can get pretty sticky. A cookie scoop not only prevents a mess, it also helps ensure all cookies are the same size and shape.
The cookies are done when the edges are set and the centers still look soft. After baking, I like to lightly press a few more chocolate chips into the tops of the cookies while they’re still warm. This is optional and just for looks. I also add a light sprinkling of flaky sea salt, which, again, is optional.
Here are the 3 characteristics we should look for in oatmeal cookies: Slow bend, chewy goodness, and ultra soft. Check, check, check! Today’s cookies have it all.
And if you’re looking for a peanut butter version, try my peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies next! Or try the sweater-weather, festive-feeling cousin recipe, these big fat dark chocolate cranberry oatmeal cookies!
Print
Soft & Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Prep Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 24 minutes
- Yield: 32-35 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
With oats, butter, and mostly all brown sugar, you are guaranteed a soft and chewy oatmeal cookie. Use this perfect oatmeal cookie as the base for other add-ins such as raisins, dried cranberries, and nuts. Cinnamon and a touch of molasses add that little something extra. To prevent the cookies from over-spreading, don’t skip the brief dough refrigeration in step 4.
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) unsulphured or dark molasses (do not use blackstrap; I prefer Grandma’s brand)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups (255g) old-fashioned whole rolled oats
- 1 and 3/4 cups (315g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- optional: flaky sea salt for sprinkling
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until combined and creamed, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, molasses, and vanilla and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until combined. Beat in the oats and chocolate chips. Dough will be thick and sticky.
- Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 45 minutes in the refrigerator (and up to 4 days). If chilling for longer than a few hours, allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling and baking because the dough will be quite firm.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop the cookie dough, about 2 Tablespoons (40g) of dough per cookie, which is a heaping cookie scoop-ful, and place 3 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 13–14 minutes or until lightly browned on the sides. The centers will look very soft.
- Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. While the cookies are still warm, I like to press a few more chocolate chips into the tops and sprinkle with flaky sea salt—both are optional!
- Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. See step 4. Baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw. Read my tips and tricks on how to freeze cookie dough.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Medium Cookie Scoop | Cooling Rack
- Molasses: 1 Tablespoon of molasses helps give these cookies incredible flavor. Be sure to use unsulphured or dark molasses (do not use blackstrap; I prefer Grandma’s brand). If you don’t have any, simply leave it out. Do not replace with anything else. Likewise, cinnamon adds flavor as well. Not necessary, but it sure is tasty!
- Different Size Cookies: Use 1.5 Tablespoons (30g) for regular-size cookies, 2 T. (40g) for large cookies (what is pictured), or 3 T. (60g) for XL cookies. The bake time will be a minute or so shorter for regular-size and a minute or so longer for XL cookies.
- Can I Add Raisins or Chopped Nuts? Yes, you can add either. I recommend 1 cup (180g) chocolate chips and 3/4 cup either raisins (110g) or chopped walnuts or pecans (100g).
Reader Comments and Reviews
This is my go to cookie recipe. Have tried multiple other ones but always come back to these. Interestingly they never fail and I’m not a very experienced baker. Even today, when I forgot to mix in the flour and had to do this after the chocolate chips and oats, it still worked! I don’t love heaps of sugar so actually add a fair bit less, but to compensate i add 2 cups of chocolate chips, as one can never have too much chocolate. This recipe is a winner!
These cookies are amazing … am going to replace my current recipe with this one. Rave reviews from all my peeps.
These cookies are incredible- best oatmeal chocolate chip recipe out there. I’d like to experiment with white chocolate cranberry- would this or your oatmeal raisin recipe be better?? Thank you!
Hi Carrie! They’re basically the same base recipe, so feel free to use either to make a white chocolate cranberry version!
Just made these (I halved the recipe exactly) and they are SO good! I used everything exactly as recipe said including old fashioned oats. I did leave the molasses out (I don’t have any). Put about 2/3 of the balls in the freezer for later and made a dozen for now. Yummmmmy!
These are great! I used butterscotch chips instead of chocolate chips. It would have been easier to make the cookies if I had a stand mixer (gift hint to the family ). Cookies were even better the next morning after they had time to rest and completely cool.
I like to use a mixture of large and mini baking chips to ensure there is chocolate in every bite. The cookies came out perfect
The best oatmeal cookie recipe I’ve baked so far! It’s perfectly crunchy outside and chewy and moist inside. I immediately ate 4pcs without realizing it, it’s very addictive! It’s not too sweet either! I didn’t waste my time for this. Thanks for the recipe!
My husband says it’s my best cookies ever. I agree! I had only quick oats instead of old fashioned, and no molasses, but no complaints here. I’ll make this recipe again and again and again!
I always use Sally’s recipes and this one is no exception! I love this cookie. I don’t ever have rolled oats so I use quick oats and somehow it works- probably a different cookie but It still works for me xx
I just finished baking these. They turned out crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They retained their shape and did not spread at all. I kept them cold until it was time for each batch to bake. Great flavor and very filling!
They’re a hit! The girls love them!! Just the right amount .
I made these cookies this week and they didn’t last long at all. They were easy and perfect!!
Would it be ok to double the recipe, or would I need to make two separate batches?
Hi Lauren, these should be fine to double!
Used this recipe for my first stand mixer experience! They turned out perfectly. Yum!
I’ve been a baker for as long as I can even remember remembering. My mommy had a baking business and I was her assistant. I’m 60, so to say, I’m VERY picky on my recipes, is an understatement. I’m in the middle of a move, and everything is packed. Chose this recipe cuz it was pretty much our recipe. It boggles the mind people try to make cookies healthy. Just eat less :). The only thing I did different was add a cup of coconut (sweetened, of course) cuz we are coconut freaks. Thanks for the recipe. Can’t wait to look through all your recipes.
Me and my husband both loved these cookies! I followed the recipe exactly and they turned out really well. Nice and soft and chewy. I’ve used so many recipes from this website and I’ve always been impressed! Thank you for the great recipe.
I love this recipe! I followed it exactly and it turned out with 22 cookies! They were soft, chewy and delicious! I didn’t have a cookie scooper but I did have an icecream scooper which worked perfectly! I might also add that this is the first time I have ever attempted to make cookies! Thanks for Your recipe and Your directions!
Hi Elmer, we’re so glad you tried these and loved them!
Most Amazing oatmeal chocolate chip cookies Ever!!!!!!! Thank you!!!!!! Thank you!!!!!!! Thank you!!!!!!!!!
I followed the recipe exactly except for out the cinnamon (left that out). They turned out perfectly. So yummy and very soft and chewy. This will be my go to from now on thanks so much!
I have been married for 36 years. It has been a running joke for that long that my husband wants big fat chewy oatmeal cookies. I am a decent baker but could never make the cookies he requested! I constantly looked for recipes and tried literally 100’s over the past 36 years. My search is over!! This recipe produced exactly what he wanted…so I gave him the recipe and now he can make them himself
Bernadette (Nova Scotia)
These were great! the first time i made oatmeal cookies and a total success. i chose this recipe cos it said ‘soft’, which is what i wanted and they really are – lovely and moist, chewy and with good oatmeal flavour.
Sprinkle some sea salt on the cookies immediately after backing. It takes this recipe up a notch. I did not add molasses or cinnamon. I chilled the dough and cooked as directed. Very good recipe
I mistakenly used quick oats instead of rolled. What to do?
Hi Mara, your cookies will be ok – they may just have a slightly different texture than intended.
By far, one of the best cookie recipes! The cookies have an amazing taste and texture. The molasses really gives them an extra kick
I have made this recipe at least seven times. The compliments keep me coming back to recreate. I use whole wheat flour and stevia sweetened chocolate chips. Thank you for a fabulous recipe!
I made some cookies using this recipe today and came out great! I made half the ingredients and used some oats which had nuts, raisins and I added the semi-sweet chocolate chips. They were crunchy chewy good!
These are my husband’s favorite cookies. I use very dark chocolate chips which doesn’t add sweetness only yumminess. I prefer a smaller scoop for averaged sized cookies… Had to order a better quality scoop because the dough is very thick and sticky and broke my last one. The raw dough balls freeze great for a fresh batch anytime. Like all of Sally’s recipes, this one is perfection.
I somehow misread the amount of butter and only used one stick, and these still came out amazing! haha.
Very good recipe. Everything came out perfect. Only thing I did differently is use 1/2 cup chopped walnuts to the chocolate chip ratio. Because I love walnuts .
These didn’t turn out well for me at all. I’m an experienced home baker and followed the recipe exactly, plus chilled the dough for over an hour and then chilled the dough balls separately after scooping. The cookies still came out super flat with dark (too dark) edges while the middles were nearly raw. This one wasn’t a success but I love Sally’s site and have had great results with many of her other recipes. Just not this one!
Hi Sarah! So sorry to hear that you had trouble with these cookies. Overspreading cookies can be the result of a few different things, like not enough flour in the dough or using butter that is much softer than room temperature. You might find this post on cookie baking tips to improve your next batch helpful — see #2 for more on how to prevent excess spread. Hope this helps!
Just curious- were you using bobs red mill oats? I’ve had this same issue with oatmeal cookies. I realized it was the oats I was using. Bobs oats are thicker than other rolled oats and much more wholesome. If this is the case for you try pulsing them in a food processor a bit or using a different brand of oats.
Same, Sarah. I am so disappointed. Followed the recipe exactly and have baked enough times to know room temp butter and mine went all flat as well. I wonder if this is supposed to use baking powder, not soda.
Everybody loves this chewy oatmeal cookies!!!
Hello- Can you use monk fruit as a sugar substitute? Thank you
Hi Elizabeth! We’d love to help but we are not trained in baking with sugar substitutes. For best taste and texture (and so you don’t waste your time trying to adapt this recipe since it may not work properly), it may be more useful to find a recipe that is specifically formulated for sugar substitutes. Thank you!
Loved this recipe but wanted to lighten it up a bit. Has anyone tried less butter or an alternative that works? Thanks!
I used 3/4 cup of coconut oil and 1/4 cup of apple sauce and it worked out great!
I did a 1:1 vegan butter substitution (Melt organic). Other tweaks – short pulse on the oatmeal to break it up a bit, 1 cup of choc chips and a 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts. Some observations:
> This particular vegan butter is very soft at room temperature. So the ‘flat’ cookie syndrome is a certain outcome without other adjustments to the recipe (suggestions?).
> the dough is really light and fluffy – almost like a dense version of a mousse.
> I baked a batch after an hour or so in the fridge – taste great, but really soft and flat.
> I left the rest in the fridge overnight – that appears to have given the dough a little more body, but not a lot.
The cookies taste great, and don’t have the greasy feel of previous butter recipes I’ve tried. I’d jut like them to have a bit more thickness.
I weighed the brown sugar 200 grams and the recipe says I cup. Seem to contradict. Please advise
Hi David, That is correct! 1 cup of packed brown sugar = 200 grams (7 1/2 ounces). You can see conversions for many common ingredients in this post on How to Measure Baking Ingredients and scroll down to the pink box called “Common Weights.”
I’m wanting to make 11-12 cookies. Does this recipe cut in half easily? I don’t half or double recipes often, so any tips would be great!
Hi Amanda, you can certainly cut this recipe in half. Enjoy!