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
First of all, thank you for all the great recipes, they never fail to amaze me! But I do have a question. I only have tons of quick oats right now and was wondering if I could use those instead. Would be a good use if I could turn them into yummy cookies 🙂
Hi Jay, Old-fashioned whole rolled oats guarantee a chewier cookie. If you use quick oats just keep in mind that because they are are thinner and more powder-y the cookies won’t have the same texture.
This recipe is helping us get by during times. I left the molasses out because we didn’t have any, and I was not about to brave the grocery store. They tasted great!! Love the addition of cinnamon.
I made these as a treat to bring to work, and they were a HUGE HIT! Don’t know if I’ve ever gotten so many compliments on something I’ve baked. 🙂 I followed the recipe exactly as written, and may have “accidentally” broken one or two and taste tested those myself- these are nice and dense with a great chew. I really do think the cinnamon and molasses add a little something special. This recipe is a keeper and I will make again and again!
These are delicious!! I used coconut oil because I was out of butter and they were delicious. I loved the addition of molasses.
They were alright, nothing special. Vegan oatmeal chocolate chip cookies from Trader Joe’s are a lot better. I love baking, so I try to steer clear from store bought goodies. Surprisingly not sweet with the amount of sugar in the recipe.
This was my first time baking anything from scratch. I followed the recipe exactly and my cookies came out amazing. I did however add chocolate chips and walnuts. They were not flat or thin and they taste really really good. On to the next baking experience.
Hi Sally,
I’ve made these SO many times and they are delicious but the spread EVERY time. I’ve tried every tip I’ve read from you and I think the consistency of my dough just isn’t “doughy” enough. Do you think adding some extra flour might help?
Love all of your recipes. This is the one I just can’t seem to get right!
Hi Morgan, If you aren’t making any ingredient substitutions and have already read through my 10 Guaranteed Tips to Prevent Cookies from Spreading, then yes try adding an extra 2 Tablespoons of flour.
I have made these twice and they are truly great! I have frozen the batter in a log form and then sliced it to bake cookies weeks later AND I have also frozen baked cookies. They get ‘oh, so wonderful’ if they are put in microwave for 25 seconds. I now have a dangerous, delicious problem that I can store in my fridge- cookies on demand. Doesn’t align with WW..but I do get cheat days!
Excellent recipe! Glad I came across it. I have also tried using dark chocolate chips and instead of molasses maple syrup (about 2 tbs)
These are so good! The perfect combination of crispy outside and chewy inside! I may reduce the sugar a smidge next time to see how they are a little less sweet. But this is my go to recipe now! Thank you!
I made these cookies for our grandson in the Army last week. It is the best-tasting oatmeal/chocolate chip cookie I’ve ever made. I over baked the first batch and they were still good!
As suggested, I’d like to try this recipe and add in nuts (thinking of walnuts) and some dried fruit (does sour cherries work? Appreciate any recommendations on this too).
I wanna know how much nuts and dried fruit should I be adding for this recipe? Thanks a lot!
Hi Irish! Will you be leaving out the chocolate chips? Whatever you chose, use 1.5 – 2 cups total add-ins.
Hi Sally
Would this recipe work with instant oats?
I recommend sticking with old-fashioned whole rolled oats, not quick oats, to guarantee a chewier cookie. Quick oats are thinner and more powder-y; you simply don’t get the same texture.
Hey Sally! Great cookies! I do have one question/concern. When chilling for 45 minutes to an hour I’ve noticed as I continue putting the next round of these into the oven the dough thaws out more and more between batches which leads to some inconsistency between batches. Should I scoop out a batch of cookies and then toss the dough back in the fridge while those bake or is there a better way to do that?
Thank you so much for a great recipe!
Yes, If your kitchen is particularly warm then you can keep the dough in the refrigerator until it goes in the oven. I sometimes scoop it all and place the dough balls back in the fridge until they are ready to go on the baking sheet. Also be sure that your baking sheets aren’t still warm when you place each new batch on them!
What a great cookie! These cookies taste like fall. Do not skip the molasses and dark brown sugar, as it gives it a great flavor. I followed the recipe and had no problems. Give these cookies a try!
You are a cookie genius!! My daughter and I are working our way through all your recipes and each one is better than the last. The added molasses takes these oatmeal cookies to the next level! Thanks for sharing your love of baking with us!
A true winner! We enjoy the original recipe, but last week I tried a few variations to create a Caramel Apple cookie. Replaced 1 cup oats with a cup of apple cinnamon granola. Added 3/4 cup caramel nuggets. Used walnuts 3/4 cup. (No choc chips in this version). For the ones that we expected to eat quickly, I added a thin slice of apple, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar halfway during the bake time. Really delicious fall flavored.
Thank you! These cookies are amazing. You have the best recipes.
Yummy one of my favorite cookies
COOKIE BAR CONVERSION?
Hi Sally,
This remains one of my favorite all time cookie recipes. I make them all the time! I’d like to try to turn these into cookie bars, but I’m not sure how to convert the recipe. Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Jennie T.
Hi Jennie! You can definitely use this cookie dough for cookie bars. A 9×13 inch pan would be best. I’m unsure of the exact bake time.
I’d love to try these, as I love good oatmeal cookies, but….(and I know it’s totally unamerican to say this)…….I don’t care much for chocolate chips. So if I used raisins, would I use about one cup? One and three quarter cups seems like it would be an awfully lot. I guess it’s just a matter of personal preference? Can’t wait to try them!
Hi Vicki! Here is this recipe with raisins instead. Soft & Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
I’ve made these a few times now. My kids love them! I cut down the choc chips (too sweet) but add pecans. Yum!
Hi Sally,
I love your desserts! Could I also make this recipe using dried cranberries?
You can definitely replace the chocolate chips with dried cranberries.
An addendum to my previous comment; if you should find yourself with a batch of these in your freezer and feeling lazy or the house is too hot for oven use. The dough is delicious frozen. Even better mixed into a high quality vanilla ice cream. I know, raw eggs. Use your best judgement
I feel bad finally commenting after I’ve made these sooo many times. This is our staple cookie recipe. The molasses does not change the flavor it just adds the moist, chewy consistency. I use a hand mixer as I don’t own a stand mixer. The first several times I omitted the cinnamon thinking I’m not a chocolate and cinnamon type of girl. Feeling a little saucy I added the cinnamon and I’ve never looked backed. A chocolate and cinnamon girl I am!
My favorite add ins are a mix of Ghirardelli dark chips and Heath toffee bits. I use salted butter and a teaspoon of Morton Kosher salt. I also make smaller cookies than the recipe, I get 36 per batch. I know, that’s not following the directions, don’t @ me. I roll them into balls then freeze them (on parchment), place them in a ziplock bag and have fresh cookies whenever we want. I bake them frozen (on parchment) and do not increase the baking time. They last unbaked and shaped in the freezer a LONG time. We like making ice cream sandwiches with them.
After baking I do not store them chilled. They keep just fine in Tupperware on the counter.
Hi Sally
Lovely recipe. I made smaller cookies 2 tbsp each and got 42 cookies.
I froze the cookies dough (shaped). How long would I thaw the dough before baking? Thanks so much. Love your blog.
Nancy Belwood Ontario
Hi Nancy! You can thaw the dough balls or keep frozen. Bake the frozen cookie dough balls straight from the freezer and bake for an extra minute. Or thaw the dough balls first and bake as directed. If you partially thaw the cookie dough balls, they may need only 30 extra seconds in the oven. Hope this helps!
Just made these the other day for my niece and her husband. She called them amazing. My brother also called them amazing, I also thought they were amazing. I made them measuring out 3 Tbls amounts and they came out BIG but just the right size. They definitely will be made again and again. Thanks.
These are my absolute favorite cookie of yours! It’s my go to cookie recipe! I’ve been waiting since I moved to make these and now is the perfect time. 🙂
Made these cookies today. They are DIVINE!
They are SO perfectly balanced. The only thing I did different was bake them for 12 minutes but i think that’s just because of how some ovens vary depending on rack, type of oven etc. But really, thank you for this recipe. I’ve never been able to find the perfect chewy oatmeal chip cookie and this is for sure going to be my go-to cookie recipe! (I kind of like it more than chocolate chip cookies, yes I said it!)
Love this recipe! I have started using all brown sugar for 2 reasons- I rarely have molasses on hand, and brown sugar is just white sugar with molasses added anyways, so it seemed redundant to use brown sugar, white sugar, and molasses. Dark brown sugar tends to be too much of a good thing in this recipe for me, so I use all light brown. Tastes identical to the recipe written as is. Delicious! Thanks!