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
These cookies are delicious!! I used mini and regular chocolate chips as suggested. They were large cookies with an awesome texture and taste! I will definitely make them again!
Anyone downing these cookies messed up somewhere, period. I’ve been using this recipe for years, minus the molasses. A little over a year ago I had to substitute eggs for ground flax seed as my daughter is allergic. I’ve made them without the baking soda, playing with the sugar amounts, trying different add-ins, etc and every single batch has been divine and eaten in less than 2 days. One of my top requested recipes to share and make from friends, family, and coworkers. So maybe reassess what went wrong for you before blaming the recipe that has been perfect for so many other people!
You said you didn’t use baking soda so what did you use instead? Sounds like you’ve changed the recipe some and it’s worked for you. Just want to clarify I’m not critiquing the recipe, simply asking for help because my cookies spread.
Awesome recipe! I’m not a baker. Cook, yes. Bake, no. It’s rare that something I bake comes out right. This recipe was fool proof and so delicious. Chewy, moist, and satisfied my rare sweet tooth. Thank you!
For anyone with problems with spreading, add 1/2 cup extra flour!
I followed to a T but they spread so much and burned at 13 min, at 10 min and at 8 min. What I’m I doing wrong?
Hi Mari, Starting with butter that’s too warm is the most common mistake. This dough should chill for at least 45 minutes before baking. These tips on how to prevent cookies from spreading will be helpful to review for next time.
Thanks. I think the butter may have been too soft. It’s how in the south!
My cookies turned out very flat. I used raisins instead of chocolate chips but I didn’t think it would make that big of a difference. Besides that I followed the instructions exactly. What went wrong?
Hi EJ, Starting with butter that’s too warm is the most common mistake. This dough should chill for at least 45 minutes before baking. These tips on how to prevent cookies from spreading will be helpful to review for next time. You may also want to try our oatmeal raisin cookie recipe. Thank you for giving these a try!
I don’t see my comments or questions listed. Can you let me know if your receiving them?
Hi Linda, I see comments of yours on the chewy oatmeal M&M cookies recipe and the chocolate sheet cake with peanut butter frosting recipe.
Hello, firstly thank you for your amazing recipes, secondly can i use instant oat instead of whole rolled oats?
Hi Sormeh, that would work in a pinch, but quick oats are thinner and much more powdery, so your cookies will be a bit dry. We highly recommend making them with whole rolled old fashioned oats if you can.
This is a great basic oatmeal chocolate chip cookie that I’ve enjoyed making (and modifying)! I like to sub in some whole wheat flour, reduce the sugar to about 1c., and add a lot of nuts. I’ve also added two cups of shredded carrot and some spices for a “carrot cake” modification. It makes a great breakfast cookie that way. The molasses really makes a big difference to the flavor!
Very good recipe, I adjusted the sugar and it was still divine.
My cookie obsessed girls and I looooove these cookies. We make a batch early in the week and then bake just enough each evening for each of us…that way we get a warm, gooey, chewy and chocolaty treat without having a whole bunch sitting around and tempting us. We sprinkle a little flaky sea salt on top sometimes, too, just to take them to the next level.
Do you know how much calorie their is per cookie?
We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
what can I use instead of molasses
You can simply leave out the molasses– no need to replace with anything. If you’d like, honey or maple syrup would work.
I loved this recipe so much
First time making this and I got rave reviews! Thank you Your recipes are always spot on. Would it be possible to swap out 1 cup of oatmeal for 1 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut? Will it affect the chewiness or moistness of the cookies?
Hi Lisa, we’re so glad you enjoyed the cookies! Rather than swapping out the oats, you can use the coconut as an add-in. Keep the total amount of add-ins about the same (1 and 3/4 cups)—either all coconut or a mix of coconut and chocolate chips. Let us know how you like them!
Thanks for the suggestion, Lexi! Went with 1 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut and 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips and ended up with perfect cookies – crispy edges and a chewy centre! Will try cranberries and white chocolate add-ins next time.
Just made a batch of these the other day. They turned out perfect!! So chewy and perfectly sweet. As I believe with most cookies, these tasted even better the next day and so on. My family adored them and these cookies were gone within 3 days, and this recipe makes so many of them. I always trust Sally when looking for baking recipes!
Made these 2 months ago, didn’t have enough chocolate chips so used butterscotch chips instead. Outstanding! Baking today’s batch with chocolate chips, they have a lot to live up to. Great recipe, the molasses bombs!
Delicious oatmeal chocolate chip cookies! Crisp edges with chewy center. This recipe makes many many cookies. I found them to be a tad bit too sweet so I think 2/3 cup brown sugar for next time will be just right
Dynamite Delicious!
I really enjoyed this recipe! It’s my second time making it. First time turned out fantastic. Feeling a bit braver, I made some alterations and today it turned out cakey. Any inputs will be most helpful!
Change I made:
– added mixed seeds & nuts instead of walnuts
– used plain flour + baking soda instead of all purpose flour
– 10g lesser sugar
Hi Sydney, I think it was the flour. The first time I baked them I used spelt flour and they didn’t flatten. They were chewy but come to think of it, I would say a little cakey too. The second time I used all.purpose flour and they were amazing. The next time I make them I am going to try with light spelt flour and see what happens.
A little variation from what I have using the past 30+ years…i do not use the molasses however I put in about 1/2 to 1 tsp of nutmeg…yum yum!
This is my all time favorite chocolate chip oatmeal cookie recipe! I think the cinnamon gives them that extra “something”. Any time I decide to bake cookies, this is the one I turn to.
Fantastic cookies loved by all in my family. I think the molasses is the key to their great taste, and I used Grandma’s. Will definitely bake these again!
This recipe is fantastic. I have read some of the comments, and it seems that people are commenting without reading/trying the recipe. I actually always have a hard time with cookies, they either spread way too much or not enough, but these come out perfectly EVERY TIME and are delicious; all very exciting for me because oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are my hands-down fave. I don’t know how you all have done it, but this is now my go-to recipe, and I have made a half batch every week (and every week, everyone is still excited to see (and smell) them baking) since discovering the recipe. I am even baking them in a toaster oven and they are perfection. If I could give them more stars I would.
This recipe has no baking powder, combined with the high temp of 350 degrees, the cookies come out flat. you need a livening agent to help them rise.
Hi James, this recipe uses baking powder for the leavening agent. If your cookies are coming out too flat, check out our tips here for how to prevent cookies from over-spreading.
Hi! The recipe says baking soda. Which one is it? Thank you!
Really flat! They can’t even be picked up without falling apart. Someone commented about baking powder. The recipe, as written, calls for baking soda. I’m sorry, but won’t be making them again. Very disappointed, honestly.
There is no baking powder listed on the ingredients for the recipe. I just mixed them and double checked. Should it be baking powder instead of baking soda? I don’t see baking powder anywhere in the recipe
Hi Melissa, baking soda is correct. Please excuse our previous typo, it should say “this recipe uses baking soda for the leavening agent”.
These were absolutely terrible. I’ve been baking for over 50 years, cookies are my specialty. Type of oatmeal should have been specified; probably quick cooking, which I never buy. Way too much cinnamon, which is a pain reliever as well as a spice. Unsalted butter made them even more bland. Overall a waste of ingredients.
Hi Kathy, we’re sorry you didn’t enjoy these cookies. The written recipe states that old fashioned whole rolled oats are best here; quick oats would result in drier, crumblier cookies. Thank you again for giving them a try.
I’ve tried these cookies and they are delicious. I’ve been baking long enough as well to know what little tweaks to make as needed ie: salted butter, cinnamon to taste, etc. There’s really no need to be so rude if you didn’t like the recipe. If you’ve been baking for 50 years with a specialty in cookies, I question why you didn’t know the kind of oats to use or which butter would be better. Surely in 50 years you made a batch or two of oatmeal cookies. I’m thinking it’s not the recipe that’s terrible…
Thank you Sally for sharing a wonderful recipe with everyone.
I loved the recipe! The only thing I might recommend is using a little less chocolate chips. I did 3/4 cup mini and a cup of normal sized, but in the end, there was about 1/4 cup too many. I think anywhere between 1 1/3 – 1 1/2 would be a good amount. Other than that, it was amazing! I Would definitely recommend this recipe, but next time I might also try to flatten the cookies before baking to make them a bit wider.
I’m here because of CodyKo He is right…they are sooooo good
Looks good in the oven so far! Did you mean 4 teaspoons of dough? My cookies look huge! 🙂
This recipe worked perfectly Thank you for sharing