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
I’ve tried a few different oatmeal chocolate chip recipes; THIS is my favourite! And I believe it’s the chilling in the fridge (I left mine in overnight — only because I had to leave the house for a few hours) and I was so happy that they held their shape and didn’t spread out. What a great chew, with a perfect crisp around the edges! 10/10
Incredible cookies!! I made a double batch and froze some of the cookie dough according to your tips – thank you. I pressed a chocolate chunk into the top of each cookie before baking. Will definitely be making over & over!
OMG! I have ZERO experience with oatmeal cookies so nothing to compare to, but these are So. Good. I even split the dough and made some without the chips and they are delicious!!
This recipe is an absolute KEEPER! As a professional custom cake maker, I recently whipped up about five dozen of these cookies for a pop-up event since they’re perfect for grab-and-go treats. They were a huge hit! I followed the recipe exactly, made them ahead, and chilled the dough for about three days. I’ll definitely be making them again!
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 c chopped walnuts. Perfection. Got 22 sizeable cookies out of this recipe
Hi! Do you have nutritional calorie facts for your recipes?
Hi Em, 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
We love these cookies! I don’t like molasses but did add 1.5 cups of walnuts. SO GOOD!! I made these as a surprise treat for my wife; she loved them!
My hubby was talking about how he couldn’t find an oatmeal cookie that was soft. I immediately came to Sally’s website and looked for a recipe and found this one. They turned out soooo soft, chewy and delicious! I even made some in a muffin tin (baked 16-17min) and they turned out great! Hubby approved!
This recipe was all that it says it to be! I didn’t change anything and they turned out perfect.
Your recipes never disappoint!!
these cookies are really good. the second time i made them they came out flat. what did i do wrong?
Hi Riada, 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.
Sally,
I love your recipes, as do my coworkers..
Question for you though.. I find it hard to scoop cookie dough after it has been refrigerated… is there a reason as to why forming cookies after, verses forming cookies and then chilling?
Hi Kerri, it can be hard to shape the dough when it is sticky, but you can form the cookie balls first if that works better for you.
These are excellent! I swapped earth balance for the butter, halved the recipe, and swapped 1/3 of the flour for buckwheat flour for a touch more earthy wholesomeness and it worked perfectly with the oats! Came out so good even with my modifications! Love your recipes and rigorous testing, they never miss!
Hi,
Tried your recipe this morning. Made just as your instructions described and Holy – – – -!!, these cookies are unbelievable! My wife gave them an A+ too!
Thank you for sharing with us. It’s gonna be my go to straight up.
These are the PERFECT mix of chocolate & oatmeal. The addition of molasses was such a nice touch. My human error overbaked them a tad and they were darker than I hoped but it didn’t effect the great taste!
Makes way more than 22 cookies – 3-4 dozen?? Step 3 please edit out the ‘before rolling’
Otherwise a good recipe Thank You
Seriously sally, you never miss!!!! These are the best cookies.
Loved this recipe! Can I halve it for a smaller batch?
Hi Delaney, yes, you can–enjoy!
Just to let you know, I loved the recipe following it texactly except for using coconut oil instead of the butter. I also mixed everything by hand
Oh, I am so glad you posted this as I wanted to try the recipe w/coconut oil as well!
I really liked this recipe.
I swapped out some of the butter with vegetable oil.
I reversed the AP flour and oats ratios.
Turned out great!
No need to refrigerate at all.
I did not make them 3 Tablespoons Dough rounds though; they woulda never made 22 cookies at all!
I made them approximately
1-2 Tablespoons cookie dough which yielded about 12 – 14 large cookies.
I had to palm press the dough a bit prior to baking off.
I skipped the chocolate chips and added 1/2 tsp cinnamon.
Cookies came out soft, chewy with a slightly crunchy finish.
Thank you for the recipe.
Emily,
The volume of the oats is larger than for flour, hence the reduction in volume and number of cookies after switching ratios.
So delicious! I didn’t have any molasses so just made them without. Still turned out great. The cinnamon added such a nice warmth to the flavor. This will be a staple for our family!
I really was disappointed in this recipe. I don’t like the molasses in it. I’ve made many of your recipes, all with great success.
Can i omit the chocolate chips and just donut plain oatmeal cookies?
Gen, yes, you can omit the chocolate chips. Or, here are our iced oatmeal cookies that you might enjoy instead (with or without icing).
More compliments than I have ever heard from my family and friends, and I bake a lot!
You’ve done it again Sally
I’ve made this recipe several times. It’s one of my favorites! I’ve done it with both light and dark brown sugar. I love the dark brown variety better. I’ve been gluten free for about a year. I’ve done this recipe as written and I’ve recently tried swapping in an AP gluten free flour. The swap does not work for all recipes. For this one, the texture of the oats masks any textural differences.
I love love love this recipe.
We’re so glad you love these cookies, Brit!
My go to recipe! These are so delicious and I always get so many compliments and people always ask for the recipe. This should be 5.0 stars!!
Oh and 1 more thing! Do I need the Mollasses because I don’t have that at home
You can leave the molasses out if you don’t have any.
Love your recipes, I haven’t tried this one yet but I want to know how many cookies do each batch make. Does anyone know?
Hi Grace! See the recipe card above — this recipe makes 22 cookies.
The cookies were delicious! Only thing is that the cookies stuck to the wax paper, and when I pulled them off they changed shape a little. But they were still chewy, soft, and delicious!
You don’t bake with wax paper, you bake with parchment. Wax paper doesn’t belong in the oven, be careful that you don’t set a fire
It may be worth mentioning that you cannot bake cookies on wax paper as the wax will melt into the cookies.. If your going to use anything it must be Parchment Paper. Just a tip from Grandma.
Love your recipes! Question about this one. I’m trying to transform a non-oatmeal lover cookie person. **GASP** Would this recipe still hold up if I ground the oatmeal down??
Hi Lena! That would change the way the oats bake and likely make the cookies too dry, unfortunately.
Can I brown the butter and refrigerate overnight and then use it, plus 2 tsp milk to replace the lost water from browning? Also, can I add in 1/2 cup chopped walnuts without deleting anything or in place of 1/2 cup of the oats?
You can use brown butter here, but we would brown extra butter so you can use a whole 1 cup of browned butter. You can add walnuts, but we would reduce the chocolate chips by the amount of walnuts that you add. Happy baking!