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
What if I’m out of brown sugar?
Best cookies. They turn out perfect every time.
Thanks
Best cookies. They turn out perfect every time.
Thanks
We love this recipe! Could I swap out coconut oil for butter?
Hi Monica, yes, you can use coconut oil instead of butter in this recipe. You may notice a slight taste difference. Enjoy!
I love your recipe for Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies. Can I use the same batter without the oatmeal? How much flour should I use in place of the 3 cups of oatmeal?
Hi Pauline, it would not be as simple as swapping oats for flour. Here’s our favorite chocolate chip cookies recipe.
Love these cookies! What if I only have 2 cups of oats on hand? Do I increase the flour or will 2 cups of oats be fine?
Hi MR, we are unsure exactly how you would need to adapt the recipe, we would try a half batch of cookie instead.
Fantastic recipe. I have made with regular and GF 1-to-1 flour, both successfully. They definitely need to rest on the tray when using GF flour!
Best Oatmeal Cookie Ever! My family loved this cookie and want me to always have some on hand.
Fabulous recipe. Chewy and delicious. Will make again. May put dried cranberries in next time. Thank you
These cookies are just how you describe them. They are very very tasty. It is hard not to eat just one. We love them. Thank you for sharing.
This recipe is SO good. I made it for 2 breastfeeding mamas (oats are good for breastfeeding) & also my home. My family devoured them & the mamas were hooked. They’re perfectly balance and so satisfying with the oats that i found myself often time having only 1 at a time (something that can be hard with cookies!).
I’m so glad I found this baking blog–this is my go-to recipe for oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. I follow the recipe to the letter and have enjoyed many successful batches of these cookies to share with family. Thank you!
By very soft do you mean just under done?
Absolutely the best chocolate chip oatmeal cookie recipe that I have found. I prepared it the way you have it listed with the exception of the molasses, I didn’t have any, so I used honey instead. I also added 1/4 tsp. cardamom. My husband loved them! This will be my go to for chocolate chip oatmeal cookies from now on. Thank you for the recipe!!
I can’t imagine making a different oatmeal cookie recipe! I like to roll the dough into balls and freeze the cookie dough balls in a sealed container to have a couple of fresh baked oatmeal cookies any time I like.
Man, these cookies are so damn good. Don’t be a baby and add the cinnamon. These are hands down the best oatmeal chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had, can you imagine slapping some ice cream in between two cookies? straight flavortown
Very good cookies. Soft and chewy and delicious with dark chocolate and walnuts. I did not have molasses but will try that next time.
i’ve made this recipe twice and it was excellent both times – one change i make is replacing the molasses with maple syrup, since that’s what i have available and have used in cookies before. the second time i made them, i cut down the chocolate chips to 1 and 1/4 cups, and might cut it down to just 1 cup next time. 1 and 3/4 cups was borderline too much for me, personally
Did you use mini (morsels) semi-sweet chocolate chips or regular size?
Hi Connie, we use regular chocolate chips here.
Best oatmeal cookies I’ve ever made! Do not skip the molasses as that is the ingredient that takes this cookie to the next level. Watch the baking time as I put my first sheet back in the oven for two more minutes and it was a bit overdone. Follow Sally’s instructions on baking and they will turn out amazing. Next time I’m using raisins instead of the chocolate chips.
I changed a few things and everyone I give a cookie to either asks for more or the recipe.
Oatmeal, Peanut Butter, Raisin Cookies
Serves: 26
Prep Time: 45 min
Cook Time: 13 min
Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (16 Tbsp; 226g)
1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar (200g)
¼ cups real pure maple syrup
2 large eggs*
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract (yes, Tablespoon!)
1 Tbsp unsulphured or dark molasses do not use blackstrap; I prefer Grandma’s brand (15ml)
1 cup creamy unsalted natural peanut butter
1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour spooned & leveled (209g) weighing is best
1 tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp salt
3 cups old-fashioned whole rolled oats* (255g)
1 ½ cups raisins see Note below (140g)
Steps:
1. Put raisins in a bowl and soak in warm not hot water for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Using hand mixer or a stand mixer cream the softened butter and sugar together on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and mix on high until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla and molasses and mix on high until combined. Add peanut butter mix and Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together. Add to the wet ingredients and mix by hand or stand mixer until combined. Mix in the oats, raisins. Dough will be thick, yet very sticky. Chill the dough for 30-60 minutes in the refrigerator (do the full hour if you’re afraid of the cookies spreading too much). If chilling for longer (up to 2 days), allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling and baking.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
5. Roll balls of dough (about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie) i use more but at your own discretion. P lace 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. I recommend using a cookie scoop since the dough can be sticky. Flatten them to desired thickness. Bake for 12-14 minutes until lightly browned on the sides. The centers will look very soft and under-baked. Remove from the oven and let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will continue to “set” on the baking sheet during this time.
I’ve made these cookies constantly since Christmas. Instead of chocolate chips, I add dried coconut, dried fruit and nuts. They are wonderful.
I was wondering if I can substitute almond flour? Would i need to add a binder?
Suggestions?
Hi Joanne, We don’t recommend almond flour as it has very different baking properties and is not always a 1:1 swap. We haven’t tested it, but you might have success experimenting with a gluten-free all-purpose flour like Bob’s Red Mill or Cup4Cup. If you give anything a try, we’d love to know how it goes for you!
Can you use gluten free flour and plant based butter? I have a friend with diet restrictions and I would like to make her some cookies.
Hi Colleen, we haven’t tested it, but many of our readers have had success using all-purpose gluten-free flour blends like Bob’s Red Mill and Cup4Cup — let us know if you give it a try!
So delicious. Just as I like cookies – soft, chewy, and chocolatey.
Wow!! This recipe has bumped oatmeal chocolate chip cookies to my top spot of most loved cookie. Holy chip!! these are delicious!! Don’t skip anything and make these as written…you will not regret it.
Amazing recipe! Thank you so much for sharing this.
Can 1 or 2 of the eggs be replaced with apple sauce?
Hi Sue, we haven’t tested an egg-free version of these, but let us know if you do.
I’ve made these before and love them! If I wanted to make these pan cookies, how would I adjust the baking time and temp?
Hi Caroline, you can definitely use this cookie dough for cookie bars. A 9×13 inch pan would be best. We’re unsure of the exact bake time. Hope this helps!
Thank you Team Sally for this amazing recipe. I made the cookies today and they are delicious! I will share tomorrow!
Calories?
Hi Traci, 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
Fabulous taste, big spread. I chilled and followed recipe…. Any suggestions as to what may have gone awry?
Hi Katy, we’re happy to help troubleshoot. Are you starting with proper room temperature butter? It makes a big difference and is cooler than most would think. And here’s more tips for preventing cookies from spreading. Hope this helps for your next batch!
I usually adore Sally’s recipes but this one fell off a bit. I followed the recipe to a T, but they tasted…meh. My sister and I didn’t like them that much, but my father loved them. They’re not inedible, just something I wouldn’t make again.
upgrading to three stars because my friends liked them (it’s 4 to cancel out the 2 I had before)