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
Made this recipe the other day and wow. I replaced the chocolate with dried blueberries and best oatmeal cookies I’ve ever made. Big hit. HALF THE SUGAR and they’ll be even better.
Tooootally disappointed! Followed the recipe to a T (I refrigerated them for 45 minutes) and they came out flatter than a crepe spread out into eachother. So 1 giant thin cookie came out! Ugh. Very disappointed. How can everyone else say these were amazing? So confused. PS I read somewhere once that too much butter can do this. Do you think that is the reason?
This is a family favorite, however, we did slightly alter the recipe after making the first time. Husband thought it was too much oatmeal so I updated to 2 cups flour/2 cups oatmeal and I pulsed the oatmeal in the food process before adding it in. Came out perfect!
I just pulled them out the oven and i thought i was doing good by using an ice cream scoop because for some reason i listened to my husband who said the scoop is about 4oz. Well lets just say i got about 15 cookies the size of Texas. But who cares ! I love this recipe, i even did it was my 2yo who had a blast with all the mixing !
This is the new favorite cookie recipe at my house. I’ve even given the cookies as gifts and everyone really enjoys them. Thanks for making our cookie life so much better!!
BEST chewy, chocolate chip cookies EVER!! I use a mix of dark chocolate and milk chocolate chips, then sprinkle a little coarse ground Kosher salt on top before baking. YUM!
I formed balls of about 2T of dough and got 34 cookies. My son pronounced these the best oatmeal cookies he’s ever had!
This cookie is so good. It’s everything I want in an oatmeal cookie – it’s both chewy and moist. I followed the recipe exactly and everyone loved it. Thanks for another great recipe!!
What did I do wrong. My cookies spread out flat as a pancake. I refrigerated the dough overnight but otherwise followed to a T?
Hi Steph, Make sure that your butter isn’t too warm. Room temperature butter is usually cooler than you think! You can also take a look at these 10 Guaranteed Tips to Prevent Cookies from Spreading to help troubleshoot. If you notice they are still thin no matter what you try to do, add a little more flour when you make them again. Even an extra 1/4 cup will definitely help!
this was an easy recipe and they were Delicious
age 12
I dont have molasses. Can I still use this recipe without it? Thanks
Hi Carrie, you can simply leave it out.
Good base recipe, but despite weighing out all of the ingredients, I found these cookies had way too much butter in them. This resulted in a thin, lacy, Florentine-like cookie. The end result was still good, but not what I wanted out of a chewy oatmeal cookie.
Great recipe. The only comment is that they were too sweet for me. Next time I’ll cut some of the sugar.
I have been making these cookies for years now and people are constantly begging me to make them again. They always turn out perfectly! (Except for one time when I didn’t have butter so I used margarine, and they went really flat and crispy. But the kids still ate them!). They are definitely a family favourite and I’ll be passing this recipe onto my kids.
Fantastic oatmeal cookie recipe! I made a few tweaks to make them lactation cookies (I found other oatmeal lactation cookie recipes too dry and crumbly). I used slightly less flour and added a 1/4 cup ground flax seed and 1/4 cup debittered brewers yeast and threw in some raisins – they turned out chewy and delicious! Next time I might cut back a bit on the sugar but they sure are delicious!
I think these are the best cookies I have ever made. Thank you for this recipe.
I love this recipe came out delicious
Contrary to the majority of the bakers I found these to be sickly sweet, entirely too much sugar
Okay, I haven’t eaten a baked cookie yet because the dough is chilling as I type. But I did go ahead and taste the raw dough because I just couldn’t wait. Raw dough didn’t kill me as a kid and I figured it probably wouldn’t now. And if it does, is there really any better way to go out of this world that eating cookie dough. If the cookie is half as good tasting as the dough it’ll be a keeper.
I’ve made these cookies several times. I substituted refined sugars for monk sugar & agave. I also mill my oats. They are delicious & chewy. Sometimes I will add protein powder also. Try to make it healthier w/o loosing the flavor.
This is the best cookie I have ever made!
I can’t wait to make these cookies – they were requested by my neighborhood watch group. The problem is that I only have steel cut oats. Will that work as a substitution following the same recipe directions or so I need to soak them first? Thank you!
this recipe is absolutely delicious!!!! its super easy to make,and instructions were very clear! next time, i’m making it double!
I made these cookies, and my husband says they are the best cookies he’s EVER had.
They really are delicious. I followed the recipe exactly, except for the oatmeal – I only had a cup and half of rolled oats, so I used steel cut oats for the rest. I also did not have molasses. I’ll be making these again! Thank you.
This is now officially our family’s favourite cookie recipe, and I have miserably failed in every other cookie recipe. The changes I made: I used one cup of brown sugar only and ditched the white sugar completely. I used only one cup of chocolate chips. I used whole wheat flour instead of all purpose. I use 2-3 tablespoon molasses for added nutrition (good source of iron), and chopped nuts. I also started to chop the oats and the chocolate chips in the food processor prior to adding them as it made it easier for my toddler to eat.
Hi!! I really enjoyed making this recipe. As I am a honey-eating vegan, I did some tweaks, using honey instead of sugar, aqua faba instead of eggs and coconut oil instead of butter. They came out perfect!!! And I wanted to thank you for your guidelines for measuring out ingredients. I found it super helpful and can already tell I will be consulting them again in the future! Lovely blog.
I normally don’t write reviews either, but these cookies are absolutely amazing. I added walnuts in mine and instead of regular salt, I used sea salt and that took it up a notch! So FREAKING good. Everyone that I had try them loved them and they really liked the hint of sea salt. Will be making these many, many, many more times.
Hands down best chocolate chip cookie I’ve ever made, oat or not. So so good!! Thank you.
Delicious, and easy to make! I followed the recipe exactly – except for making my cookies a little bit smaller, and baking them for about 13 mins. I will make these cookies again!
These were delicious! I am not a baker, but the recipe was easy to follow. My family said they tasted better than any store! Made enough to freeze and can’t wait to have more later. Thank you!