These Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are the best 20 minute recipe for perfect oatmeal cookies. They’re golden and crispy on the edges and soft, chewy, and buttery in the center.
Check out these Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies next!
Table of Contents
There’s something about oats in cookies…I mean, Double Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies, Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies…they’re just perfectly soft and chewy!
These Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are no exception. These cookies are a classic recipe that’s ready in just 20 minutes — no chilling required!
They’re perfectly crisped on the edges, soft, moist, and chewy in the middle, and incredibly delicious.
Love chewy cookies? Try these M&M Cookies next!
Ingredients Needed:
- Unsalted Butter: soften the butter to room temperature so it creams easily with the sugar.
- Brown Sugar: brown sugar adds warm sweetness and creates a chewier cookie.
- Egg: adds moisture and binds everything together so the cookies can hold their shape.
- Vanilla Extract: gives the dough a touch of warmth and flavor depth.
- Oats: I use large rolled oats which creates a delicious chewy texture and slightly crisp edge.
- All-Purpose Flour: you can also sub it for whole wheat flour if preferred (no one will even notice, I promise!)
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: keeps the dough lighter and creates a thicker cookie.
- Salt: cuts the sweetness and brings out the flavor of the cookies.
- Chocolate Chips: semi-sweet, milk, dark, you name it. Just use your favorite!
How to Make Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
The perfect Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie in just 20 minutes? Yeah, count me in!
- Combine wet ingredients: With an electric mixer, beat together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until smooth.
- Add dry ingredients: Mix in oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined, then stir in chocolate chips.
- Portion the dough: Scoop 2-3 tablespoons of dough onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. I recommend baking one to see if you want to press the cookie dough balls down slightly for thinner cookies
- Bake: Bake at 350ºF until the edges are slightly browned and the centers are mostly set but slightly glossy. Let sit for a few minutes, then remove from the pan and cool completely.
FAQs for Oatmeal Cookies
Oats in cookies serves a couple of purposes. First, they add delicious nutty flavor. Second, they give cookies a chewier texture and more structure which creates an overall heartier, thicker cookie.
It depends. Chilling the dough can help cookies stay nice and thick as they bake. However, it isn’t necessary for these oatmeal cookies. The dough is thick enough that the cookies hold their shape without any time in the fridge!
If your oatmeal cookies end up too hard or crunchy, they are likely over-baked. To ensure that this doesn’t happen, take the cookies out of the oven when the edges are just starting to brown and the centers are mostly set but still a bit glossy. They will set up as they rest and the result will be perfect soft and chewy cookies.
There are a couple of reasons your cookies are flattening too much as they bake.
1) The butter is too warm. You want room temperature, not warm or melted butter.
2) You didn’t add enough flour or oats.
If this is happening, stir in a tiny bit of flour to your dough, or place in the freezer for 30 minutes to chill.
To prep the dough in advance, assemble as directed, then cover and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also portion it out onto a baking sheet, flash freeze until hardened, then store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you’re ready, simply bake as directed. You can bake from frozen by just adding a couple of minutes to the baking time.
Baked oatmeal cookies will last in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. To enjoy again, serve cold or warm in the microwave!
Tips and Notes
- Measure the flour correctly. The best way to create moist and chewy cookies is to make sure you have the right dry to wet ingredient ratio. I recommend scooping the flour into a measuring cup and gently leveling it off with your finger. This prevents it from getting too packed in.
- Leave space. The cookies will spread a little bit. I like to leave the cookies 2-3 inches apart on the baking sheet to make sure they don’t run into each other.
- Under-bake! Reminder to take your cookies out of the oven when the edges are browned but the centers are still slightly under done. This is the key to soft and chewy oatmeal cookies!
Variations on Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Want to switch things up? Feel free to play around with whatever mix-ins or combination of mix-ins you think you’ll like in your oatmeal cookies.
Keep in mind that this recipe calls for 1 ¼ cups of chocolate chips, so mix and match as you wish but don’t use much more mix-ins than that!
- Nuts. Give your cookies a little extra crunch with chopped walnuts, pecans, or macadamia nuts.
- Dried Fruit. Add sweet chewiness with a handful of raisins or dried cranberries.
- Candy. M&Ms would be delicious! Alternatively, chop up your favorite candy bar and mix it into the dough.
- Spices. Create more layers of flavor with a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg.
- Other Baking Chips: Swap the chocolate chips out for peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, or white chocolate chips.
More Cookie Recipes You’ll Love
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 cup brown sugar (packed) 220 grams
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups large rolled oats
- 1 ¼ cups all purpose flour (or sub whole wheat)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add egg and vanilla and beat just until smooth.
- Add the oats, all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and beat until combined. Stir in chocolate chips (I find this easier to do with a spatula).
- Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls (about 2 or 3 TBSP per cookie) onto parchment paper 2-3 inches apart (I do 9 per pan). If you like thinner, chewier cookies, press down slightly with your hand.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 9-10 minutes, until the edges are beginning to brown and the centers are almost set but still a bit glossy in the middle — they will continue to set as they rest.
- Let sit for 5-10 minutes before removing from the pan to cool completely.
Notes
- Measure the flour correctly. The best way to create moist and chewy cookies is to make sure you have the right dry to wet ingredient ratio. I recommend scooping the flour into a measuring cup and gently leveling it off with your finger. This prevents it from getting too packed in.
- Leave space. The cookies will spread a little bit. I like to leave the cookies 2-3 inches apart on the baking sheet to make sure they don’t run into each other.
- Under-bake! Reminder to take your cookies out of the oven when the edges are browned but the centers are still slightly under done. This is the key to soft and chewy oatmeal cookies!
Nutrition Information
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Laura Mcglothlin says
Absolutely the most delicious oatmeal cookie recipe I ever used!!! Thank you!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Laura! I’m so happy to hear that!
The Recipe Rebel says
It’s 1 cookie per serving.
Joan C says
I love oatmeal cookies and these are delicious! My family gave them a big thumbs up and loves them as well! I made them a bit smaller and got 36 cookies. I also used a full bag of chocolate chips (you can never have too much chocolate!) and they took no time to prepare!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Joan! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Alison says
These were delicious! And worked perfectly to make s’mores at our barbecue yesterday evening. 🙂 Thank you for the recipe!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Alison! So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for this review!
Charleen says
Please would you add the grams for the other main ingredients :-
unsalted butter, rolled oats, all purpose flour, chocolate chips.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Charleen, Unfortunately I don’t have the measurements in grams for some of my recipes and some of the ingredients. It’s relatively easy to do a Google search and convert to ounces to grams (etc.), but if you are having trouble with a particular recipe next time send me an email and I can help you convert it.