In the time it takes your oven to preheat, you’ll have the dough whipped up for old-fashioned Oatmeal Cookies. Chewy centers, a kiss of cinnamon, and all the best mix-ins make these the best oatmeal cookies when you’re craving a classic.
Healthy Oatmeal Cookies are one of the all-time fan-favorite recipes on the blog, with hundreds and hundreds of raving comments.
For today, we’re knocking down the “healthy” a bit and making real-deal, classic oatmeal cookies like grandma would have baked.
- This is the perfect recipe for oatmeal cookies: chewy yet soft, just-right amount of sweet, with warm flavor and homey texture.
- Cookie cravers take note: These easy oatmeal cookies are ready in a hurry.
About these Easy Oatmeal Cookies
Some days, we want baking cookies to be a project that takes up a cozy afternoon (like when you’re making cut-out sugar cookies).
Most of the time, however, the sooner I can be eating a cookie, the better.
That’s why I love these easy oatmeal cookies!
- No dough-chilling is required.
- The recipe uses melted butter rather than softened. I never seem to remember to let mine sit out and soften, and this recipe avoids it all together!
- No stand mixer or hand mixer. A bowl and spoon is all you need!
You can easily be eating these chewy, soft oatmeal cookies 30 minutes from now.
Go for it!
How to Make the Best Homemade Oatmeal Cookies
Step right this way for the BEST oatmeal cookie, with options and ideas for mix-ins.
- The ingredients are pure and simple.
- They’re sweet (this is definitely a dessert cookie, not a breakfast cookie), but they are not cloying.
- You can really taste the oats, butter, and the caramelized notes of brown sugar (and isn’t that the point?!).
I won’t even tell you whether they are best with raisins or not—I’ll let you and your friends duke that out.
You may need to eat several to reach a decision.
The Ingredients
- Butter. As a classic cookie should, these oatmeal cookies do call for butter.
- Nuts. Chopped pecans or walnuts add a lovely crunch and nuttiness.
Tip!
Toast your nuts! If you are going to add nuts, please take the extra step to toast them first. It makes all the difference. You can toast nuts in the oven at 350 degrees F for 8 minutes (watch closely; they burn fast!)
- Spices. Cinnamon and nutmeg make the oatmeal cookie warm and homey.
- Brown Sugar. Brown sugar rather than white granulated sugar is also essential to the classic oatmeal cookie warmth.
- Eggs. One egg, plus one egg yolk for added richness.
Tip!
Every expert baker will tell you, and it’s true: use room temperature eggs. This helps the eggs mix properly with the butter and deliver a uniform texture.
- Vanilla. I opt for pure vanilla extract, a grocery store splurge that makes a big difference in baking.
- Oats. Two whole cups of rolled oats (also called old fashioned oats), our cookie’s namesake.
What kind of oats are best for oatmeal cookies?
Rolled oats are best for oatmeal cookies, as they retain their structure and give the cookie its inherent chewy texture. Quick oats are more pulverized than rolled oats, so the oats in the cookies would not be as pronounced.
- Mix-Ins. Raisins or no-raisins in oatmeal cookies is a divided camp, I know. Let’s make cookies, not war, and all choose our own favorite: raisins, no raisins, chocolate chips, or a combination! More mix-in ideas below!
The Directions
- Melt butter and let it come to room temperature.
- In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients.
- Add brown sugar, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla to butter. Whisk.
- Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir to combine.
- Stir in the oats and mix-ins.
- Scoop cookie dough and place on prepared baking sheets one inch apart.
- Bake oatmeal cookies at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes. Let rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool. ENJOY!
Oatmeal Cookie Mix-In Ideas
Chopped pecans and chocolate chips are my favorite oatmeal cookie mix-ins, but you can play with some other fun additions and make your own variations:
- Flavored Chips. White chocolate chips, cinnamon chips, peanut butter chips
- Dried fruit. Cherries, cranberries, shredded coconut
- Candy. M&Ms, toffee bits
- Other chopped nuts. Cashews, pistachios
More Yummy Oatmeal Cookie Recipes
The not-too-sweet taste of oatmeal cookies makes devouring multiple not sugar-coma inducing, and you feel a little bit healthy knowing “hey, oats are a nutritious whole grain.”
Here are even more oatmeal cookie recipes to explore:
Storage Tips
- To Store. Store leftover oatmeal cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 week (as if they will last that long!).
- To Freeze. Place baked cookies in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then transfer to room temperature.
Storage Tips
You can portion and freeze cookie dough and have freshly-baked cookies on demand!
- After making your dough, scoop into balls and lay on a cookie sheet.
- Freeze for 10 minutes so the balls don’t stick together.
- Transfer to an airtight, freezer-safe container and keep in the freezer.
- Dough balls can be cooked directly from frozen; just add a few minutes to the called-for baking time. For best results, use frozen dough within 3 months.
Meal Prep Tip
Keep prepared cookie dough in the fridge for up to 4 days prior to baking.
What to Serve with Oatmeal Cookies
Recommended Tools to Make Oatmeal Cookies Recipe
- Cookie Scoop. Evenly-formed = evenly-cooked cookies.
- Silpat Mat. This nonstick silicone baking mat will help your cookies bake evenly and not stick to the pan. This one is nifty because it has cookie-spacing markings.
- Wire Cooling Rack. Just in case you to decide to let your cookies cool before devouring them.
Scoop This Up
Grab a cookie dough scooper for perfectly-shaped cookies. Its spring loaded handle is easy to handle (see what I did there), plus it’s dishwasher safe.
Oatmeal cookies are calling. Let’s go!
Frequently Asked Questions
Overmixing may be a culprit of hard cookies. Also be careful to not overbake your cookie; check them early. They are done with the edges just start to turn golden brown.
It depends upon the recipe. In an ideal world, it is always best to chill cookie dough, because it helps cookies to not overspread while baking and makes for optimum texture because the wet and dry ingredients have more time to incorporate. For this specific recipe, if you include nuts, you do not need to chill your oatmeal cookie dough before baking, as the nuts hold the dough together and keep it from overspreading.
Yes! Rolled oats are actually what I recommend and prefer in my traditional oatmeal cookies because the oats are more whole, adding more to the texture and oaty flavor of the cookie.
As a general rule, you can substitute quick oats for old-fashioned rolled oats in cookies and other baking recipes. Note that because quick oats are more broken down, your results will not be as hearty or chewy. Do not substitute instant oatmeal (which is super pulverized and won’t hold together) or steel cut oats, which are too hard and won’t soften enough during baking.
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts optional*
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg optional
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 3/4 cup raisins or chocolate chips or a mix (see more ideas above)
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In a medium bowl, melt the butter and let come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the pecans in a single layer on a separate baking sheet. Roast in the oven until fragrant and toasted, about 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.
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In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
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To the bowl with the melted butter, add the brown sugar, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Whisk briskly until well combined.
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Pour the wet ingredients into a bowl with the dry ingredients. With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir to combine.
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Stir in the oats, raisins, and walnuts. If your dough is too soft to scoop, refrigerate it for 20 to 30 minutes (or for optimum texture refrigerate a few hours. That said you can proceed right away and still have really delicious cookies!).
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With a cookie scoop or spoon, portion the dough by 1 1/2-tablespoonfuls and roll into a ball (the balls will be about 1 1/2 inches wide and you will have about 22 cookies). If the dough sticks to your hands, very lightly moisten them with water. Place the balls on the parchment-lined cookie sheet, leaving an inch of space between them. Refrigerate the bowl with any unscooped cookie dough until you are ready to finish the following batches
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Bake oatmeal cookies for 10 minutes, until they are golden on the top and edges, but still look underdone in the center. Let rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely (or for as long as you can stand). Repeat with remaining cookie dough, ensuring that you let the baking sheet cool completely between batches or the cookies will spread.
- TO STORE: Store leftover oatmeal cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- TO FREEZE: Place baked cookies in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then transfer to room temperature.
Serving: 1cookieCalories: 148kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 2gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 28mgPotassium: 99mgFiber: 1gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 154IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 19mgIron: 1mg
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More Cookies
In addition to the plethora of oatmeal cookies, here are some other favorites: