Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
These Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are packed with oats, chocolate chips, and incredibly soft and chewy. These cookies are so easy to make and delicious!
Are you a fan of oatmeal raisin cookies or oatmeal chocolate chip cookies? To be honest, I actually have a hard time choosing between the two. I’ll happily take a cookie with raisins or chocolate in it any day.
Over the years, so many of you have made my oatmeal raisin cookies and absolutely loved them. So today, I wanted to share my updated oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe with more photos and better instructions. Plus, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to make another batch of these cookies too.
Why You’ll Love These Cookies
- Incredibly easy to make using pantry staples
- Only requires 30 minutes of dough chilling
- Super soft, chewy, and thick
- They’re loaded with tons of melty chocolate chips
This recipe makes two dozen cookies, but you can easily double it to make more if you prefer. I’m also sharing everything you need to know for making perfect oatmeal chocolate chips cookies, plus how to freeze the cookie dough to enjoy later!
Ingredients You’ll Need For This Recipe
To make these oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, you’ll be using simple pantry staples that you likely already have on hand. Here’s exactly what you’ll need to get started:
- All-Purpose Flour: This provides the structure for the cookies – just be sure to use the spoon and level method when measuring your flour. You want to avoid scooping your flour from the container, otherwise, you can end up with dry cookies that don’t spread.
- Ground Cinnamon: This is an optional ingredient, but I find that some cinnamon pairs beautifully with the oats in these cookies.
- Baking Soda & Salt: For a little lift and to enhance the flavor of the cookies.
- Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats: I find that rolled oats provide a chewier texture in these cookies. If you don’t have any, you can use quick oats, but keep in mind that the texture won’t be quite the same.
- Unsalted Butter: As always, I use unsalted butter to control the amount of salt in these cookies. Only have salted butter on hand? Just reduce the salt in these cookies to a tiny pinch.
- Sugar: I use a mix of brown sugar and granulated sugar. The brown sugar gives these cookies a little extra flavor and keeps them moist.
- Egg & Vanilla Extract: You’ll be using one room temperature egg to help bind everything together as well as some vanilla extract for flavor.
- Chocolate Chips: There’s 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips for maximum chocolate flavor! Feel free to use milk chocolate or dark chocolate chips if you prefer.
How To Make Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Once you’ve gathered your ingredients, it’s time to prepare the cookie dough. Here’s a simple breakdown of exactly how to make this cookie dough:
- Whisk together the dry ingredients: It’s best to whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and then stir in the oats.
- Cream the butter and sugars together: You’ll only need to mix them together for 1 to 2 minutes or until they’re well combined.
- Mix in the egg and vanilla: Once you’ve mixed in these two ingredients, it’s best to stop and scrape down the sides of your bowl, then mix again. This will ensure that all of the wet ingredients are well combined. Your mixture should look like the photo above on the left.
- Mix in the dry ingredients: I prefer to turn the mixer off, add the dry ingredients, and mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are just combined.
- Add the chocolate chips: You can mix these in on low-speed with the mixer or by hand, either ways is fine! Once the chocolate chips are added, your dough should look like the picture above on the right.
- Chill the dough: Cover tightly and let it chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. This will help the butter firm back up and the flavors come together a little more before baking the cookies. Colder butter = thicker cookies!
- Scoop, flatten, and bake the cookie dough: I use a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop and suggest slightly flattening each ball of cookie dough to help ensure that they spread a little. It’s also crucial not to over bake these cookies – check them at about 10 minutes and see how they look. The cookies are done when the tops are set and the edges are lightly browned.
The cookies will be a little soft when they come out of the oven, but the residual heat from the baking sheet will help them finish setting up. I like to let them cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes, then let them cool completely on a wire rack. You can also just dig into them while they’re still warm, the choice is all yours!
Freezing Instructions
I get a lot of questions about freezing cookie dough and you can 100% freeze this dough. I suggest scooping the cookie dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, roll each ball of dough, and gently press each one down to slightly flatten them, then freeze them.
Freezing the cookie dough first will help prevent it from sticking together when you store it in a freezer bag or container. I also suggest slightly flattening the cookie dough before freezing so that you can bake the cookies from frozen and they will still spread.
Once the cookie dough is frozen, you can store it in a freezer bag or container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Feel free to place some wax paper or parchment paper between the layers of cookie dough if you prefer too. To bake the cookie dough from frozen, just add an additional 1-2 minutes of baking time if needed.
You may also bake the cookies, let them cool completely, and freeze them in a freezer bag or container for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, just place them on the counter and let them come to room temperature before serving.
Baking Tips
- When measuring your flour, stir the flour around, spoon it into your measuring cup, and level it off with the back of a knife. If you scoop the flour from the container you can end up with too much flour in your cookies.
- Be sure to use old-fashioned rolled oats in these cookies for a chewier texture.
- Make sure to chill your cookie dough for at least 30 minutes. Feel free to skip this step if you prefer thinner cookies versus thicker cookies.
- These cookies will bake up pretty thick, especially if the dough is cold. I like to gently press down on each ball of cookie dough before baking them to help them spread just a bit in the oven. If you want your cookies to be thicker, you can skip this step.
More Oatmeal Cookie Recipes To Try!
Recipe Video
Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 and ½ cups (150 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup (115 grams) unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup (100 grams) light brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (190 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the old-fashioned rolled oats and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar together for 1-2 minutes or until well combined.
- Mix in the egg and vanilla extract, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined, then mix in the chocolate chips on low-speed until fully incorporated into the cookie dough. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
- Using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, making sure to leave a little room between each one. Gently press down each ball of cookie dough to slightly flatten them.
- Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 10-13 minutes or until the tops of the cookies are set.
- Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Hi I was reading your comments and learned something new, that altitude can affect the leavening agent. I live in a high mountain valley at about 4,500 feet. I made this recipe tonight and I noticed the cookies had a raw baking soda flavor to them, In fact many of my baked goods do. My guess is I need to reduce the backing soda because of my high altitude. By any chance do you know how I would adjust it?
I’ve honestly never baked at a higher altitude, so I’m not quite sure. King Arthur Flour has a great guide on their site though for how to adjust different recipes for high altitude.
yaaaay thank you sooo much danielle really love you recipe i tried cookies and red velvet cake and cupcakes soooo yummy.. looking forward for your chocolate crinkles recipe?
I made these tonight. They were awesome. My husband mixed cookies wiTh vanilla ice cream when they were still warm and said it was super delish.
Best cookies ever!! I found this recipe 2 months ago and have probably made twenty batches since. We completely stopped making regular chocolate chip cookies because they are so good. I usually add about 2 cups of oats because I like extra and they turn out great.
hi danielle i just want to ask if what size of scoop did you use ?
Hi, Mary June! I used a 1.5 tablespoon (#40) cookie scoop.
I used half cake flour/half all-purpose flour. The cookies turned out amazing when baked for exactly 10 minutes! A slight crisp on the edges and so tender in the middle. A great, subtle cinnamon flavor, but the chocolate still shines and the oats have a great chewy texture. Simple to make, and would definitely make it again!
I’ve made this recipe a couple times now as well as your classic chocolate chip cookies( large batch of course). They were both delicious and I find your hints have really made a huge difference in how the cookies turn out! Huge hit in our household of picky cookie eaters.
So happy to hear that, Joanne!
I only have bread flour on hand. Can I substitute that for all purpose? I’m looking forward to making these!
Hi, Stefanie! I think it would probably be okay, just keep in mind that bread flour has a higher protein contain which means more gluten and chewier baked goods.
I have recently had a thing for oatmeal chocolate chips cookies and this was the first time I decided to make my own. This recipe is awesome! The cookies turned out amazing! Now if I could just stop myself from eating them all!
I have made these cookies at least a dozen times. So tasty!! I put my cookies in the freezer as my husband likes them that way. Thanks for sharing the recipe!!
Amazing! Soft and chewy! I made mine quite large so the recipe made a dozen cookies. Baked for 16 minutes. Turned out perfect!
These were excellent! I doubled the batch and used 1 cup chocolate chips, 1 cup white chocolate chips! Very tasty! Thank you!
Do you have the nutritional facts for this recipe?
I’m not sure about the nutritional information, but you can plug everything into an online calculator to get an estimate.
Can’t you bake these in a bar pan? How long?
That would be fine! I would use a 9×13 pan. I’m not sure on baking time, but I would guess 25-35 minutes.
Thanks for a super recipe. I was just browsing, almost on auto pilot these days but your site caught my attention and am I ever pleased that it did.
These cookies are fantastic, by far the best I’ve ever made. Will have a permanent place in my favourites list.
Again, thank you.
I always have a hard time finding Rolled Oats or Old Fashioned Oats….I have quick oats and my husband went but only found
“organic quick rolled oats” …. is this the same as quick oats or is it rolled oats?
If it says quick it’s likely the same as quick oats. You can use them in this recipe though.
These are delicious and super easy. Personal preference; I will cut back on the cinnamon when I make them again, but they are really good. Thank you for sharing this!
Im going to make this on weekend, I want my cookies to turn out thick enough, I am afraid they would turn out flat. Do you advise putting Baking powder on this recipe so I can have thick cookies or it will be thick enough without adding baking powder? Thanks
I’ve never had any issues with these cookies spreading too much, they always turn out pretty thick. I would suggest not making any adjustments to the recipe, but test 1 or 2 in the oven before you bake the full batch and see how they look. If you want them thicker, you can chill the cookie dough longer.
How long should I preheat the oven?
It really depends on your oven, but it usually takes 15-30 minutes.
Would you know how long these can keep for? I wanted to send them to family members. Not sure how long they will last and stay fresh.
They will stay fresh in an airtight container for up to one week.
Your website is dangerous during a “safer at home” order! I’m at home with a pantry full of flour, sugar, chocolate chips, etc… my husband and kids want me baking something new all the time now! This one is a family favorite. Thanks for always providing such great recipes!
Stay safe & be healthy!
Hello love this recipe and am wondering can I use oatflour or whole wheat flour instead of regular flour?
Using just oat flour or whole wheat flour would dry out the cookies. You can use half whole wheat and half all-purpose flour though.
Hi, I’ve obviously done something wrong because my cookies didn’t flatten out at all from their original ball shape on the tray?! Please can you advise what to do differently with the rest of the dough I have in the fridge? I did use a flax egg as my son is allergic….
Thank you so much!
Hi, Laila! The flax egg may have affected the cookies spreading. If you have any dough left, you can gently press them down to flatten them some before baking and that should help them spread.
Best oatmeal chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever tasted!! Easy and Delicious!!!
These are amazing! I made them gluten free this time, using King Arthur all purpose gluten free flour and 1/2 teaspoon of xanthum gum and they taste like they are gluten-ful! 🙂 thank you for this recipe. Will definitely be making these again and again!
I am wondering if I can use salted butter and omit the added salt? It’s all I have on hand.
That would be fine!
Awesome recipe! I doubled it and added a few dried cranberries. They bake up perfectly soft, puffy and chewy and even two days later they are soft and fresh-tasting. I am adding this to my favorites. I left the dough in the fridge overnight so I had to let it warm up for about 1 hour before I could work with it again. I scooped out each cookie portion and put the unused ones in the freezer. These too bake perfectly, straight from the freezer, but require a couple extra minutes bake time.
This is the best oatmeal chocolate chip recipe!! I followed the directions exactly and they all turned out so tasty. Thank you!
Thank you for this absolutely perfect recipe!! This is exactly what I was looking for. Other oatmeal cookie recipes are too flat. I followed this recipe as is and my cookies are awesome. I had no room in my fridge so instead I put them in the freezer for 20 mins for the cooling process. Perfecto.
Just made a double batch of these today, but used 1 1/2 cups chips and 1/2 cup raisins. Absolutely delicious, best oatmeal cookies ever!!!
These cookies are delicious and dangerously easy to make.
Danielle, these looks delicious! Did you blend your oats to make an oat flour as opposed to leaving your oats while?
I just leave them whole, no need to blend them!
Just made these cookies. The flavour was there but for some reason my cookies spread out really thin and were flat. Wondering if this has happened to anyone else? If so, do you know why this happened?
Thanks! Looking forward to trying them again.
Sorry to hear that, Jessica. Typically when cookies spread it’s for a few reasons, the most common are that the butter was too warm when the cookie dough went into the oven or there wasn’t enough flour in the dough. If you measured everything correctly, I would just chill the dough longer next time and it should fix that.
These Cookies are Amazing!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!! Everyone in my family LOVED them!!?
Also, if you live in a lower sea level you need to add more leavening agents to the dough. I add an extra 1/4 to of baking soda per tp, and 1/2 tp of baking powder per tp. I learned that when I moved South, my baked goods always ended up flat, that helped them a lot!
I’m always apprehensive when trying a recipe if I go by peoples comments but oh LAWDY! These are fabulous. The directions were spot on, the measurements were perfect and the cookies came out FABULOUS and DELICIOUS! My hubby thinks I’m the next Ina Garten. Only change was I used 1/2 cup of raisins and 1/2 cup of semi sweet chocolate chip.
Thank you so much!