Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
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The best recipe for soft and chewy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. These are made with brown sugar, a hint of cinnamon, rolled oats, and lots of chocolate chips. They have the perfect combo of crispy edges and chewy centers for an oatmeal cookie that’s impossible to resist.
**This post was updated August 7, 2024 with new photos & recipe tips**
These oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are easy to make and are the perfect recipe if you love large, flavorful cookies with tons of texture. They have a hint of cinnamon, brown sugar and vanilla for the perfect oatmeal cookie flavor. Best of all, they’re thick and chewy with slightly crispy edges and golden brown on top. Then they’re packed with chocolate chips and walnuts.
So What Makes these Cookies Delicious?
- We’re using melted butter to make them extra soft. Melted butter, softened butter and cold butter all act differently in baking – since this recipe was developed with melted butter, make sure to use it.
- A higher ratio of brown sugar to white sugar creates a caramel undertone. Brown sugar also adds moisture for softer cookies.
- Adding a little honey to the batter is a secret ingredient for super chewy cookies.
- We’re using lots of vanilla and cinnamon for flavor.
- Using old-fashioned oats adds tons of texture. I really prefer old-fashioned oats in this recipe because they add more chew than quick oats.
- Chilling our cookie dough creates extra-thick cookies. It’s necessary to reduce the risk of spreading.
How to Make Soft Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
This recipe is very similar to most cookie recipes. I have step by step photos and tips below, or you can scroll straight down to the recipe if you don’t like
- First, we whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. This helps for even distribution of the cinnamon and baking soda.
- In a separate, very large bowl, beat together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Technically, you could do this by hand with a wire whisk. But since you’ll need your electric mixer for later steps – I tend to just use it here too.
- Be sure to continue beating (or whisking) until you no longer see the melted butter sitting on top of the sugar.
- Then beat in the honey, vanilla extract and egg. The honey really improves the texture – so please don’t leave it out. You could also use molasses instead of honey in this recipe.
- Carefully, with the mixer on low speed beat the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. The dough will be sticky – which is expected.
- Then beat in the rolled oats. It will look like there’s a lot of oats but don’t worry, they’ll mix in. The dough will feel thick, but also sticky.
- Stir in the chocolate chips and chopped walnuts. The chopped walnuts are optional, but I highly recommend adding them in. They really improve the flavor and add even more texture.
- At this point in time – it’s time to chill the dough. You’ll form the dough into balls of about 3 tablespoons of dough each, place on a plate, and wrap the plate with plastic wrap. The cookies chill for at least 2 hours before baking.
- When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven and line your cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- It’s important to line the cookie sheets to avoid the cookies from getting too browned on the bottom.
- Place the cookie dough balls at least 2 inches apart on the lined cookie sheets. You’ll bake one sheet at a time in the middle of your oven. They’ll need about 11-13 minutes, or until the tops look just set and are starting to turn golden around the edges.
Pro Tip: I always dot a few extra chocolate chips on top of each cookie as soon as they come out of the oven. This gives the cookies that “eat me” look.
Questions, Tips & Substitutions
- This recipe calls for large, rolled oats – sometimes called old-fashioned oats. I highly, highly, highly recommend using old-fashioned oats for the best results. Do not use instant oats or steel-cut (sometimes called Irish oats). Using quick oats is ok if you’re really in a pinch.
- For smaller cookies, form the dough into balls about 1 – 1.5 tablespoons of dough each. Bake for 8-10 minutes (after chilling the dough), or until the tops look just set.
- Why did my oatmeal cookies spread too thin? Usually, it’s one of a few things. Either not quite enough flour, too much butter, not chilling the dough for long enough, placing the cookies in an oven that’s not fully preheated, or placing the cookie dough balls on a warm cookie sheet.
- Why did my oatmeal chocolate chip cookies turn out dry and crumbly? This is usually caused by too much flour. It’s VERY important to measure the flour correctly. First, whisk the flour. Then spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off the top. Or better yet – use a scale. 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour weighs 166 grams or 6 ounces.
Freezing
To freeze cookie dough, form the dough into balls and chill in the fridge as directed in the recipe. This helps the dough balls firm up. After about 30 minutes, place the dough balls in a freezer bag, remove the air, and freeze up to 2 months. Bake as directed from frozen – just add 1-2 minutes longer to the baking time.
Baked and cooled cookies also freeze well. Freeze in a freezer container for up to 2 months, then thaw in the fridge. I recommend placing pieces of wax paper or parchment paper in between layers of cookies. This ensures that they don’t stick together as they freeze.
For more delicious, classic cookie recipes – be sure to try:
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
- Shortbread Cookies
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Seriously – if you love thick, super chewy, extra soft, cookies that are full of flavor – don’t miss out on these! And make sure to watch the video showing you exactly how I make these delicious oatmeal chocolate chip cookies:
If you love these soft & chewy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, make sure to check out these other classic cookie recipes:
Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
- Baking Sheets
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (167 grams)
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon cinnamon, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (168 grams), melted and cooled to room temperature
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar (158 grams), light or dark
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- 1 tablespoon honey (15 ml)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla (15 ml)
- 1 large egg
- 2 and 1/4 cups old-fashioned oats (225 grams)
- 1 and 1/4 cup chocolate chips (about 225 grams), your favorite kind
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (about 60 grams), optional but recommended
Instructions
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda & salt.
- In a separate bowl beat together the melted butter and sugars using an electric mixer.
- Beat in the honey, vanilla and egg until smooth.
- Turn the mixer down to low and carefully beat in the flour mixture into the butter mixture until almost combined.
- Add in the oats and beat on medium speed until combined.
- Then turn off the mixer and stir in 1 cup of the chocolate chips and the chopped walnuts.
- Form the dough into balls about 3 tablespoons of batter each . Flatten slightly, set on a plate and cover with clingfilm. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F (180C) degrees. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Place cookie dough balls at least 2 inches apart on the lined cookie sheets.
- Bake 1 cookie sheet at a time in the middle of the oven for about 12-14 minutes until the tops of the cookies look almost set.
- Remove from the oven and dot the tops of the cookies with the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips.
- Allow to cool on the cookie tray for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to continue cooling.
Notes
- Flour: Measure the flour very carefully – otherwise the cookies can get dry. Whisk the flour first, then spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off the top. Or use a scale. 1 and 1/3 cup all-purpose flour weighs 166 grams or 6 ounces.
- Oats: I highly recommend using old-fashioned oats in this recipe. If you’re really in a pinch, you could use quick oats. I recommend only using 2 cups quick oats as a substitute. Do not use instant oats or steel-cut oats.
- Freezing: To freeze cookie dough, form the dough into balls, place on a plate, cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until the dough balls feel firm. Then place them in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F (180C) and line your cookie sheets. Place the frozen dough balls on your cookie sheets and bake from frozen. They will need 1-2 minutes longer than the recipe directs.
- For smaller cookies: Form the dough into balls of about 1 – 1.5 tablespoons of dough each and bake for 8-10 minutes at 350F.
- Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Baked and cooled cookies can be frozen for up to 2 months.
- Nutrition: Nutrition information is an estimate only. It is based on 1 cookie (with walnuts), assuming the recipe yields 20 equal-sized cookies.
I really enjoyed the flavour of this cookie recipe. The cinnamon and honey addition is so yummy. I added whatever I had in my pantry: chopped dates, pecans and chocolate. They were so satisfying!!
Great cookie recipe. I put chocolate chip and butterscotch chip in it. Super good and fast and easy to make.