Thick, soft and chewy, these are the best Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies! Stir together a batch of the old-fashioned favorites and share a simple treat with your loved ones. They’re an easy dessert recipe that disappears fast!
While a classic Oatmeal Raisin Cookie will always have my heart, my boys are all about these big, fat, chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies! They're absolutely perfect for every occasion -- from packed lunchboxes to after-school snacks, easy bake sale treats, or afternoon activities with the kids.
Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
I cannot even count how many different batches of cookies I baked in my attempt to land on the perfect simple oatmeal cookie recipe! It seems like such an easy task, but this particular treat proved to be quite the baking challenge. I wanted a thick, chewy cookie that would be slightly crisp on the edges, but soft and buttery on the inside.
By tweaking the types of oats that I used, the salt, the different types of sugar, the ratio of oats to flour, and the chilled versus room temperature dough — the options are endless! I can confidently say, though — the messy kitchen and the time (and frustration) spent toiling was worth the effort…because this old-fashioned oatmeal chocolate chip cookies recipe is absolutely the BEST!
How to make Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies from Scratch
These soft and chewy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are just a slightly tweaked version of my classic oatmeal raisin cookies recipe. They come together with a handful of basic pantry staples, so you can stir together the dough any time a craving strikes!
Ingredients
- Butter
- Brown sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder, baking soda, salt
- Old-fashioned oats
- Chocolate chips
Which type of oats for chewy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies?
I recommend using Quaker Old-Fashioned Oats (also called "rolled oats") in this recipe, which gives the cookies a nice texture and chew. Quick oats will also work, but they will yield a slightly less chewy cookie. I do not recommend using steel cut oats.
Step 1: Mix Dough
This is a really basic cookie dough, which starts with creaming together the butter and the brown sugar in a stand mixer. Beat in the egg and vanilla, and then gradually add the dry ingredients.
Step 2: Chill Dough
Cover the bowl and chill the dough for about 1 hour. Waiting is the hardest part, but it’s worth it! The cold dough doesn't spread as easily in the oven, so your cookies will stay thick, soft and chewy!
Step 3: Bake
Use a scoop to drop the dough onto baking sheets. I like to use a 4-teaspoon spring-loaded scoop to make sure that my cookies are all the same size (and therefore bake in the same amount of time). You can make larger, big fat chewy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies using a bigger scoop -- you'll just need to increase the baking time by a couple of minutes.
How Long to Bake Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Bake the cookies in a 350 degree F oven for about 12 minutes, or just until they’re lightly browned. You want the cookies to look soft and puffy in the center. As they cool, they will firm up a bit but will still stay soft and chewy. If you prefer crispy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, leave them in the oven for a few extra minutes.
Why do Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies go flat?
There are a variety of reasons that cookies become flat when baking. It can be an issue with the recipe itself (for instance, a higher butter-to-flour ratio will yield a flatter cookie). It’s also important to chill the dough before baking, because the cold dough will not spread as much as room temperature dough when baked. Remember to make sure that your oven temperature is accurate, and use cool baking sheets (never put dough on a warm baking sheet).
How to Store Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will last on the counter for about 3 days.
Tip: to keep the cookies chewy and fresh for even longer, place a slice of sandwich bread inside the container! If you like a soft and warm oatmeal cookie with gooey, melty chocolate chips, just pop a couple of cookies in the microwave for a few seconds before enjoying with a cold glass of milk!
Can you freeze Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies?
To extend the life of your cookies, wrap them tightly and freeze them for up to 3 months. You can also freeze the cookie dough before baking. This dough freezes best if you portion it into dough balls before freezing. Arrange the dough balls on baking sheets, freeze, and then wrap tightly in an airtight container or Ziploc bag. When ready to bake, just pull a couple of frozen dough balls from the oven and bake in a 350 degree F oven. You’ll need to add about 1-2 more minutes to the baking time since you’re starting with frozen dough.
How to Make the Cookies Soft and Chewy
Remove the cookies from the oven when they’re just slightly browned (but still look a bit soft in the middle). They will firm up as they cool, but they will remain soft and chewy. If you want a crispy oatmeal chocolate chip cookie, bake these longer than the recommended 12 minutes. Finally, it’s important that you don’t over-mix the dough once you add the dry ingredients (which can result in tough, dry cookies).
Are these cookies healthy?
Each cookie has 134 calories and about 5 grams of fat. While I would not consider these “healthy” food, they can absolutely fit within a healthy diet. This cookie recipe is not Keto, high in fiber, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free or heart healthy.
More simple oatmeal cookie recipes that you might enjoy:
- Great Grandmother's Crispy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Oatmeal Cream Pies
- Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Easy Oatmeal Cookies with Ginger and Molasses
- Blueberry Muffin Easy Oatmeal Cookies
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, softened
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and brown sugar at medium speed until fluffy (about 3-4 minutes), scraping the sides of the bowl periodically. Add egg and vanilla extract; beat well.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- While the mixer is on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture just until combined. Fold in the oats and chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.
- Using a 4-teaspoon spring-loaded scoop, drop dough onto prepared pans. Place the cookie dough about 2 inches apart.
- Bake until cookies are lightly browned, but still soft (about 12 minutes). Let cool on pans for 3 minutes. Remove from pans and let cool completely on wire racks.
My new favorite cookie! Our family loves them!
Yay! Thanks, Cindy!