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These oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are soft, chewy, and packed with rich chocolate, hearty oats. Made with simple pantry ingredients and ready in about 30 minutes, this is the easy cookie recipe you’ll come back to again and again. You get crisp edges, tender centers, and just the right balance of sweetness and texture in every bite. Whether you’re baking for a weekend treat, sharing with friends, or stocking up your cookie jar, this recipe delivers perfect results every time.
5-Star Reviews
“They came out amazing. Perfectly chewy, good flavor. I did mix milk and semi-sweet chocolate chips and it was nice. My mom’s bf liked them so much he put one in his shirt pocket to take home.” -Taylor
There’s not much better than classic chocolate chip cookies, but I love the extra bite and texture that oatmeal brings to these. They’ve quickly become one of my go-to weekend bakes. I always reach for old-fashioned rolled oats because they give you that hearty, chewy texture you just don’t get with quick oats. I tested batches both with and without chilling the dough, and while you can bake them right away, a quick chill helps control the spread and gives you thicker, bakery-style cookies. The trick is pulling them from the oven when the edges are set, but the centers still look slightly soft. That’s what gives you that perfectly chewy bite once they cool. Compared to classic chocolate chip cookies, these feel a little more substantial, with extra texture and a lightly nutty flavor that keeps you going back for another. These may be an old-fashioned recipe, but there’s nothing boring about the perfect cookie!
Tips for Beginners
- Use old-fashioned rolled oats for the best texture. I use rolled oats because they give the cookies that hearty, chewy bite and help them hold their shape. I tested these with quick oats, too, and while they work, the cookies turn out softer and a bit more cakey. If your cookies are coming out too soft or lacking texture, the type of oats is usually the reason.
- Don’t overbake for soft, chewy centers. This is the most important step for getting that perfect texture. I pull the cookies when the edges are set, but the centers still look slightly underdone. They’ll continue to bake and set as they cool on the pan. If your cookies turn out dry or crumbly, they likely stayed in the oven too long.
- Chill the dough if it feels too soft. If your dough looks a little loose or your butter was on the warmer side, pop it in the fridge for 20–30 minutes before baking. This helps control the spread and gives you thicker, chewier cookies. If your cookies are spreading too much or turning out flat, a quick chill usually fixes it.
- Measure flour carefully to avoid cakey cookies. Too much flour can make these cookies thick and cakey instead of chewy. I recommend spooning and leveling or using a kitchen scale if you have one. If your cookies feel more like cake than cookies, this is usually the culprit.
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter 226g, room temperature (2 sticks)
- 1 cup dark brown sugar 213g
- ½ cup granulated sugar 100g
- 2 large eggs room temperature*
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract 8g
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour 204g**
- ½ tsp baking soda 3g
- 1 tsp kosher salt 3g
- 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats 300g***
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 340g
Video
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Using an electric hand mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides as needed.1 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup dark brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar
- Add in the eggs and mix until combined. Add in the vanilla and mix again. Set aside.2 large eggs, 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together.1¼ cups all-purpose flour, ½ tsp baking soda, 1 tsp kosher salt
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Fold in the oats and chocolate chips.3 cups old fashioned rolled oats, 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Using a large cookie scoop (about ¼ cup), scoop the dough onto the prepared sheet pan, leaving 2 inches between the cookies.
- Bake for 14-18 minutes until the edges of the cookies are golden and the centers are set.**** Let cool on the sheet pan for 3 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- Baking Sheet
- Hand Mixer
- Cookie Portion Scoop
Becky’s Tips
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
How to Make Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Step by Step
Gather the ingredients: Gather all the ingredients together. Preheat your oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cream the butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, 1 cup (213g) dark brown sugar, and ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar with an electric mixer for about 3 minutes, until the mixture looks light, fluffy, and slightly pale. Scrape down the sides as needed so everything mixes evenly.
Add the eggs and vanilla: Add in 2 large eggs and mix until fully combined and smooth. Pour in 2 teaspoons (8 ml) vanilla extract and mix again until the batter looks glossy and cohesive.
Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together 1¼ cups (204g) all-purpose flour, ½ tsp (3ml) baking soda, and 1 tsp (3g) kosher salt.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. The dough should look thick and soft, but not dry or crumbly. Be careful not to overmix here.
Fold in the oats and chocolate chips: Fold in 3 cups (300g) old-fashioned rolled oats and 2 cups (340g) semisweet chocolate chips until evenly distributed. The dough will be chunky and textured but should still hold together when scooped.
Portion the dough: Using a large cookie scoop (about ¼ cup), portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. The scoops should hold their shape and not spread out before baking.
Bake the cookies: Bake for 14–18 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and set, but the centers still look slightly soft. They may look a little underdone in the middle, which is exactly what you want.
Cool and serve: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 3 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling. They’ll firm up as they sit, giving you that perfect soft and chewy texture.
Substitutions & Variations
- Salted butter option: If using salted butter instead of unsalted, simply omit the kosher salt to keep the flavor balanced.
- Swap the sugar for a crispier cookie: You can use all granulated sugar in place of the brown sugar if you prefer a slightly crispier, less chewy texture.
- Adjust the eggs for texture: For a thinner, crispier cookie, you can omit one of the eggs. The cookies will spread more and have a lighter texture.
- Make them gluten-free: Swap the all-purpose flour for an equal amount of gluten-free 1:1 baking flour, and be sure to use certified gluten-free oats for best results.
- Quick oats vs rolled oats: In a pinch, quick oats will work, but the cookies will be softer and a bit less chewy than when made with old-fashioned rolled oats.
- Add warm spice: Stir in ½–1 teaspoon ground cinnamon for a cozy, cinnamon oatmeal chocolate chip variation.
- Change up the chocolate: Use whatever chips you love, like milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, peanut butter chips, caramel chips, or butterscotch chips.
- Mix-in variations: Swap up to half of the chocolate chips for other mix-ins like dried fruit, M&M’s, or chopped nuts. Just keep the total mix-ins at about 2 cups so the dough holds together properly.
How to Store and Reheat
You can prepare the oatmeal chocolate chip cookie dough up to 4 days before you plan to bake it. Store the cookie dough in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. You can also freeze unbaked oatmeal chocolate chip cookie balls in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet until solid, about 1-2 hours. Transfer the cookie balls to an airtight container or Ziplock bag to store for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the final bake time.
Store leftover oatmeal chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Serve at room temperature or gently warmed in the microwave.
Freeze oatmeal chocolate chip cookies in a single layer on a lined baking sheet until solid, about 1-2 hours. Transfer to an airtight container or Ziplock bag for up to 2 months. Let thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving these oatmeal chocolate chip cookies for just about any occasion, from after-school snacks to casual desserts or a little weekend baking project. They’re always a hit on holiday cookie trays alongside other classics like molasses cookies or shortbread cookies. You can keep things simple with a cold glass of milk, or turn them into something extra fun with an ice cream sandwich. If I’m building out a dessert spread, I add something creamy, like chocolate pudding. Brownies or banana pudding cheesecake are great for contrast. I also like pairing them with fruit desserts like apple crumble or berry cobbler for a cozy, homemade mix.
More Easy Oatmeal Cookie Recipes
- Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies: A festive twist on classic oatmeal cookies made with dried cranberries, white chocolate chips, and warm spices. They’re just as chewy, but with a bright, slightly tart flavor that’s perfect for holiday baking.
- Oatmeal Cream Pies: Soft oatmeal cookies sandwich a sweet vanilla filling for a nostalgic, bakery-style treat. This is a fun upgrade if you want to turn your cookies into something a little more indulgent.
- No Bake Cookies (Chocolate Peanut Butter): These quick no-bake cookies are made with oats, chocolate, and peanut butter for an easy, pantry-friendly dessert. Perfect when you want that oatmeal cookie vibe without turning on the oven.
- Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Cookies: Packed with oats, apples, and warm spices, these cookies lean more wholesome and are great for breakfast or snacks. They’re like a cozy bowl of oatmeal in cookie form.
Made these a few times actually and i always sub some flour for about 50 g (two scoops) of protein powder. They come out amazing.
Yes and they were great. I used dark chocolate chips instead of semi sweet(that’s all I had on hand)
Made this recipe as I wanted to burn out ingredients I had that were half open or close to expiry. They came out amazing. Perfectly chewy, good flavour. I did mix milk and semi sweet chocolate chips and it was nice. My mom’s bf liked them so much he put one in his shirt pocket to take home. I used a tbsp scoop for putting them on the tray and pressed them a bit.
I am making this, but only have steel cut oats. Can I substitute?
Hi Marilyn, no we don’t recommend using steel cut oats for this recipe.
Not very good honestly way to much oatmeal in a double batch
I don’t have a problem with the recipe but do with the directions. Butter and chocolate chips make a rich cookie so I don’t think you need to make a cookie using 1/4c of dough. My cookie scoop is a hair over 2T and makes a decent size cookie but I found that baking at 325 degrees for 14 minutes was too slow and low. They spread out too thin, some got very crispy others weren’t even half baked. I upped the temp to 350 degrees and baked for 12-14 minutes and they are great. BTW, I doubled recipe, and divided my add ins between walnuts, coconut and chocolate chips/chunks.
Hi, Mary! Admittedly we love a big cookie, so our temp and cook time is specifically formulated for that. But I understand it’s too big for some occasions, so thank you for sharing your baking experience and modifications for a smaller cookie. That’s very helpful!