I’m pretty sure I’ve discussed this before but it is worth repeating: there is nothing worse than biting into what you think is an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie only to discover they’re RAISINS instead. It’s such a horrendous surprise.
You think your bite is going to be full of bursts of slightly gooey chocolate gems, but instead you’re left with the taste and texture of wrinkly, shriveled, sticky, bland bites of fruit. Can you tell I’m not a huge fan of raisins? I can do chocolate covered raisins or maybe even yogurt covered raisins but I’d just rather not eat them generally. I don’t see the attraction.
I’m not a huge fan of dried fruit to begin with, but raisins are certainly my least favorite. Why choose raisins when you can have chocolate chips?!
Here’s why you’ll love this Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe:
- Warm, homemade chocolate chip oatmeal cookies straight from the oven in under 30 minutes
- No dough chill time required!
- Thick, chewy, and SO soft
- Delicious semi-sweet chocolate chips throughout. No raisins here. 😉
How to Make Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Here are some bonus tips and tricks for ensuring your oatmeal cookies come out perfectly soft, chewy, and beautiful. The full recipe is just below.
Ingredients You’ll Need for Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies:
- Flour: All-purpose flour is used in this recipe. Be sure to measure your flour properly with a kitchen scale (or the spoon and level method if you don’t have a scale).
- Salt: Helps to balance out the sweetness.
- Leavening: Both baking soda and baking powder are used to help lift the cookies for this recipe.
- Cinnamon: A dash of cinnamon gives these oatmeal chocolate chip cookies the BEST flavor.
- Butter: Make sure to use unsalted, cool room temperature butter. More on this below.
- Sugar: This recipe calls for both granulated and dark brown sugar. I love to use dark brown sugar in this particular recipe because the rich butterscotch flavor it lends complements the nutty oats beautifully. But also, dark brown sugar is made with more molasses, which adds more moisture to this dough and helps keep the cookies softer for longer once they’re baked. You can use light brown sugar if you need to, but definitely consider giving dark brown a try! If you make this recipe without brown sugar, they won’t be as soft, chewy, or flavorful. P.S. if you have granulated white sugar and molasses, you can make brown sugar yourself!
- Eggs: You’ll see this recipe calls for two large eggs plus one egg yolk. Again, that egg yolk lends moisture and richness, helping to make these cookies both softer yet chewier.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds delicious flavor.
- Oats: I like to use old-fashioned rolled oats in my oatmeal cookie recipes. Quick oats can be used if needed. More on this below.
- Chocolate Chips: Obviously! But you can use raisins if you MUST.
What Kind of Oats are Best for Oatmeal Cookies?
You can use old-fashioned or quick cooking oats in this recipe. Quick cooking oats are smaller in size and will provide a more uniform texture, whereas old fashioned oats will provide a more craggy, rough texture. Oats tend to zap moisture in any recipe, which is why simply adding them into your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe typically won’t work.
The Chocolate Chips – How to Mix it Up and Customize These Cookies
I love these cookies with semi-sweet chocolate chips, as written, but feel free to mix up the mix-ins as you like! Replace the semi-sweet chocolate chips with the same weight of:
- Milk chocolate chips (will make the cookies slightly sweeter)
- Butterscotch chips (will make the cookies slightly sweeter)
- Dark chocolate chips (will make the cookies slightly less sweet)
- Toasted and roughly chopped walnuts or pecans (I always prefer to lightly toast nuts and cool nuts when baking – it adds a much nicer depth of flavor!)
- Raisins (if you must!)
- Whatever you like!
Just keep to the same overall weight of mix-ins in the recipe as written for best results.
Overview of How to Make Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies:
- Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.
- Beat together the wet ingredients. Using a hand mixer or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars together. Then, add the eggs and vanilla and beat again.
- Combine the dry and wet ingredients. Try not to overmix!
- Stir in the oats and chocolate chips.
- Using a spring-loaded cookie scoop, portion out cookie dough balls and flatten slightly.
- Bake. Bake until the edges are slightly browned, rotating baking sheets halfway through. Allow baked cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes, before removing the cookies to a wire rack directly to cool completely.
Why Are My Cookies Flat?
Butter temperature is KEY!
Be sure to use unsalted butter that’s at a cool room temperature, 67°F to be exact. A couple degrees cooler is best if your kitchen is warm. Butter that’s too warm may cause the Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies to spread and flatten while baking. In general, the cooler the dough is when it enters the oven, the thicker your cookies will be. If you want thicker cookies, try popping the balls of dough in the freezer while your oven preheats.
Just take a look at the impact butter temperature can have on how much a cookie spreads:
Click here to learn why I only use unsalted butter when baking.
How to Make Beautiful Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Use a large spring-loaded cookie scoop to portion out perfectly even and round balls of Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie dough. Then, roll them between your palms to smooth out then flatten slightly so they spread evenly.
- Dot the balls of scooped out dough with a few chocolate chips on top.
- Bake on a heavy duty unlined aluminum half sheet pan lined with parchment paper for golden brown cookies. Learn more about the importance of baking pans when it comes to cookies here!
Why Use a Cookie Scoop?
Using a stainless steel spring-loaded cookie scoop when portioning out cookie dough is one of the KEYS to beautiful, uniform, evenly-shaped and evenly-baked cookies. My cookie scoop is one of my most frequently used kitchen gadgets. A spring-loaded scoop saves you *so much time* in forming the balls of dough. When using a scoop, you ensure each ball is evenly sized so the cookies bake evenly, meaning you don’t have any small overbaked cookies or large underbaked cookies. Learn more about Cookie Scoops and how to use them here!
Should Oatmeal Cookie Dough be Chilled Before Baking?
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie dough will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Do not refrigerate over 48 hours as oats are a drying ingredient and really soak up moisture. Your dough can dry up quickly! Remove from the fridge and allow the dough to soften slightly before scooping and baking.
How to Make Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Cookies Ahead of Time
You can freeze just about any drop cookie recipe! Freeze pre portioned balls of Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie dough in an airtight container for up to 6 weeks. Learn more about freezing and baking frozen cookie dough here.
There’s nothing more comforting than a warm cookie with a glass of cold milk!
More Cookie Recipes:
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1 3/4
cups
(222 grams) all-purpose flour
-
1
teaspoon
baking powder
-
1/2
teaspoon
baking soda
-
1/2
teaspoon
salt
-
1/4
teaspoon
ground cinnamon
-
1 1/2
sticks (170 grams) unsalted butter,
at cool room temperature
-
1 1/4
cups
(250 grams) packed dark brown sugar
-
3/4
cup
(150 grams) granulated sugar
-
2
large eggs plus one egg yolk,
at cool room temperature
-
1
teaspoon
vanilla extract
-
3
cups
(297 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats
-
1 1/2
cups
(255 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
-
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
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In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until smooth and well combined, about 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. On low speed, gradually add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Stir in the oats and chocolate chips.
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Using a large spring-loaded scoop, drop 3-tablespoon sized balls of dough onto prepared baking sheets. Flatten slightly with the bottom of a measuring cup.
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Bake for about 14 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are slightly browned, rotating baking sheets halfway through. If you prefer a slightly softer cookie, bake about 12-13 minutes, or until the edges are slightly brown but the middle still looks underdone (will firm up while cooling). Let the cookies cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
This post was originally published in 2013 and recently updated with recipe improvements, recipe tips, new photos, and a new video. Photography by Ashley McLaughlin.
August 2021 Baking Challenge
This recipe was the August 2021 pick for our monthly baking challenge! Every month you can join the challenge by baking the recipe and snapping a photo for a chance to win prizes! Learn more about my monthly baking challenges here. Check out everyone’s cookies:
Cookie Customization Guide
My FREE printable Cookie Customization Guide shows you more quick swaps to customize any cookie recipe to make it softer, chewier, crispier, or whatever your heart desires!
Hi, I was wondering if I would be able to use the stated amount of butter called for in the recipe and brown it?
Hi Al! This is actually a complicated question to answer! American butter is about 80% butterfat and 20% water (typically, depending slightly on the brand of butter), so when you brown butter, you lose that extra moisture/water as it evaporates through the browning process. It takes some experimentation to alter a regular non-browned-butter recipe to work with browned butter for that reason. You can simply try adding a little water back into the recipe, or start with more butter than the recipe requests, in order to compensate for the moisture you’ll lose as it browns. It’s something you’ll have to experiment with a little in order to perfect, but it can be done, and it’s a fun experiment in the meantime
I just got done making these cookies and they turned out amazing. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe. Since I started following your advice to weigh rather than measure, my baking has gone up several notches.
Hi, For the first time trying one of your wonderful recipes, this one didn’t work out at all. I followed the recipe exactly. You said “No dough chilling required” and that is what I did.
The cookies spread out and lost their shape. Half baked, I decided to “save” them and I placed the “cookies” from pan #1 on top of the ones on pan#2. I finished baking them as if they were brownies. I cut them in bars, while still hot, and that way I was able to use them and not through them in the garbage.
Any comments?
I love all your recipes, this one was the first one that I’m not sure if I’ll try again.
Thank you very much for sharing.
Hi Karla! I’m sorry to hear that these cookies didn’t turn out as they should! There are a few reasons why these cookies may have spread so much. I’ll note a few suggestions here, and hopefully something here will help!
– Your butter may have been too warm when creaming, and/or you may have under or over-creamed your butter and sugar. As Tessa says in the pink tip box above the recipe, “Butter that’s too warm may cause the cookies to spread and flatten while baking.” Have a look at this article, all about creaming butter and sugar, and the ideal temp of butter at this time.
– How do you measure your ingredients? By volume (using cups), or by weight (using a digital kitchen scale)? When measuring by volume, it’s so easy to mis-measure ingredients (particularly flour) and throw off the entire chemistry of a recipe. Tessa talks about how to best measure ingredients to ensure accuracy every time, in this article here!
– How old are your leavening agents? If your baking soda/powder are not fresh, they won’t do their jobs and your baked goods can not rise properly, fall after baking, and much more. Tessa talks about the science behind leavening agents, and how to test for leavener freshness, in this article here!
I hope something here is helpful, Karla, and I hope you give these cookies another try sometime! Let us know if there’s anything else we can help you with – we’re always happy to help troubleshoot 🙂 Happy baking!
Hi! Can I omit the chocolate chips and make it plain?
Hi Kae! We haven’t tried omitting the chocolate chips in this recipe, and I think it would make the cookies flatter than pictured, but it should still work okay. Alternatively, Tessa does have this delicious recipe for Oatmeal Creme Pies – they’re a plain oatmeal cookie, and if you don’t want them sandwiched with the filling, you can just skip that 🙂 Happy baking!
Should this dough be chilled for best results? At one point it says it doesn’t need to be, but then there is a section about how long to refrigerate oatmeal cookie dough.
Hi PJ! As Tessa said in the post, it’s not vital that these cookies be chilled before baking. Oats mean the chill window is shorter because they’ll dry out much faster than most cookies – 24 hours won’t hurt them, but don’t exceed 48 hours in the fridge. We find that most cookies do improve in flavor and structure after 24 hours in the fridge. Let us know what you think once you’ve given these cookies a try!
These cookies are perfect! I made a batch with the chocolate chips and a batch with cranberries. Moist and soft ❤️
Hi there! I just made this recipe but I’m using butterscotch chips, is that okay? can the oatmeal recipe be a base oatmeal recipe?
Hi Brittani! As long as it’s the same amount as written in the recipe, that should work just fine! 🙂
I ADORE this HTH recipe as I love oatmeal cookies! I have a question however – if I added walnuts should I cut back on the amount of chocolate chips or can I keep it them same and just add on nuts?
Hi Lydia! We are so glad to hear that you enjoy these cookies so much! If you wish to add some chopped nuts, I would definitely recommend cutting back on the chocolate chips to accommodate the same weight/volume of nuts – so say you will add 1/2 cup of chopped nuts, then add 1/2 cup less of chocolate chips. This will ensure your cookies will still have the same texture and ratio of cookie-to-mix-in 🙂 I also recommend toasting the nuts and cooling them, before adding them to your cookies – really kicks the flavor up a notch! Enjoy!
I made these cookies with a few minor adjustments and they came out amazing! I turned 31 this year and along with the wisdom came a celiac diagnosis. I made these cookies using GF flour and it turned out so good, I really honestly couldn’t believe it. SO GOOD.
Here are my tweaks:
– swap for GF flour, used Cup4Cup
– decreased brown sugar to 1 cup
– decreased granulated sugar to 1/2 cup
– added 1/4 cup honey greek yogurt (to offset the starchiness of the gf flour)
– 2.75 cups of oats
– 1/2 cup chopped pecans
– 1 large belgian milk chocolate bar, chopped (3 oz)
– 3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
Refrigerated for 3 hours
I also made pretty big mounds of cookies and it took about 23 minutes total to cook them thoroughly. I rotated at 8 minutes, 11 minutes, 16 minutes, 20 minutes, dropped the temp to 325 and then pulled them out at 23 minutes. They are perfect!!!
I have made these multiple times and I don’t know why but they come out paper thin? what can I do?
Hi Aaliyah! Check out Tessa’s article, devoted to baking thick cookies! I hope that helps 🙂
I had a sweet 4-year old “helper” while making these cookies and it seems we ended up with 3 eggs in the mix rather than 2 eggs and an additional egg yolk. After baking, they definitely fit the definition of “puddles” but they were still delicious!
Hi! I absolutely love this recipe it turned out great. I wanted to know if I used a smaller cookie scoop and made 30 cookies instead, would the baking time change?
Hi Amina! We haven’t tested these in a smaller size, but any time you make cookies smaller than recommended, you’re going to want to shave a few minutes off the recommended bake time, and rely on the sensory indicators (slightly browned, etc) mentioned in the recipe to know when they’re done baking. Let us know what you think when you have given these a try! 🙂
Hi! Can I use 1/2 bread flour and 1/2 AP flour in this recipe?
Hi Brittani! We haven’t tried that with this recipe, but I don’t see why not! Let us know how it goes 🙂
Hello, This is the best oatmeal chocolate chip recipe I’ve made. The recipe states it yields 24 cookies. What is the calorie count for one cookie? Thank you!
Hi Diana! I’m so happy you love these oatmeal cookies! Here at Handle the Heat, we firmly believe that dessert should be an indulgence, and we therefore don’t count calories or carbs. You are welcome to use a calorie counter online to assist with this, though! 🙂
Great tasting cookies, love the flavor and texture. Is it okay to freeze the cookies?
Sure! While we recommend freezing the dough balls and baking from frozen for that just-made warm cookie experience (details in the pink box above the recipe), you can also freeze already baked cookies. Just make sure they’re in an airtight container 🙂
The texture was good but they were a bit too sweet and not enough salt. I added an extra 1/2 teaspoon of salt to balance the sweetness.
Thanks for your feedback, Cheryl!
AMAZING!! ADDED CRANBERRIES AND OOH LA LA… XOX
Adriane, Noah, & Mark
I love this recipe! I’m no baker, but this recipe was easy and the results are amazing! But also very dangerous. 10/10, would make again.
So happy you loved this recipe!
Delicious cookies! My family loves these and I love I can whip them up in no time☺️ Bonus no raisins
So happy to hear they’re a family favorite!
These are simply the best! That little touch of cinnamon really adds another element to your standard oatmeal cookies. The best!!
Oatmeal choc chips cookies are 1 of my fave things to eat, and I’ve tried a few recipes, but this one WINS hands-down! These are THE best!! Followed this recipe to a T, (except that I reduced some sugar) and nxt time I’m gonna replace the choc chips with dried cranberries and white chocolate!! I’m soooooo happy how mine turned out! It’s just perfect, I’d rate it 10☆ if I could
Love your ideas for add-ins, yum! So glad you loved this recipe!
Hi I am a huge fan of your page mad going through many recipes. It would be great if you can give an replacement for eggs
I made these cookies with raisins and they were delicious! I love the soft and chewy texture.
Hi! I’m an avid follower from the Philippines. I just want to ask if the chocolate chip cookies can be replaced with cranberries instead? And, if I can use half quick cooking and half rolled oats?
Hi Kae! We haven’t tried using cranberries in this recipe, but I don’t see why they wouldn’t work (dried)! Check out the pink tip box above the recipe for more details regarding the oats, but that should be fine as well 🙂 Let us know what you think!
SO GOOD!!!!!!
If you are like me and crave the store-bought oatmeal cookies due to their chewy yet soft texture… these are the ones for you! follow the recipe to a T and you will have some delicious cookies.
This is my go-to oatmeal cookie recipe! So fool-proof and easy to execute with amazing results. They’re so perfectly balanced in terms of flavor, and just right when it comes to chewiness. Highly recommend this for both those just starting out and seasoned home bakers!
So happy this recipe is your go to, Annika! Thanks for the rave review!
I made this Oatmeal chocolate cookies
” PERFECT “.
Yay!!
This is a good/solid recipe but not as unusually tastey as the other HTH recipes I’ve tried. Although the cookies held together just fine & look pretty they seem a little on the dry side. Made as in original recipe I feel the choc chips overpower other flavors that I enjoy tasting in an oatmeal cookie (buttery, cinnamon & toasted oat flavors), if I make again it will be w/raisins instead of choc chips. The other HTH recipes I’ve made have set the bar high, they’ve been so amazing that I just can’t rate these as highly.
I’m sorry to hear this wasn’t a favorite! These cookies should be soft and chewy with slightly crispy edges, do you weigh your ingredients? You are more than welcome to keep the raisins or chocolate chips out of the cookies-we actually have a recipe coming soon for Oatmeal Creme Pies you might be interested in as it is made without either addition 🙂
Third time trying to post a 5-star rating and comment because the last two “crashed.” Anyway, these cookies are so good! Crispy edges with a chewy center. Don’t omit the optional cinnamon — it’s a perfect flavor balance with the brown sugar and butter. Yum!
Oh no! Sorry you received that message, I’m not sure what happened! I do see your other comments came through successfully. So glad you enjoyed this recipe, and I agree, the cinnamon adds such a warmth to these cookies, making them the ultimate cozy oatmeal ccc!
This cookie is perfectly chewy with a nutty flavor. I normally don’t like oatmeal cookies but by adding chocolate chips, I’m a fan now. Score!
Woohoo!! Excited to hear that, Mae! Chocolate does make everything better 😉
I loved how nice and easy this recipe was! Im not normally an oatmeal cookie person but I loved how tasty and crispy they were!
Loved these cookies! They turned out perfectly. Followed the recipe exactly except I had to leave them in the oven for 16 minutes instead of 14 even when using an oven thermometer for temp accuracy. But I know every oven is different. They were amazing and will definitely make again!!
So glad you followed the sensory indications over the timing so your cookies turned out perfectly! Thanks for letting us know! 🙂
These cookies are so good! Crispy edges with a softer, chewy center. Definitely do not omit the optional cinnamon. It’s a perfect flavor balance with the brown sugar and butter. Yum!
Is 5 stars all I can leave?? One of the best cookies I have ever had!!!
Yay!! So excited to hear that, Peggy! Thanks for your rave review! 🙂
These were delicious! I did think they were a little too sweet, though. Anyone else?
I am not usually a fan of Oatmeal cookies but these are so good and easy to make. My son also really enjoyed these cookies. I give these two thumbs up.
These are the best oatmeal cookies! I love the crispy edges and chewy center. Definitely do not omit the optional cinnamon — such a flavorful cookie!
These are my husbands favorite cookies!
Easy to make and tasty!
Yummy
On a whim I decided to join the baking challenge. These are delicious and turned out amazing! Will be making them again!
So happy to hear you joined last month’s baking challenge, Miranda, and loved the recipe! Hope you join us for future baking challenges! 🙂
These cookies are the best I’ve tried and the best part– it’s completely fool-proof a complete crowd pleaser!
Wonderful to hear that, Andrea! Thanks for the comment 🙂
No cooling time for the dough? it is okay to bake with out putting the dough in the fridge?
Correct 🙂 Please see the pink tip box above this recipe for more details! If you live in a super hot/humid area, you are welcome to refrigerate the dough after scooping while your oven preheats, but it’s not necessary 🙂
So good! My boyfriend and my co-workers all loved these!
Perfect oatmeal cookies! I have never had a recipe of yours not turn out delicious!
Fantastic to hear that, Tara! I’m be sure to pass along your rave review to Tessa! 🙂
This recipe is very easy to make and the cookies are delicious.
A little thin and crispy for me, but if you like that texture these are great!
Hi Jodi! Thanks for your feedback! These cookies should be relatively thick and chewy, what size cookie scoop did you use? Also, was your butter at a cool room temperature? I’d recommend checking out the pink tip box above the recipe on the site for more details on how to get soft and chewy cookies. I hope you try this recipe again 🙂
Love all the flavours in this recipe! This is by far the best oatmeal cookies recipe I’ve made and I will for sure be making it again….might even use raisins sometimes instead of Chocolate chips ! I love both! Easy to make and really turn out so well.
Amazing!! Thrilled to hear how much you love this recipe, Debbie! Thanks for the wonderful feedback 🙂
Just slid in the last day for the August 2021 baking challenge and so glad that I did!
My family is elated, too! These cookies are delicious! I added 1/2 cup peanut butter chips that I had in my pantry for an extra something something. 🙂
Glad you made them in time! Peanut butter chips are a wonderful addition to these cookies, so happy your family loved them!
These cookies are super simple to make and yummy. They are easy to overtake and a little too chewy for my liking, but they are really good still warm from the oven.
Crispy on the outside and soft chewy inside, was enjoying the cookie right off the cooling rack ;p
Tweaked the recipe a little to make it less sweet to my family’s liking.
It’s not easy to wait until these cookies are cool haha! So glad you enjoyed them, Hannah 🙂
These were a GIANT hit!!! Everyone loved them and they are already asking for more. Great recipe, very easy to assemble the ingredients. They bake up really well. I am definitely adding this to my recipe collection.
So awesome to hear that, Joanna! Thanks for the comment!
These cookies were so easy to make! They came out soft with a little crunch around the edges. Perfect!
These are seriously so good!! I’ve made them with chocolate chips before and this time I made them into oatmeal cream pies! Honestly, Tessa’s recipes never disappoint!
SO happy to hear you tried them as oatmeal creme pies, Mary! Aren’t they amazing?! My husband and I couldn’t stop eating them haha! Glad you enjoyed them 🙂
As always, Tessa has done it again! These cookies are beautifully crisp, yet soft and chewy. The flavor is all there and they are just pure perfection.
I’ll be sure to relay your kind words to Tessa, glad to hear how much you love this recipe, Samantha! 🙂
Such a fun and easy recipe to follow!