My oatmeal cookies recipe yields soft, chewy, bakery-style cookies. This old-fashioned classic is an all-time favorite, and I think you’ll love the incredible flavors, perfectly balanced texture and sweetness, and ease of this recipe! Includes a how-to video!
Truly the Best Oatmeal Cookies
Despite their humble appearance, my oatmeal cookies are always the very first cookies to disappear from their cookie tins each Christmas.
While they may not look as exciting as chocolate chip cookies, snickerdoodles, or flashy iced sugar cookies, they have a classic hearty texture and incredible depth of flavor that’s rich with brown sugar, vanilla, and butter. They’re also easy to prepare, are made with basic, easy to find ingredients, and are perfect for beginner and advanced bakers alike.
Why You Should Try THIS Oatmeal Cookie Recipe
- Incredible flavor. A blend of brown and white sugar, a healthy splash of real vanilla, a subtle sprinkling of cinnamon, this recipe checks all the boxes for a satisfying cookie.
- The *perfect* texture. Hearty and satisfying, the oats make for a sturdy cookie with perfectly balanced sweetness.
- Easy to make! This recipe is perfect for bakers of any level of expertise.
- Over 250 five-star reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️! Since I first published this recipe in 2017, it’s garnered hundreds of rave reviews and has become a new staple in households across the world. So don’t just take my word for it, check out the comments!
I know there are literally hundreds of thousands of other oatmeal cookies out there, but give this one a try and I strongly suspect it will become your new go-to, too.
What You Need
Oatmeal cookies are made with pantry staples, which is one of the many reasons they’ve been so popular over the years! Let’s go over a few key ingredients.
- Oats. I recommend and prefer old-fashioned oats in my oatmeal cookies, but discuss alternatives in the FAQ section below.
- Sugar. My oatmeal cookies use a blend of white granulated and light brown. The brown sugar adds moisture and flavor, helping to make these cookies nice and soft.
- Softened butter. Perfectly softened butter should be slightly cooler than room temperature; 65°F is ideal, if you want to get technical (it does not need to be exact!).
- Vanilla extract. I use a healthy pour of vanilla in my recipe, which gives the cookies incredible depth of flavor. Now is a great time to whip out your homemade vanilla, if you have any!
- Flour. Use all-purpose flour. Bleached or unbleached will work, I personally use unbleached. Do not use self-rising flour which contains baking powder, which this recipe does not use, and salt, which we have already accounted for.
- Corn starch. As I mentioned, this is one of my favorite ingredients to use in my cookies (it makes an appearance in my peanut butter blossoms, too). It makes them nice and soft and chewy without making them cakey. You could alternatively substitute arrowroot starch.
- Baking soda. This leavening agent gives the cookies the perfect chewy texture and just the right amount of spread. It also helps cause some of that golden caramelization that gives the cookies their beautiful coloring (and rich flavor). No baking powder is needed in this recipe
- Ground cinnamon. You can leave this out if you have allergies, but the flavor of these oatmeal cookies is so perfectly enhanced by a dash of cinnamon.
SAM’S TIP: If you don’t have cornstarch and can’t find arrowroot, you can substitute the cornstarch with an equal amount of flour. The oatmeal cookies will be a tad flatter and they won’t be quite as soft and chewy, but they’ll still be very good!
This is just an overview of the ingredients I use in my oatmeal cookie recipe and why I do so. For the full recipe with measurements, please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
Tips for Perfect Cookies, Every Time
I love these oatmeal cookies (and really all cookie recipes) because I think they’re the perfect recipe for beginner bakers and seasoned pros alike. I wanted to share a few tips that helped me level up my own cookie game, hopefully they help you, too!
- Cream the butter and sugar well. Creaming, or thoroughly beating together the butter and sugars, is necessary in this recipe because it helps incorporate air into the batter and helps the cookies achieve the proper texture. This means going beyond simply stirring together the butter and sugar until just combined; you want the mixture to appear light and fluffy, and an electric or stand mixer is best for easily achieving this.
- Weigh your ingredients! A kitchen scale (⬅️ that one is my favorite!) is a game changer when it comes to baking anything, from cakes to macarons and oatmeal cookies. It will also save you on dishes, no more measuring cups to wash. Here is my guide on using a kitchen scale to get you started. If you don’t have a scale, don’t worry, you can still make great cookies, just make sure you are measuring your flour properly (don’t scoop it into your measuring cup!).
- Roll your cookies. Most drop cookies (like these) can simply be, well, dropped on the baking pan and baked. No problem! But if you want your cookies to look more uniform and round, roll the dough between your palms to make a round ball before baking.
- Know your oven temperature. Many ovens run hotter or cooler than they let on (I once had an oven that was 25 degrees hotter than it told me it was!). I highly recommend keeping an oven thermometer in the center of your oven to monitor the temperature. Also make sure you bake in the center rack, unless otherwise noted.
- Underbake slightly. Remove the oatmeal cookies from the oven before they’re baked all the way through! The edges should look set/slightly golden but the centers will appear slightly underdone (but not raw!). Let your cookies cool completely on the baking sheet, where they’ll finish cooking to perfection. This will give you cookies that stay soft and chewy for days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes you can! Any of these may be added to the dough without having to make any other alterations to the recipe. I recommend adding about 1 ½ cups of your favorite add-ins, stir them in with a wooden spoon or spatula after adding your oats.
I also do have a standalone oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe and an oatmeal raisin cookie recipe, both of which are different from this recipe.
I used to recommend against using quick oats (also sometimes called “instant oats”), but after a series of recent tests I’ve concluded that it’s fine to use quick oats instead. Note that your oatmeal cookies will be less chewy, less hearty, and may be a tad more dry.
Substitute an equal amount.
This recipe is specifically designed to yield soft, chewy cookies. You can help ensure your cookies stay soft by following my instructions for not over-baking the cookies. When storing, keep them in an airtight container at room temperature, they’re best when enjoyed within 5 days of baking.
I hope you love this oatmeal cookie recipe every bit as my family does!
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! Subscribe to my newsletter to be notified of all the newest recipes, and find my free recipe tutorials on YouTube 💜
Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar firmly packed
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature preferred
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cup (215 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch (cornflour in UK)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon table salt
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 cups (285 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 ½ cups chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or raisins optional!
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Beat butter in the bowl of a stand mixer (or using an electric beater) for about 30 seconds.1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
- Add sugars and beat until light and fluffy (pause to scrape down sides and bottom of bowl, if needed).1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined.2 large eggs
- Stir in vanilla extract.1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.1 ¾ cup (215 g) all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon table salt, ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture until completely combined. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl so ingredients are well-mixed.3 cups (285 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
- Gradually stir in oats until completely combined. If using raisins or chocolate chips, stir them in at this point.1 ½ cups chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or raisins
- Cover dough with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days.
- Preheat oven to 375F (190C) and prepare cookie sheets by lining with parchment paper.
- Drop cookie dough by rounded 2 Tablespoon-sized balls onto parchment paper, spacing at least 2" apart. If desired, roll cookies between your palms to make a smooth ball, which will give you more uniform cookies.
- Bake on 375F (190C) for 10-12 minutes (edges should be slightly browned, centers may still be slightly underbaked but shouldn't be raw, they'll bake completely as they cool).
- Allow cookies to cool completely on cookie sheet before serving and enjoying.
Notes
Brown sugar
You may substitute dark brown sugar for an even softer and more chewy oatmeal cookie!Oats
You may substitute an equal amount of instant oats for the old-fashioned.Storing
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
This oatmeal cookie recipe was originally published April of 2017. Photos have been updated, additional tips have been added, and a video has been added. Recipe remains the same.
Elaine Zubeck
Delicious and I love the way she explains every step
Allie
These classic cookies were pretty easy to make and satisfying. I added raisins to half of the dough, and chocolate chips to the other half. Great with coffee, tea, and milk. Thanks, Sam!
Donna
These turned out really good. My family loves them.
Bobbi
Sorry Sam, this the first one of your cookie recipes I didn’t care for.
They need something maybe a glaze.
PJ
WOW!
I’m not a baker but I love cookies.
Tried these recipes as I wanted to make SOFT oatmeal cookies.
Just WOW!
I didn’t add raisins as I just wanted plain oatmeal cookies. Made the dough a few days in advance due to time constraints.
Took it out of the fridge & baked this morning. They’re nice & soft with just a very slight crisp bite.
The flavor is excellent! Easy to make & bake! Love these!
TJ
This is a wonderful recipe, my family just loves that these cookies have so much texture yet are so soft and chewy. I love that the recipe has an ingredient list for each step of the recipe process!
These are delicious!
Sandy Donner
These are great cookies! I only had Quick oats, so used that and added coconut and craisins. Lovely soft cookies.
I rolled them in my palms and they turned out more like mounded cookies instead of flat, but they are delicious. Thank you
Dawn Dortch
I made these for the first time today and they did not spread AT ALL. They look like little nuggets on the cookie sheet… hopefully they will taste better than they look. So disappointed.
Sam
I’m so sorry this happened, Dawn! Did you weigh your flour or make any other substitutions? 🙁
Connie Campbell
Why can’t you use quick oats to make oatmeal cookies? what is the differance
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Connie! We actually discuss this in the FAQ section of the post 😊
JJ
I’ve never attempted oatmeal cookies before, because baking isn’t really my forte. However… the recipe was perfection, and they were a hit! I did modify a few areas of instruction, just to accommodate arthritic hands.
I softened butter down a bit more by using the microwave on defrost mode for 2 mins, then used hand blender to mix it and all wet ingredients together in one bowl… dry in another. I didn’t have any raisins, nuts, or choc chips on hand, so mixed in a snack size applesauce cup for a slightly moister consistency and touch of flavour. Partially flattened 11 dough balls at a time (makes 3 batches) with fork on parchment, oven at 350° for 10 mins. Perfectly baked with golden bottoms, and a soft/chewy center. Thank you for giving this Mom a Rockstar moment with her family 😉
Athena
I’ve used quick oats and they’ve come out just fine. I think the quick oats are just ground up a bit smaller so it changes the texture, but for me they tasted just fine. Hope this helps ❤️
Karen Hill
Delicious and easy to make.
Jaxie
Can you use a kitchen aid stand mixer or only the hand mixer because of the folding?
Sam
Hi Jaxie! A kithenaid mixer will work fine here. 🙂
McKenna
never did I think an oatmeal cookie would be a contender for my all-time favorite cookie but here we are! just made these and writing this review before these babies are fully cooled. I followed the recipe exactly using metric measurements. I used a combination of semi sweet chocolate chips and a semi dark chocolate chunk. I also sprinkled some flaky salt on top when they came out of the oven. the result is a textured, chewy mound of delicious.
Sam
I’m so happy to hear this, McKenna! Thank you so much for trying my recipe!
Anne
Can I sub gluten free flour in this recipe? I made these cookies before and they were delicious!! I have to make a gluten free oatmeal cookie
Sam
Hi Anne! I haven’t tried gluten free flour so I can’t say for sure how it would work. 🙁 Please let me know how it goes if you do try it so I can pass the information along to others. 🙂
Cathy
Perfect! Soft, chewy, and delicious. Made as directed except used salted butter because that’s what I had on hand. My new go-to oatmeal cookie recipe. Thanks so much for sharing!
Sam
I’m so happy to hear this, Cathy, thank you so much for trying my recipe!
Peggy
great recipe, great taste
Shesha Mack
Great recipe. Question… are you using baking soda or baking powder?
Want to bake soon but this confuses me
Sam
Hi Shesha! It’s listed in the ingredients. 🙂
Duha Abdulaal
Waaw its perfect i add a dark chocolate 75 and walnut , all my family loves the cookies thank you for the recipe.
Kathy
Perfect. Highly recommend dark brown sugar as suggested
Roger
The recipe is great I used butterscotch and chocolate chips and used coconut oil instead of butter. The cookies are awesome!
Sabrina
Amazing cookie, I just made it yesterday! Seems like everything that I made/make on this website is delicious! Thank you
Linda
I have just discovered your Oatmeal cookie recipe. I am reading through the instructions and was very pleased with your format. it is a real pleasure to read the ingredients immediately following the step instead of having to scholl back to the list of ingredients. I will make these cookies and repost a comment on your post. Thank you for sharing.
Samantha
Agreed!
I made these last night and they are amazing! My partner says they’re the best he’s ever had — and he’s 50 y/o and comes from a family that loves to bake! The only thing I would do differently is to slightly flatten the dough balls prior to baking, but this is touched on in the post a bit when referring to rolling them out.
Fabulous! Thank you!
Roxanne Miller
I made them exactly as the recipe directs and they are delicious. Actually, one tiny alteration: I only added about 1/2 to 3/4th’s of a cup of raisins. I weighed the balls of cookie dough too, to get them even (35 gm). My question: I thought I would freeze some of the unbaked cookie balls to bake later. Have you tried this? If so, would you bake them from frozen and increase the baking time, or let them thaw first?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Roxanne! We’re so glad you enjoyed the cookies! We actually have a post on how to freeze cookie dough. You will want to follow the instructions for drop cookies. Hope that helps!