Best Oatmeal Cookies – Crispy around the edges and soft and chewy in the center. So easy to make and even easier to eat!
You definitely need this oatmeal cookie recipe in your back pocket. It’s such a classic and always a crowd favorite. Some of my other go-to classics are soft sugar cookies, chocolate chip pudding cookies, peanut butter blossoms and M&M cookies.
Easy oatmeal cookies
Sometimes a good, classic oatmeal cookie just hits the spot! There’s something about them that is so warm and comforting. I crave oatmeal cookies every once and a while and love to make this easy oatmeal cookie recipe.
These cookies are so easy to make and even easier to eat. Seriously, they taste amazing…I couldn’t stop eating the batter while making them! They are everything an oatmeal cookie should be…crispy around the edges and soft and chewy in the center.
The classic version is my favorite, however there are tons of optional mix-in’s that you can add – like white chocolate chips with cranberries, raisins, chocolate chips, bananas or cinnamon chips. All are so delicious!
What are oatmeal cookies made of?
The ingredients needed to make these oatmeal cookies are baking staples that are super simple. When mixed together, these ingredients make the perfect oatmeal cookie…crispy, soft and chewy! To bump up the flavor, feel free to add a teaspoon of cinnamon. My kids prefer the cookies without the cinnamon, so I usually leave it out.
- Butter
- Brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Pure vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Old fashioned oats
- Salt
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
What kind of oats do you use for cookies?
For this oatmeal cookie recipe, I used old fashioned oats. I know it can get confusing knowing what kind of oats to use for cookies, so below is a quick breakdown.
Old-Fashioned Oats (or “Rolled Oats”): Old fashioned oats are whole rolled oats that have been steamed and flattened. When using old fashioned oats in baking, the oats remain whole in size, making the finished texture a little more chewy. That’s why I like to use old fashioned oats rather than any other type of oat when making chewy oatmeal cookies. Plus I love how you can still see the whole oatmeal pieces once the cookies are cooked.
Quick Oats: Quick oats are essentially old-fashioned oats that have been roughly chopped. When baking with quick oats, your cookies will have a finer consistency and will often cook faster. Once baked, the texture will look a little less “bumpy”. If you’d rather enjoy oatmeal cookies that are on the softer and less chewy side, I would use quick oats instead. You can make them yourself by pulsing old-fashioned oats in the blender or food processor about 2-3 times.
Instant Oats: Instant oats have a super fine texture and aren’t usually used when making oatmeal cookies. The flavor still tastes like oatmeal, however they don’t have any of that classic oatmeal texture. The overall structure of the cookie will likely be compromised and won’t hold up the same as if you were to use old fashioned or quick oats.
Steel-Cut Oats: Steel-cut oats are whole oats that have not been steamed or flattened. The texture of the oats are hard and course, making the cooking time a lot longer. Steel-cut oats are not typically used for oatmeal cookies and are better to use when making oatmeal for breakfast.
How to make oatmeal cookies
Scroll down for the printable oatmeal cookie recipe.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugars. Then add eggs and vanilla. Stir until combined.
- Add in the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon (if desired). Stir just until combined, then mix in the oats.
- Scoop dough onto baking sheet using medium cookie scoop. Bake until edges are just light golden brown, about 7 to 10 minutes.
- Allow oatmeal cookies to rest for about 2 minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to cooling rack.
TIP: When you take your oatmeal cookies out of the oven, the centers should look a little underdone (they will continue baking on sheet). For a softer oatmeal cookie, take them out a little early. And for a crispier oatmeal cookies, bake a little longer.
Why are my oatmeal cookies flat?
These oatmeal cookies do flatten out a little when baked, however the texture and consistency are spot on. They are soft, chewy and the edges are perfectly crispy. If your oatmeal cookies have flattened out way too much, it could be one of the main mistakes below:
- Your dough needs more flour. If the dough is too wet, you’ll end up with flat and greasy cookies that are too hard.
- Too much butter was used, or the butter was too warm. Both create a flat and greasy cookie.
- You forgot baking soda. This baking agent helps give the oatmeal cookies some height.
TIP: If making multiple batches of these easy oatmeal cookies, chill your remaining dough in the fridge until ready to use. This helps ensure that the butter in the dough doesn’t get too warm, especially if left out near the hot oven. Also, be sure to use a separate baking sheet for your next batch. Or allow baking sheet to cool before using again.
Can oatmeal cookie dough be refrigerated?
Sure. If making the dough ahead of time, simply wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in a zip top bag. The oatmeal cookie dough will keep in the fridge for about 2 to 3 days.
Can oatmeal cookies be frozen?
Yes, you can individually wrap and freeze these oatmeal cookies. I prefer to freeze the oatmeal cookie dough instead. I’ve found that the cookies taste way more fresh this way.
Just scoop out the dough with a medium cookie scoop and place on a prepared baking sheet. Freeze for about 30 minutes, or until dough scoops have hardened. Then place scoops in a zip top bag and store in the freezer for up to a couple of months. When ready to enjoy, add cookie dough scoops to your baking sheet and thaw a little while the oven warms up. The cookies may need to bake for a few minutes longer since the dough was hard and frozen.
Oatmeal Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 cups old-fashioned oats
Optional: 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat.
- Cream the butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.
- Add flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder (and cinnamon if desired). Stir just until combined. Then mix in the oats.
- Use a medium cookie scoop and scoop onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 7-10 minutes, or until the edges are just light golden brown (the centers should look a little underdone). Take them out a little early for softer cookies and bake a little longer for crispier cookies.
- Let cookies rest on pan for 2 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.
Nutrition
Great recipe! Followed recipe exactly as shown and they turned out great, husband loved them!
So glad to hear you enjoyed them! :)
DeliciousAllie
These are absolutely amazing! I did use the optional cinnamon that was noted! Wouldn’t change anything about it!