Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (Chewy Recipe)

Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are a game-changer in the world of sweet treats! Chewy, hearty oats meet melty chocolate chips in a symphony of flavors.

These cookies are the ultimate crowd-pleaser. They’re perfect for dunking, snacking, or satisfying your sweet tooth.

Whether you’re a baking newbie or a cookie connoisseur, this recipe will be your new favorite.

These cookies are rich, sweet, soft, chewy, and just short of divine. 

Plus, you can make the dough beforehand to save yourself some work later. Get your apron, and let’s get baking!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you’re an oatmeal cookie fan, think of these as an upgrade to the traditional version.

The oats provide a rich, multilayered taste that’s hard to resist. I love the cookies’ crisp edges and soft, buttery centers. And ooey-gooey chocolate chips taste great in anything.

Try this recipe, whether you’re an oatmeal cookie fan or not. If you already love them, you know how good they’ll be. And if you don’t, this recipe might change your mind.

Ingredients

Most of what you’ll need for these cookies are common pantry staples. Here’s the complete list: 

• Flour – Use all-purpose flour measured properly. (See my tip below.) 

• Baking soda – Be sure your baking soda is fresh. Otherwise, your cookies won’t rise like you want them to. 

• Salt – Salt is simply a flavor enhancer. 

• Butter – Room-temperature unsalted butter works best. 

• Sugars – Use double the amount of light brown sugar to granulated sugar. This ensures the cookies come out soft, chewy, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. 

• Eggs – Use two large eggs brought to room temperature. 

• Vanilla extract – You can never go wrong with adding a little vanilla to a baking recipe. Invest in high-quality vanilla extract if you bake often. 

• Old-fashioned rolled oats – I use the Quaker brand, but you can use whatever you have. Just be sure they aren’t instant oats.

• Chocolate chips – Semi-sweet chocolate chips pair best with the oats in these cookies. However, you can swap them out for milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or whatever you like best. 

• Walnuts – These are optional, but I like to add them. They provide a rich nuttiness and a bit of contrasting crunch that takes the cookies up a notch. 

How to Make Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies 

There are four primary steps to this recipe: 

1. Make the dough. Use a sifter to combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set the mixture aside. Combine the butter and sugars in another large bowl. 

Once they’re well mixed, add the eggs one at a time. Then, stir in the vanilla. 

Next, combine the original dry mixture with the butter-sugar mixture. Mix gently, stopping when everything is just barely combined. Then, gently stir in the oats, chocolate chips, and nuts. 

2. Chill. Cover the dough and pop it in the fridge for 45 minutes minimum. 

3. Bake. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop mounds of dough onto the lined baking sheets. 

Bake them for 12 to 14 minutes or until the edges are set. The centers should still be soft. 

4. Cool. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes. Then, transfer them to wire racks to finish cooling. Serve them and enjoy! 

Tips for the Best Oatmeal Cookies 

Remember these tips while baking: 

• Measure the flour properly. Spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off the top with a knife. Don’t scoop it directly from the flour bag or tap the cup to settle the flour. 

• Use room-temperature ingredients. Let the butter and eggs come to room temperature before starting. This helps combine the butter and sugar faster.

• Chill your cookie sheets. I’ve already mentioned chilling the dough, but you can also chill your cookie sheets! Doing so will help prevent the cookies from spreading too much. 

• Reserve a few chocolate chips. Instead of mixing them all in the batter, keep a handful out. Then, press them into the tops of the dough balls. This will result in much prettier cookies. 

• Make the cookies thinner. Left alone, the cookies come out pretty thick. For thinner cookies, press the dough down gently before baking. 

• Toast the walnuts. Toasting the walnuts before adding them gives them a richer, nuttier flavor. 

Variations

You can make this recipe your own. Customize and experiment with add-ins like dried fruit, peanut butter chips, toffee, etc.

Here are a few other tips on variations: 

• Keep add-ins to 1 1/2 cups. You can add anything you like to these cookies. Just ensure the total add-ins don’t exceed 1 1/2 cups (including the chocolate chips). In other words, if you want to add peanut butter chips, you must cut down on the chocolate chips. (i.e., 1 cup chocolate chips + 1/2 cup peanut butter chips = 1 1/2 cups add-ins.)

• Make them extra chocolatey. Bake them using chocolate chunks instead of chocolate chips for extra chocolatey cookies. You can also use white chocolate, dark chocolate, butterscotch, etc. 

• Use quick-cooking oats in a pinch. I don’t like quick-cooking oats for oatmeal cookies. They don’t provide the same chewy texture. However, you can use them if they’re all you have. 

• Spice up the dough. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, or allspice to the dough for more warmth and flavor. You can even use pumpkin pie spice if you’re in the mood for fall. 

Make Ahead and Storage

You have two options for making the cookie dough ahead of time. Both options start with following the recipe card below, stopping after step 3. 

To Store Dough: If you want to store it in the fridge, place the mounds of dough on an unlined baking sheet. Refrigerate it for about 45 minutes until it’s thoroughly chilled. 

Then, store it in an air-tight bag or container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Bake the cookies following the instructions below, adding no extra time. 

To Freeze Dough:

1. Prepare the dough according to the recipe card below. Stop after step 3. 
2. Scoop the cookie dough onto unlined baking sheets. 
3. Slide the baking sheets in the freezer to flash-freeze the dough. 
4. Remove the frozen dough from the freezer.
5. Transfer it to freezer-safe bags or containers. 

You can freeze the dough for up to 2 months. Add 1 to 2 minutes of baking time to accommodate the frozen dough. 

To Store Baked Cookies: Store baked cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature. Let them cool first, then store them on the counter for up to a week. 

Pro tip: Toss a piece of white bread into the container with the cookies. Doing so will ensure they stay soft and chewy the entire week.