The Ultimate Guide to Baking Soft & Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Welcome to your new favorite oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe! These delightful treats are an absolute classic, beloved for their perfect balance of hearty oats, rich, melty chocolate chips, and an irresistibly soft and chewy texture. If you’ve been searching for a cookie that’s both easy to make and guaranteed to disappear quickly, your quest ends here. This recipe is designed to be straightforward, using common pantry staples, and delivers a batch of cookies so delicious, you’ll want to bake them again and again.
Many bakers often find themselves torn between the comforting simplicity of oatmeal raisin cookies and the decadent allure of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. While both have their unique charm, there’s something undeniably special about the combination of wholesome oats and sweet chocolate. Over the years, countless readers have praised my oatmeal raisin cookies, and I’m thrilled to bring you an updated version of my much-loved oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe. This guide comes complete with fresh photos, enhanced instructions, and all the essential tips to ensure your baking success. Plus, who could resist the opportunity to whip up another batch of these incredible cookies? Not me!
Why These Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Are a Must-Bake
This isn’t just another cookie recipe; it’s a meticulously crafted guide to your new go-to dessert. Here’s why you’ll fall in love with these oatmeal chocolate chip cookies:
- Effortlessly Easy to Make: Forget complicated techniques or obscure ingredients. This recipe relies on basic pantry staples and simple steps, making it perfect for bakers of all skill levels, from beginners to seasoned pros.
- Minimal Dough Chilling Time: Unlike many cookie recipes that demand hours of chilling, this dough only needs 30 minutes in the refrigerator. This brief chill is enough to enhance the flavor, prevent excessive spreading, and result in wonderfully thick cookies without a long wait.
- Unbelievably Soft, Chewy, and Thick: We’re talking about cookies with the ideal texture – a slightly crisp edge giving way to a soft, tender interior that’s perfectly chewy. The carefully balanced ingredients and chilling process ensure a substantial, satisfying cookie every time.
- Loaded with Melty Chocolate Chips: Each bite is packed with generous amounts of chocolate chips, ensuring that delightful pockets of molten chocolate are present throughout the cookie. You get maximum chocolate flavor in every single cookie.
This recipe yields two dozen perfectly sized cookies, making it ideal for sharing with family and friends, or for stashing some away for later. If you’re baking for a larger crowd or simply want to stock up, the recipe is easily doubled. Beyond the basic steps, I’m also sharing invaluable tips for achieving perfect results every time, along with detailed instructions on how to freeze the cookie dough so you can enjoy freshly baked cookies whenever a craving strikes!
Essential Ingredients for Your Perfect Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Crafting these exceptional oatmeal chocolate chip cookies starts with a selection of simple ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen. Each component plays a vital role in achieving that coveted soft, chewy texture and rich flavor. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need:
- All-Purpose Flour: This forms the foundational structure of your cookies. The key to success here is accurate measurement. Always use the “spoon and level” method: gently spoon the flour into your measuring cup until it overflows, then level it off with the back of a knife. Avoid scooping directly from the container, as this compacts the flour, leading to an excess amount that can result in dry, crumbly cookies that don’t spread properly.
- Ground Cinnamon: While optional, a touch of ground cinnamon adds a warm, inviting aroma and a subtle depth of flavor that complements the earthy notes of the oats beautifully. It elevates the overall taste profile, making these cookies even more comforting.
- Baking Soda & Salt: Baking soda is our leavening agent, responsible for giving the cookies a slight lift and contributing to their soft texture. Salt is crucial for enhancing all the other flavors, particularly the sweetness of the sugars and the richness of the chocolate. It also helps to balance the sweetness, preventing the cookies from tasting overly sugary.
- Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats: These are non-negotiable for achieving the signature chewy texture of an oatmeal cookie. Rolled oats retain their shape and provide a delightful bite. While quick oats can be substituted in a pinch, be aware that they will result in a softer, less chewy cookie due to their finer texture and quicker cooking time.
- Unsalted Butter: Using unsalted butter allows you to precisely control the amount of salt in your recipe, ensuring a consistent flavor profile. It should be softened to room temperature for optimal creaming with the sugars. If salted butter is all you have, simply reduce the added salt in the recipe to just a tiny pinch to avoid overly salty cookies.
- Granulated Sugar & Brown Sugar: This recipe utilizes a harmonious blend of both sugars. Brown sugar is key for moisture and chewiness, thanks to its molasses content, which also adds a subtle caramel note. Granulated sugar contributes to spread and helps create those slightly crisp edges that are so desirable in a perfect cookie.
- Large Egg & Pure Vanilla Extract: A single large egg acts as a vital binder, bringing all the ingredients together and adding richness. Ensure your egg is at room temperature, as this helps it emulsify better with the butter and sugars, leading to a smoother, more uniform dough. Pure vanilla extract is essential for its warm, sweet aroma and flavor, which rounds out the entire cookie profile.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: With a full cup (190 grams) of semi-sweet chocolate chips, these cookies are guaranteed to deliver maximum chocolatey goodness. The semi-sweet variety offers a balanced sweetness that pairs wonderfully with the oats. However, feel free to customize by using milk chocolate chips for a sweeter treat or dark chocolate chips for a more intense cocoa experience. You can even mix and match!
Step-by-Step: How to Make Irresistibly Soft Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Once you’ve gathered your ingredients and ensured they’re at the right temperature, it’s time to transform them into the most delicious oatmeal chocolate chip cookie dough. Follow these simple, yet crucial, steps for baking perfection:
- Prepare the Dry Ingredients: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, begin by thoroughly whisking together your all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon (if using), baking soda, and salt. This ensures that the leavening agent and spices are evenly distributed throughout the dough. After whisking, stir in the old-fashioned rolled oats. Setting these aside prevents overmixing later and ensures all dry components are ready.
- Cream the Butter and Sugars: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a large bowl and a handheld mixer), beat the softened unsalted butter with both the light brown sugar and granulated sugar. Mix on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the mixture is light, fluffy, and well combined. This creaming process incorporates air, which is vital for the cookies’ soft texture.
- Incorporate the Egg and Vanilla: Add the room-temperature large egg and pure vanilla extract to the creamed butter and sugar mixture. Mix until just combined. It’s a good practice to stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of your bowl with a spatula after this step. This ensures all the wet ingredients are fully incorporated and prevents any streaks of unmixed butter or sugar. Your mixture should now resemble the consistency shown in the photo on the left above.
- Add the Dry Ingredients: Turn your mixer off before adding the whisked dry ingredients to the wet mixture. This prevents a cloud of flour from escaping! Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are *just* combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can develop the gluten in the flour too much, leading to tough, dense cookies. A few streaks of flour are perfectly acceptable.
- Fold in the Chocolate Chips: With the mixer still on low speed, or by hand using a sturdy spatula, gently fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips until they are evenly distributed throughout the cookie dough. Mixing by hand can give you better control and prevent overmixing. At this stage, your dough should look rich and inviting, much like the picture on the right above.
- Chill the Dough for Optimal Texture: Cover your cookie dough tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for a minimum of 30 minutes. This step is critical! Chilling allows the butter to firm back up, preventing excessive spreading during baking. More importantly, it gives the flavors time to meld and deepen, resulting in a more complex and delicious cookie. Colder butter directly translates to thicker, chewier cookies.
- Scoop, Flatten, and Bake to Perfection: While your dough chills, preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Once the dough is chilled, use a 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion out uniform balls of dough, placing them a couple of inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. For slightly wider and more evenly spread cookies, I recommend gently pressing down on each dough ball to flatten it slightly before baking. Bake for 10-13 minutes, or until the tops of the cookies are set and the edges are lightly golden brown. Remember, the cookies may still look a bit soft in the center when you pull them out – that’s exactly what you want for a chewy texture.
Once removed from the oven, the cookies will continue to cook slightly from the residual heat of the baking sheet. It’s best to let them cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Of course, if you can’t resist, enjoying them while they’re still warm and the chocolate is perfectly gooey is always an excellent choice!
Freezing Instructions: Enjoy Fresh Cookies Anytime!
One of the best aspects of this recipe is its freezer-friendly nature, allowing you to have homemade cookies on demand. You can absolutely freeze this cookie dough or even baked cookies for later enjoyment.
Freezing Cookie Dough:
To freeze the cookie dough, first scoop individual portions onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. This is the same size as you would use for baking, typically a 1.5 tablespoon scoop. For best results, roll each scooped ball of dough gently between your palms to smooth them, then lightly press each one down to slightly flatten them. This slight flattening helps ensure they spread beautifully when baked directly from frozen. Next, flash freeze these dough balls on the baking sheet until they are solid, typically about 1-2 hours. Freezing them individually first prevents them from sticking together once transferred to a storage container.
Once fully frozen, transfer the solid cookie dough balls into a freezer-safe bag or an airtight container. They will keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months. If you’re layering them in a container, placing a piece of wax paper or parchment paper between layers can further prevent sticking. When you’re ready to bake, simply place the frozen dough balls on a prepared baking sheet and bake as directed in the recipe. You may need to add an additional 1-2 minutes to the baking time, depending on your oven and the thickness of the dough.
Freezing Baked Cookies:
Alternatively, you can bake the entire batch of cookies, let them cool completely on a wire rack, and then freeze them. Place the cooled cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet and flash freeze them for about an hour until firm. Then, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or airtight container, again using parchment paper between layers if necessary. Baked cookies can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready for a treat, simply remove the desired number of cookies from the freezer and let them come to room temperature on the counter before serving. You can also warm them gently in the microwave for a few seconds for that “fresh from the oven” feel.
Pro Baking Tips for Perfect Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Achieving bakery-quality oatmeal chocolate chip cookies at home is entirely possible with a few expert tips:
- Accurate Flour Measurement is Key: To avoid dry, dense cookies, always measure your flour using the “spoon and level” method. First, fluff up the flour in its container. Then, spoon it into your measuring cup until it’s overflowing, and finally, use the back of a straight knife or leveler to scrape off the excess. Never scoop flour directly from the container, as this compacts it, leading to significantly more flour than the recipe intends.
- Opt for Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats: For that signature chewy texture that defines a great oatmeal cookie, old-fashioned rolled oats are your best friend. Their larger, flatter flakes hold up well during baking and contribute significantly to the cookie’s structure and chew. Quick oats, while convenient, are cut finer and will result in a softer cookie with less textural distinction.
- Don’t Skip the Dough Chilling: Chilling the cookie dough for at least 30 minutes is a crucial step for multiple reasons. It allows the butter to firm up, which prevents the cookies from spreading too much in the oven, ensuring they remain thick. It also gives the dry ingredients time to fully hydrate, and the flavors to meld and intensify, leading to a more delicious and cohesive cookie. If you prefer thinner, crispier cookies, you can shorten or even skip this step, but for soft and chewy, chilling is essential.
- Slightly Flatten for Even Spreading: These cookies are designed to bake up wonderfully thick, especially if your dough is well-chilled. To encourage a more uniform spread and achieve a slightly larger, perfectly round cookie, gently press down on each ball of cookie dough before placing them in the oven. This small action helps them spread just a bit more, creating a beautiful shape while still retaining their desired thickness. If you desire exceptionally thick, domed cookies, you can skip this flattening step entirely.
More Irresistible Oatmeal Cookie Recipes to Explore!
If you’ve fallen in love with these oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, you’ll definitely want to try some of my other favorite oatmeal cookie recipes:
- Oatmeal Scotchies: A classic with butterscotch chips!
- Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies: Perfect for fall, packed with warm spices.
- Monster Cookies: A crowd-pleasing mix of oats, chocolate, peanut butter, and M&Ms.
- Apple Oatmeal Cookies: Delightfully soft with chunks of apple and cinnamon.
Recipe Video
Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
45 minutes
12 minutes
57 minutes
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Ingredients
24
cookies
-
1
cup
(125 grams) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled) -
½
teaspoon
ground cinnamon -
½
teaspoon
baking soda -
¼
teaspoon
salt -
1
and ½ cups (150 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats -
½
cup
(115 grams) unsalted butter
softened -
½
cup
(100 grams) light brown sugar
packed -
¼
cup
(50 grams) granulated sugar -
1
large egg
room temperature -
1
teaspoon
pure vanilla extract -
1
cup
(190 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
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Instructions
-
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt until thoroughly combined. Then, stir in the old-fashioned rolled oats and set the bowl aside.
-
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a handheld mixer in a large mixing bowl), beat the softened butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar together. Mix for 1 to 2 minutes on medium speed, until the mixture is light, fluffy, and well combined.
-
Mix in the room-temperature egg and pure vanilla extract until just incorporated. Be sure to stop and scrape down the sides of your bowl as needed with a rubber spatula, ensuring all ingredients are fully blended.
-
Gradually add the reserved dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix on low speed only until the flour streaks have almost disappeared and the ingredients are just combined. Then, add the chocolate chips and mix on low speed until they are fully incorporated into the cookie dough. Cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
-
While the dough is chilling, preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set them aside.
-
Using a 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion the chilled dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between each cookie. Gently press down on each ball of cookie dough to slightly flatten them, which encourages a more even spread during baking.
-
Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 10-13 minutes, or until the tops of the cookies appear set and the edges are lightly golden brown. The centers may still look slightly soft.
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Remove the baking sheets from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the sheets for 5-10 minutes. This allows them to finish setting up with the residual heat. Afterward, carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Oats: For the best soft and chewy texture in these cookies, I highly recommend using old-fashioned rolled oats. If quick oats are your only option, you can use them, but please note that the cookies’ texture will be slightly different, likely softer and less chewy.
Butter: This recipe calls for unsalted butter to control the salt content. If you only have salted butter on hand, reduce the amount of added salt in the recipe to a tiny pinch (about 1/8 teaspoon) to prevent the cookies from becoming too salty.
To Prepare Ahead of Time: The cookie dough can be prepared 2-3 days in advance. Simply cover it tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. If the dough is too firm to scoop directly from the fridge, let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes to soften slightly before scooping and baking.
Freezing Instructions: To freeze raw cookie dough, scoop balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, roll them gently, and lightly flatten each one. Flash freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. To bake from frozen, add an additional 1-2 minutes to the baking time as needed.
Baked cookies also freeze exceptionally well for up to 3 months when stored in a freezer bag or airtight container. To enjoy, simply thaw them to room temperature on the counter before serving.
American
Dessert
Danielle
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