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.
Sandie
Baked these cookies for my husband last night. He loved them and told me not to lose this recipe! I just had to adjust my oven as it’s an old small gas oven. Thank for an awesome SOFT oatmeal cookie recipe.
Sugar Spun Run
I am happy to hear how much you both enjoyed them, Sandie! Thank you for trying my recipe and for commenting. 🙂
Jacee C
These disappear in my house! My husband commented that he would like more of a brown sugar taste. I am curious if a different kind other than light would have a stronger flavor? Thank you!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that the cookies are a hit, Jacee! If you wish for a deeper brown sugar toffee flavor, I would substitute light brown sugar for dark brown sugar, or a combination of the too. This will give you the taste your husband is looking for. 🙂
Arie
These came out soo good! Def recommend taking them out early for a nice soft gooey cookie ! Great recipe
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed them, Arie! Thanks for trying my recipe. 🙂
Tammy
You make the steps so easy to follow. THANK YOU! And I love that you can freeze the batter balls for later.
I made this recipe today with chocolate chips and almond shavings, because my hubbie had cravings for oatmeal cookies.
Only, i substituded the white sugar for sugar-free syrup and I only had Quick oats. Also, I heated my oven a tiny bit lower at 350F. First time ever making oatmeal cookies and they turned out fantastic!! The syrup and quick oats balanced out, so the cookies are still soft and gooey. Lol. They disappeared within minutes of cooling down.
Also made a batter of your peanutbutter oatmeal cookies with choco chips. They will be baked today too. 🙂
Sam
Wonderful, I’m so happy to hear the cookies were such a hit! Thank you so much for commenting, Tammy! 🙂
Patricia
The cookies came out perfect! Just the kind of simple cookie I was hoping for! Do you think you could make this batter and freeze some? How would I cook it later if so?
Sam
Hi Patricia! You could definitely freeze these. I scoop them and roll them, then wrap individually with plastic wrap and then freeze those in a gallon size storage bag. They will just need to bake for another minute or two when you cook them. 🙂
Jeff Martin
Turned out nice, chewy, and moist. I set my oven at 350, I figured that 375 would leave the cookie slightly over baked and a bit raw in the middle. I also flattened them with a glass so they would bake more evenly, and that worked out well too. Great recipe !
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad you enjoyed the cookies and made adjustments to bake them to your liking, Jeff! Thanks for trying my recipe and for commenting. 🙂
Adina
Jeff,
When you baked at 350 degrees, did you keep the time at 10-12 minutes?
Jeff Martin
10 minutes, and I used parchment paper. My oven is slow, but if I did 375, I know it would be too hot, probably leaving the cookies a little dark on the bottom and maybe a even too soft in the middle. I bake one sheet at a time in the middle of the oven.
Mabel
I am anxious to try this recipe but currently only have the quick oats. Would that make that big of difference?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Mabel! I do not recommend using quick oats when making oatmeal cookies. They tend to dry out the cookies and make them too thick (not in a good way) and crumbly.
Mabel
Thank you so much. I’m sorry. After I asked I did see you answered this question already. My apologies.
Sugar Spun Run
No worries at all, Mabel! I hope that you enjoy the cookies. 🙂
Sharon Evitt
Excellent Cookies! Thank you so much! Will be trying the others also!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Sharon! I am so glad that you enjoyed them. Happy Baking. 🙂
Barbara
The Perfect recipe I’ve made a lot of oatmeal cookies and this recipe is the Best thank you
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Barbara! I am so glad that you enjoyed it. 🙂
Samantha
Sooo good! This is exactly the kind of oatmeal cookie I was hoping to make. Thank you!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the cookies, Samantha! Thank you for commenting. 🙂
Noa
Tastes wonderfull
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed them, Noa! Thank you for commenting. 🙂
Leon
Wonderful tasting recipe. Horribly format page. Must scroll back and forth between ingredients and directi ons
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the recipe, Leon, but I am sorry to hear that the ads got in the way of your experience. At the top of the page there is a “jump to recipe” button that will take you directly to the recipe. From here you can print it as well. Thank you so much for the feedback, I do appreciate it! 🙂
Jazz
Just made these today. I weighed the ingredients precisely and added chocolate chips. It made 5 batches. First batch came out with burnt bottoms and uncooked tops (used a pale baking sheet with parchment paper). Second batch same… I then lowered the oven temp to 360* and still they came out overcooked! So the last batch I baked them at 360 for about 8 minutes… they were perfect consistency!
As for the taste, they were ok but missing something…can’t figure out what yet…
Sadly, I will not make these again
Sam
I am disappointed to hear this, Jazz. It’s honestly very strange that they would cook so unevenly, are you certain your oven temperature is correct? Did you use the center rack of your oven? Just trying to help troubleshoot.
Jazz
Yes temperature of oven is good. They were on the middle rack. I have to say that the next day they tasted better!
Like shortbread cookies I guess, they taste better with age! So if I make the recipe again, I would reduce the oven temp and time, also wait a day or two to eat them 🙂
Sugar Spun Run
I am glad that they tasted better the next day, Jazz! 🙂
Rick
You recommend using old fashioned oats in your cookies, not quick oats. When I read your recipe for the no bake chocolate oatmeal cookies you write that you use quick oats in that recipe like in your oatmeal cookie recipe. I’m confused
Sam
I’m sorry about the confusion, Rick, it is old fashioned oats in this recipe.
Sarah Montague
Hi! Do you think I could use salted butter? That’s all I have right now. Thanks!
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Sarah! Yes, that will be fine. If you do, I would cut the added salt down to 1/4 teaspoon. 🙂