Classic Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
This recipe for classic oatmeal chocolate chip cookies is simply the best. Soft and chewy, it is a tried-and-true favorite!
There is truly nothing better any given day than a warm oatmeal chocolate chip cookie.
The hearty chewiness of this classic cookie makes regular chocolate chip cookies look, well, positively wimpy.
A Tried-and-True Recipe
After over a decade, these are still one of the cookie recipes I make the most (I almost always have them baked and ready to go in the freezer).
They really are the best oatmeal chocolate chip cookies ever. Soft and chewy, loaded with chocolate chips (i.e. no raisins in sight…nope, not for me!), and perfectly puffy.
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
The dough for these cookie is super straightforward (and kind of irresistible):
- butter
- brown sugar + granulated sugar
- eggs + vanilla
- basic dry ingredients (oatmeal, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt)
- chocolate chips
You can use either old-fashioned rolled oats or quick oats for the cookies.
Pro Tip: for the best oatmeal chocolate chip cookie texture, use both old-fashioned rolled oats AND quick oats!
Freezable Cookies
I almost always have these cookie waiting in the freezer for just the right craving or moment.
The cookies can be baked, cooled and frozen.
OR, you can freeze the cookie dough balls and bake from frozen.
To bake from frozen, place the cookie dough balls a couple inches apart on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for 12-13 minutes (adding time as needed).
Rave Reviews
I’m not the only one completely head over heels for these cookies.
Kat writes: Mel. These cookies are perfection. Perfection! One bite, and I threw away my family favorite recipe. Seriously. No regrets. They are soft and delicious even the next day. Did I mention they are perfect? This is now the standard, and I doubt it will ever be topped. I can’t think of anything I’d change to make it better. Texture, flavor, saltiness, sweetness, chocolate to cookie ratio, you absolutely nailed it! Thank you Mel!!
Katie B. commented: I have made these several times over the last few months and I absolutely love them!! A perfect cookie in my opinion! Thanks for a great go-to recipe everyone loves!
Leia says: I loved the texture of these cookies and of course the flavor was amazing, even a few days later!
Classic Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (227 g) butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (212 g) packed light brown sugar (see note)
- 1 cup (212 g) granulated sugar (see note)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (284 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ cups (250 g) old-fashioned rolled oats (see note)
- 2 cups (340 g) chocolate chips or chocolate chunks (butterscotch chips are delicious, too)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, silicone liners or lightly grease with cooking spray.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until creamy and well-combined, 1-2 minutes. Add baking soda, baking powder, salt and mix well. Add flour, oatmeal and chocolate chips. Mix until no dry streaks remain (don’t go crazy; just mix until evenly combined).
- Scoop the cookies into balls (about 2 tablespoons each) and place a couple inches apart on the baking sheets.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
Recipe originally posted August 2009; updated with new photos, recipe notes, commentary.
Loved this recipe! I had to modify due to not having all the ingredients in the amounts needed, so I want to share what I did in case it helps someone! I had to use self rising flour, so I cut the baking powder/soda, and halved the salt. I only had country crock baking bars leftover from hosting my niece with a dairy allergy. Also followed the notes and used a 3/4c each of the light brown and brown white sugar instead of a cup each. Also subbed in a half cup of quick cooking oats bc I need to use them up. Used half a cup of chocolate chips and a half cup of red&green m&m’s bc it’s that time of year. Had to bake for 14 mins, likely bc of the flour. BUT… I am shocked and so pleased how well it all came out! I plan to make these as written next time, but for anyone with a lot of substitutions, I highly recommend still trying this recipe. It’s so good!!
My grandmother passed away many many years ago and no one ever got her oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe. I ran across this while searching for recipes and tried it. These taste just like hers. Thank you for sharing. This one is being saved.
So happy you found this recipe, Robert! And I’m thrilled it brought back memories of your grandmother’s cookies.
Hi. Do you use salted or unsalted butter.
Thank you
Salted butter
Easy to follow and it turns so good!
I don’t usually comment, but this recipe is great!!! I love the weights for easy, consistent results. This has been my go to recipe this year! I’m no super baker but this makes it easy.
YAY! This is the oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe I’ve been looking for. I made them this evening and they’re exactly right. Delish! I love them and will be making more, freezing, and sharing them.
Love this I replaced both sugars with coconut and Sucunat
Delicious and easy
Yes I made this recipe and to my absolute delight they turned out great. That because if there is one thing, I absolutely hate wasting ingredients making something that turns out….hmmm….not so good😞But 😂😁 this recipe is a winner for my recipe book….oh and also…Very easy to make…Enjoy🙋🏽♀️
These are so so good! I often make the 1/2 batch and the recipe splits well! Thank you for sharing!
Tried this recipe two days ago and we’re already making them again! I baked for 10 minutes and left them on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes and they were perfectly soft.
These might be the best oatmeal chocolate chip cookies I have ever made! A little bit of crunch on the outside and soft on the inside. So good!!
Hi Mel,
What do you think about baking the dough in a sheet pan for a bar cookie? And, if so, what size pan? 13×9? 15×10?
Thanks!
Sure, this batch works pretty well in a 9X13-inch pan.
I made these tonight and they were a hit! My fiancé said the recipe was a keeper. I already made a second batch to freeze for when that sweet tooth hits!
We make cookies for every Friday afterschool and these are some of our favorites! And they freeze great in cookie dough balls.
OMG! Thank you so much for a perfect oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe! I just made this and wow! Just the perfect blend of sweet chocolate goodness! This is a keeper!
These are the absolute best cookies!!!
I did cut the sugar like you had mentioned to 3/4 c. each of the white and brown sugar. Will be making these very often!
Absolutely yummy!! I added peanut butter chips instead of chocolate chips and we loved it. (My husband is a peanut butter fanatic)
These cookies are amazing! My little kids loved making these with me. I felt like it needed a little more salt, but were still, in my opinion, divine. The second time I made them this week (yes, this week), I did just a smidge under the needed amount for salt and then added about 1/4-1/2 a teaspoon of sea salt. My husband said they tasted so much better. Sea salt elevated these delicious cookies just enough.
These look so good!! I have a question out of curiosity about the weight of the flour u have listed. U say 2 Cups of flour is 284g (142g/cup), I’ve never seen a cup of flour weigh that much. Usually 120-125g/c. Is this the weight u find works in this specific recipe, or is this ur measurement for all ur recipes? Just curious behind the science of it 🙂
Hi Lori, I test all my recipes using 142 grams of flour per cup. It is the same weight measure that America’s Test Kitchen recommends (although many other sources online use less weight of flour per cup) and I feel it best approximates the amount of flour that many people measure into a cup without weighing. I always recommend that people use the weight measure in a given recipe if it has been tested that way. Hope that helps!
Delicious, my kids and husband love these! I used the Kodiak Protein Rolled Oats & added a sprinkle of sea salt before baking.
Forgot to add the stars on my last comment…. 5 STARS!!
The texture of these once they’ve cooled is amazing. Chewy, flavorful, delicious!
These are the best cookies. I opted for dairy free allergen free chocolate chips and plant based butter. I lowered the sugar as directed and they turned out beautifully. Thankyou.
My grandson and I made these! They are wonderful! We used milk chocolate chips. Taste so good!!
These are the best cookies I have ever made and believe me – I’ve made lots of them!
Can these be made into bars instead of cookies?
Yes, they should work well as a bar cookie.
Hands down fav cookie. I three some toffee in for kicks a while back and It’s a definite game changer. Hadn’t even considered PB. Pretty stoked to try that
These are a family favorite. I make them all the time now.
Loved this recipe!
My grandkids loved them for a surprise after school treat!
Im looking for a good oatmeal craisin cookie. Could I use this base and just use craisins instead of Choc chips. Are they soft and chewy enough?
Yes, this cookie would work great for that.
I made these and and they spread way out so I added more flour and still not what I like. Too much oatmeal. So not sure I will make again. I had to keep adding minutes to the cooking time as well
As long as you do the recipe accordingly it’s a fabulous cookie!
Whatever you do, do NOT microwave the butter you will ruin the recipe!
These cookies are delicious. I’ve added 1/4 cup each of craisins (dried cranberries), pecans or almonds, and 1/2 cup of coconut and they are SO GOOD.
5 stars on the recipe alone but 6 stars for the fact that you only dirty 4 (maybe 5) dishes while making these cookies — this is a big deal when you don’t have a dishwasher
Yas
Yummy, used adjusted sugar measurements like Mel suggested in the notes. Went over big in the harvest field tonight.
Probably the best oatmeal cookies out there, and just say probably because i think I’ll never try any other since these are so good. I always change the sugar to the measurements added in the Notes section and my family loves them ♡♡
My oatmeal chocolate chip cookies always fall flat. These turned out so well! I reduced the sugars as per the note. They were perfectly sweet. Sprinkled with flakes sea salt just before baking-delicious!
These are wonderful!! Cookies never turn out for me but I have made these twice and they’ve both been perfect! No refrigeration needed.
Let me start by saying, I love Mel’s recipes! They’re easy fool proof recipes that leave a little wiggle room for one to tweak to their liking if needed. I love the peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe! Often times when I’m busy with my kiddos I throw it all in a 9×13 parchment lined Pyrex for cookie bars. This recipe is no different for me to do the same. We had a busy weekend, so I made this dough the night before, threw it all in a parchment lined 9×13 Pyrex at 350 for 25-30 minutes. We like our cookie bars thick so I didn’t divide the recipe. I did take her advice and try cutting the sugar to 3/4 c for each brown and white. I always add extra vanilla in my cookie and cake recipes but that’s just my preference. Next time I would do 1 c brown sugar and 1/2 c white sugar. I like my cookies to have a little more depth in color. I feel the brown sugar will also help to add a smidge more moisture since cutting back on the sugar as Mel suggests she does sometimes. Thanks Mel!
do you grind up the oatmeal before adding it in? I though I read somewhere that you did that but don’t see it in the recipe. Also, do you measure the oats before grinding or after if you do grind up the oatmeal.
I have been using this recipe for a few years now to make oatmeal raisin cookies (my husband’s favorite). I add about a tsp of cinnamon and honestly don’t always measure the raisins (aim for the amount of chocolate chips), and they turn out great. Last time I made them, I did half the dough with raisins and half with chips and they were both awesome.
These cookies are SO GOOD! I think next time I might want to lower the sugar amount, just to make myself feel better about how much sugar and butter I’m consuming. Instead of 2 cups of chocolate chips, I added 1 cup chopped up ALDI chocolate bar and 1 cup pecans. Delicious.
These cookies are so amazing! It was a little tricky to find the balance at first of how long to cook them without them getting dry (typical for any cookie with oats in my experience), but once I perfected that these are SO yummy! This is my go-to cookie recipe for sure. Thanks Mel!
This recipe is a keeper. My family loved them! I did the 3/4 c of each sugar like the note suggested and they tasted great!