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.
Donetta
I made these cookies & they are fantastic! My nephew absolutely loves them! My husband loves Oatmeal Cookies but these are the softest & best flavored Oatmeal Cookies I’ve ever made!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed them so much, Donetta! 🙂
H Deinhardt
These cookies came out SO good! They were so delicious with just the right amount of chewy and crispy goodness. We can hardly wait to try some of your other recipes Thank you!!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed them so much! 🙂
Susan
One of the best oatmeal cookie I have ever had! I made half of a batch today to test it first to see if I liked it and I definitely will be making them again. Thank you for sharing your fabulous recipe!!
Sam
Thank you so much, Susan! I am so glad you enjoyed them so much! 🙂
Nicole Simpson
Used this recipe for oatmeal raisin pecan cookies! They came out great, although the oats really hurt during the rolling process 😂😂
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much, Nicole! Sometimes those oats can be a little tough! 😂 🙂
Afia
I tried this recipe today. It was really good. The instead of soft and airy and the edges crispy. I used margarine instead of butter and it worked fine. I also used quick oats which was not a problem for me. The texture was not crumbly at all! I would put a little less sugar next time. I found they were a bit sweet. I flash froze some for another day so looking forward to see how those turn out. I will definitely be making these again since they were finished in the blink of an eye. Thank you so much!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed the cookies so much, Afia! 🙂
Megen
Hello! This looks like an amazing recipe. Have you ever tried making this with melted/cooled butter, or would that really mess up the end result?
Sam
Hi Megen! I personally haven’t had a good experience doing that. The cookies always end up spreading a little bit too much. 🙂
Elaine Graham
Love these cookies. Just wondering if I can use Becel margarine instead of butter?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Elaine! I haven’t tried this recipe with margarine so I can’t say for sure. While I don’t generally recommend substituting margarine for butter, I think it could work (though the cookies might spread more) and if you try it out I’d love to hear how it works for you.
Lynae
Hi Sam, it’s me AGAIN!! Just got done making these wonderful cookies!! I followed receipe exactly, with one exception of adding raisens, and they turned out great! (I knew they would) My son is turning 18 very soon, and has requested a chocolate cheesecake, can’t wait to try your receipe, cause I have never made a cheesecake before!!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the cookies, Lynae! Thank you for trying my recipe. I hope that your cheesecake turns out perfectly and your son loves it! 🙂
Maria
Hello I want to try out your recipe but I was wondering if maybe I can substitute the sugar with something else. If so what ? And how much? Maybe can I use applesauce instead of the sugar and the butter as I’ve seen that in other recipes?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Maria! Unfortunately, I am not familiar with baking sugar-free or using sugar-free substitutes therefore I can not provide you with any personal recommendations. Maybe someone else who has will chime in. 🙂
Malika Ali
I made these and they were delicious! My hubby asked to have them for breakfast but I think that’s going overboard. Hhahahaha. Delicious! I am saving these to make MORE! I am doing all that I can not to bake some more lol.
Sugar Spun Run
I love it, Malika! Cookies for breakfast! I am so glad that they were a hit. 🙂
KD
My family adores the oatmeal chocolate chip cookies that we buy on our way to visit certain relatives. It’s too far to go more than once a year, so we thought we’d try baking them ourselves.
We searched through many cookbooks and websites before finding your recipe.
I have used this recipe multiple times over the past year – to the exclusion of all other cookie recipes!
Thank you!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that your family has enjoyed this recipe and that it has reminded them of the cookies you’ve purchased on your travels, KD. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Diane
I have a little cookie business out of my home. My signature is the chocolate chip cookie but I had a lot of requests for oatmeal raisin! I came across this recipe and now this is my best seller! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that it has been such a hit and a new staple for you, Diane! Thank you for commenting. 🙂
Laura
I cannot even begin to explain how amazing these are!! Craving beyond SATISFIED! The recipe truly yielded perfect results. I even made a batch for my parents 😉
Side note: I have made both your buttercream frosting and cream cheese frosting and they both came out amazing. At that point, I knew you would be my go to blog anytime I wanted to bake something new! (which is always)
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much for being a fan of my site, Laura! I am so glad that this recipe cured your craving and the cookies were enjoyed. Thank you so much for trying my recipe(s). I appreciate your feedback and your support.:)
Liz
Same!!! I am making these for the second time. I come to Sam’s page for ALL my dessert recipes! And refer tons of people to this site as well when they ask for the recipe 🙂 THE BEST.
Belinda Peck
Just finishing my first batch now! My husband is my tester….passed with flying colors. In my first batch here I added chocolate chips. Oats are not easy to get where I am, in the Amazon jungle in remote southeastern border of Peru…but we were able to score a one and only can of actual Quaker Oats before pandemic orders took place. Happy to be wafting throughout our tropical forest air with smells of my other Home Sweet Home (California).
Sugar Spun Run
I am so happy this recipe could remind you of home, Belinda, and that they were husband approved too. Thank you for trying my recipe. Enjoy your cookies! 🙂
Laura
I went against the recommendations and used quick oats because it’s all I had.
Results: Definitely on the dry side, but still soft and great flavor; not too sweet. They weren’t flattening properly so halfway through cooking i pressed them down with a fork, and that saved them from being giant puff-ball cookies. I can personally attest that dry-ish flat cookies are better and not as crumbly as giant dry-ish puffball cookies. They really weren’t bad.
The irony is that my husband prefers dry cookies (and brownies, for that matter). He loved these cookies exactly as I made them! Though I don’t completely share his opinion, I did love baking them and sneaking bits of dough. Even though I used the wrong oats and the results were imperfect, this cookie recipe still brought much joy to our home. I’m saving it and plan to try again with the correct ingredients, and some chocolate chips.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so happy that despite them being on the drier side everyone still loved them, Laura! Thank you for your detailed review. I am glad that this recipe could bring you some joy. Thanks for your feedback. 🙂
Don
I just made this today and had to use quick oats myself. I followed the recipe as written and couldn’t disagree with Laura more. These weren’t dry in the least and I had no problem with them flattening out. No puff balls here! I want to emphasize that they’re best by following Sam’s directions to take them out once the edges are brown and the middle is still gooey. After a few minutes they turned out perfect. Thanks Sam!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you for trying my recipe, Don. I am so so happy to hear that you too had such great success with quick oats. Thank you for the feedback, I do appreciate it. Enjoy your cookies! 🙂
Laura
Glad to hear, Don!