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.
Karen Sather
These are PERFECT! My only oatmeal cookie recipe from now on. I added chopped prunes to a few cookies and that was good, too.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We are so happy you loved them, Karen!!
Lora Ann
Day 1 of cookie baking I chose this one and it did not disappoint! Amazing soft oatmeal cookie that I made festive by adding dried cranberries. This is a keeper and will be my go to oatmeal cookie from here on out!
Vicki Lull
Can the dough be frozen prior to baking? For use later?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
It sure can! Just follow the steps in our how to freeze cookie dough post 😊
Lindy McGranahan
Everything goes good with bacon right? Well, I add bacon, nuts and golden raisins and my co-workers devoured them! My son loved them too. Thank you for the recipe.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Lindy! 🥰
Karmann
This by far and away the best cookie recipe I ever had! Is it possible to double the recipe by just doubling the ingredients? I donated them to a benifit and they were gone in five minutes!
Sam
Hi Karmann! You can definitely just double all of the ingredients. I’m so glad everyone enjoyed them so much! 🙂
Marlena
This recipe is magnificent! Cornstarch expired, so I used rice flour instead, and added a little under 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg. Whoa, the most scrumptious oatmeal cookie I’ve tasted so far. Thank you Sam.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We love the nutmeg addition, Marlena! Thanks for trying our recipe 🥰
Michelle
Can splenda be used instead of the normal sugars??
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Michelle! Unfortunately we don’t have experience with baking with splenda. Hopefully someone who does can chime in and help 🙁
Neva
I made these cookies this evening (a half batch, thank you for gram weights, it made it SO much easier) and they turned out FABULOUSLY soft and moist and chewy. Next time, I may try your all-brown-sugar option, or maybe….even substitute some with a hint of molasses!
Regardless, this is a FANTASTIC recipe as written, with clear, easy to follow instructions. Thank you so much for helping this novice baker gain more confidence. ❤️
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you enjoyed the recipe, Neva! Thank you so much for the review–it means a lot to us! ❤️
Debbie Leuschner
Ace these today with chocolate chip the perfect soft oatmeal cookie
Cay G.
Hi Sam!
I used this recipe to make oatmeal cookies and it was incredible! However my family wondered why it was so thick. I baked it for 12 minutes and it was still quite thick. All problems aside, I enjoyed them. 😀
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Cay! We’re so happy the cookies tasted great! As far as the thickness goes, did you happen to substitute quick oats? If not, it could be that the flour was over-measured or your baking soda was bad.
Becky
Hi Sam,
Why doesn’t your Big Soft Oatmeal Cookie recipe have any molasses?
Sam
Hi Becky! I didn’t think it was necessary here. This is more of a classic style cookie. 🙂
Jamie M
Oh man, these are the best oatmeal cookies I’ve ever had! I made the recipe exactly as written and they turned out soft and delicious!
Jennifer
Can’t use cornstarch makes my stomach upset… is that ok? Will if affect the cookies?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Jennifer! The cookies won’t be as soft and tender if you leave it out, but they’ll still taste fine. Hope that helps. 🙂
Janelle
Quick question—have you ever added peanut butter to these?? I’ve made these cookies so many times and they’re always delicious. Someone requested monster cookies though, and I wanted to start with a recipe I know is good but not sure if I’d need to adjust any of the other ingredients. Thanks! 🙂
Sam
Hi Janelle! I actually have a peanut butter oatmeal cookie I think would be a better option. 🙂
Janelle
I meant to come back here and thank you for your reply—I had actually found your monster cookie recipe which I think is similar to this one you posted and they were a big hit!! ❤️
Doug Ralston
Made this many times with great success but I do the following:
1. Put all three cups of oats in the blender
2. Raisins soaked in rum or Bailey’s.
3. Cranberries.
Doug
Jennifer
I’ve made this recipe a dozen times or more at this point. It is the absolute best oatmeal cookie recipe. I add nuts, or raisins, or chocolate chips sometimes. I give them as gifts. Thank you so much for the amazing recipe!
Karen
I would not change a thing about this recipe! Cookies are soft and chewy and have a great flavor. When I bake them next time, I will use a 2T scoop vs a 3T that I used today. Another great cookie!
Susan D Lee
Finally at age 69, I have a PERFECT oatmeal cookie recipe! Thank you for the “chill dough”, “cornstarch” and “hot oven” hints! Everyone LOVES these! Thank you ever so much.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you found our recipe, Susan! Enjoy the cookies! 🥰
Donna Nordman
This oatmeal cookie recipe and every other recipe I’ve used from Sugar Spun Run for that matter has been nothing short of spot on success. I’m not a very good baker but Sam’s recipes always get rave reviews and if you’ve never tried her biscuit recipe just stop what you’re doing and get to it….once you’ve made these pillows of goodness you will never use one of those biscuit mixes again, I guarantee it. Thank you Sam for making us look good!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Thanks so much for your sweet review, Donna ❤️ It means a lot to us to have fans like you!
The Adams Family
Oh my/our heavens!!!! Back in July 2020, my husband requested oatmeal cookies for his birthday. I searched online and found your recipe. We tried it and fell in love with the perfect soft and chewy cookies!
It also became our 5 year old’s favorite cookie too! Now 8 years old, it was the top request for sharing with 60 summer campers and 10 staff members on his birthday next week. We are making atleast 12 dozen! Your recipe is The ONE and ONLY in our house. Search no further. Thank you for sharing it! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️+ 👏