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.
Lydia
These are hands down the best oatmeal cookies! The recipe needs no alteration, save for personal preferences. I make the dough into a loosely packed ball, then barely press the top with a fork (really, barely). I also add a very conservative sprinkle of coarse sea salt to the tops.
I share this recipe often. Thank you!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoy the cookies, Lydia! 🙂
Johanna
Hello! Just found your blog when looking for a cookie recipe. I have to say, I love the fact that you answer to the comments; so here’s my question lol should I use unsalted or salted butter? I’m going with this recipe because they look delicious, the amazing reviews and I’m already hooked on your page 🙂
Thank you
Sam
Hi Johanna! I am so glad you are enjoying my site! For this recipe, it is best to use unsalted, but if you don’t have it, salted should work. Enjoy! 🙂
Cynthia Barrie
These were exactly what I was looking for. Chewy and moist. If I altered it at all, I would add a bit more cinnamon. Love these cookies!
Sam
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed them, Cynthia! Thank you for commenting!
Serine
Hi. I’m a baking novice and I tried making the recipe as is and for some reason they didn’t come out soft. Not sure what I did wrong. I made two separate batches: one was left a tad bit longer and it was super hard and the second was left 11 min and they seemed a little too raw inside. I’ll give it another try though 😊
Sam
Hi Serine! I am so sorry you are having this issue. Is your oven temperature accurate? They are typically hard if they are overcooked. When they come out they should be “slightly underdone,” You will want to let them cool on that cookie tray to finish cooking. I hope this helps. 🙂
Serine
Thanks for the reply. I was too excited about eating it before letting them cool down lol. I made a third batch and let it cool and they were delicious. So glad I came across this recipe. Definitely will be making this again.
J
Love your recipes! Not trying to change this one, but had a question. You have baking soda in the recipe, but not baking powder. I want to use your recipe, but read somewhere that baking powder is needed to keep cookies from being too flat. Your thoughts? The cookies don’t look flat from the pics, but just wanted to ask.
Thank you for taking time to reply!
Sam
Hi J! Baking soda absolutely can help to puff up cookies and keep them from being too flat, but baking soda actually will help your cookies to rise, too. In this particular recipe, it will react with the other ingredients (particularly the acidic brown sugar) during mixing to help the cookies to rise. While I like using baking powder in a lot of my cookie recipes, it’s simply not necessary in this one and I found that these measurements worked best. Does that help explain it? Baking is definitely a science and I appreciate your curiosity about it 🙂
J
Thank you so much for the quick reply. Very thoughtful of you! I’m excited to try the recipe. I’ll stop back to let you know how they turn out for me. I’m an avid baker (and pretty good), but was never very good in chemistry – haha – so the soda / powder thing has always pretzel-d my brain.
Sam
It can get tricky. I hope you love them. 🙂
Nicole
Great recipe. I substituted the flour for a cricket flour mix. I added raisins and toasted walnuts. They were a huge hit! The recipe instructions to cream the butter and add the other stuff slowly really makes a difference. The only variation I did was the high protein cricket flour and adding the raisins. I made two batches. I will be saving this recipe and making more.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed the cookies, Nicole! 🙂
Chris
I made these cookies today, and my daughter wanted to add raisins. We didn’t have enough, so we substituted the cherry-infused Craisins. I was a little worried that they’d be too big in each cookie, but the stand mixer chopped them up rather nicely. The first batch didn’t spread enough for my daughter, who prefers them thinner, so I flattened the rest with a fork (like peanut butter cookies). The flat cookies were just as delicious as the taller ones, and I left them in the oven 1-2 minutes longer to make the edges crisper. Thank you for this scrumptious recipe!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed them Chris! The craisins sound like a good addition! 🙂
fritz b
As is the case with so many of these food blogs, there are *far* too many photos. The result is “scroll fatigue”. Are we are looking for is:
1. The name of the recipe.
2. Why your recipe is unique.
3. The actual recipe.
4. A brief video (MAYBE).
5. A place for comments.
Sam
As is the case with far too many entitled online comments, there are *far* too many unwanted opinions here. The result is general annoyance. All I’m really looking for you to understand is:
1. You are NOT the only person looking for recipes. Some people enjoy reading the text/viewing the photos and some people find it helpful.
2. I have a giant “Jump to Recipe” button riiiiiight there at the top for people just like you
3. If you don’t have enough time to scroll (or suffer from “scroll fatigue”) you shouldn’t have enough time to complain, either
4. This is my personal website, if you’d like to start paying me to post these recipes, I’ll consider catering to your personal requests. Send me an email and I’ll tell you where to send the checks.
5. I think 1-4 sums it up nicely, actually.
Rebekah
I love this response so much… 😂😂
Trying the recipe today for the hubs to take to work tomorrow! Looking forward to rave reviews. Thank you!
Sam
I hope everyone loves the cookies! <3
Christie Barnes
Love this response so much!! Some people are just rude, good for you for putting them in their place! Just made the dough and popped them in the fridge. If the cookies turn out like the dough tastes…yum! I added walnuts and a trio mix of choc chips that I had on hand (semi-sweet, white, & milk choc). Thank you for the recipe! My daughter gets home from college for the summer tomorrow and I wanted to have a homemade treat for her.
Sam
Thank you Christie! I hope you love them. That’s a wonderful treat to come home to. 🙂
Jennifer Bero
Hi Sam,
Do you think I could substitute half of the butter with coconut oil? I have one stick on hand. If not, I’ll wait to make them! Don’t wanna mess these up
Sam
Hi, Jennifer. I haven’t tried it, but I think it would work. Sorry I can’t be more definitive. If you try it, let me know how it goes. 🙂
Bob
Will unbaked cookie dough keep in the fridge for a day or two?
I baked a half dozen and am holding off on more until tomorrow. Hope it works.
These are scrumptious. I only used 1 tsp. of starch and that was just the right chew to me.
Sam
Yes it will! Just keep the bowl wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container. The dough will get pretty firm in the fridge, so if you don’t portion it out before storing you may need to let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes or so to be soft enough to scoop. So glad to hear you enjoyed the cookies!
Ryan
This recipe is dead on. These cookies are great! Thanks!
Sam
Thank you so much, Ryan! I am glad you enjoyed them. 🙂
Kate
Hello Sam! I love your website very much. I love cooking, but have to follow a recipe. I have the solution! Sugar Spun Run! Thank you for this wonderful website!
Sam
Thank you so much, Kate! I am glad you enjoy everything. Thank you for taking the time to let me know. 🙂
Traci
These were amazing! I didn’t have any old fashioned oats on hand so I used quick cooking steel cut oats. Thank you for posting this recipe. 🙂
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them, Traci! 🙂
Evelyn
Hi Sam,
I follow your recipe just like you, but they didn’t spread. They came out looking like little mountains. Regardless, they are delicious! Thank you for sharing!
Sam
Hi, Evelyn. Is it possible there was too much flour in the batter?
Evelyn
No Sam…I think maybe I left them longer then 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Will try to bake them again this weekend and will let you know. Thanks!
Sam
I think they would be ok if they were in the refrigerator a little longer than 30 minutes, unless you left them uncovered for a long time, that shouldn’t matter. I hope they work out for you this time. 🙂
Tarah
Really have to take the time to say that this is a great recipe and never fails to he delicious!!!
Sam
Thank you so much! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed, Tarah! 🙂