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.
Maggie
I just made the oatmeal cookie batter. I for got to add the baking soda , can I still add the baking side . Even though I already did the batter .
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Maggie! I would be afraid if you mixed it now that it wouldn’t be well incorporated into the dough. You can skip this step and bake as is, the cookies just won’t be as soft and chewy, but still good. 🙂
Lucy
Made these today and they’re amazing! I added chocolate chips to mine. My oven runs hot so I made them a bit smaller, baked them for less time and flattened them out rather than leaving the dough in a ball. Came out perfect.
This is the third cookie recipe I’ve tried from your site in one month, they’re so good I can’t stop! The gingerbread and sugar cookies were a big hit with my family. Thank you!
Sugar Spun Run
Your comment made my day, Lucy! Thank you so much for trying my recipes. I am so glad that you have enjoyed all the cookies you have made, including these oatmeal cookies. Thanks for commenting. Happy Holidays to you! 🙂
Chris
Oh so good, I added more cinnamon and a table spoon of cocoa powder… It was so delicious 🙂
Sugar Spun Run
That sounds wonderful, Chris! I am glad that you enjoyed the Oatmeal Cookies. 🙂
ALB
Mine aren’t spreading either. Stayed in same shape as spooned onto baking sheet. I used less oats, 2 cups instead of 3. How does baking soda go bad? Thank you
Sam
Baking soda can go bad just like any other food good, I always replace mine within a month or two of opening but you definitely want to do so at least every 6 months. Other reasons they may not spread could be if Instant Oats were used instead of old fashioned or if the flour was accidentally overmeasured.
Carrie A Roman
I made these last night because my dog has a Little Debbie oatmeal cookie every morning for a snack. I know, but he loves them. He will leave a delicious binge for cookie time. So anyways I didn’t feel like going to the store yesterday and I was OUT of his oatmeal cookies. I searched for a recipe that had big, soft, chewy oatmeal cookies and found this recipe. I didn’t add raisins or chocolate chips because chocolate isn’t good for dogs. I had one and honestly thought they were very bland. This recipe definitely needs the cinnamon amount amped up. An oil ther thing was the cookie balls needed flattened out a bit to bake properly. I just smashed them down a bit with a pancake turner. My dog LOVED them. He was drooling on my arm while waiting for me to give him his next bite. My husband also loved them. They are big, chewy and are still soft the day after baking. I’ll use this recipe again, but with more cinnamon and maybe adding some real maple syrup. I actually got exactly 23 large cookies just add the recipe states.
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Carrie! I am glad that your husband and dog enjoyed the cookies, but sorry that you found them bland. Feel free to adjust by adding additional spices until you get it to your liking. Thanks for trying my recipe and for the feedback. 🙂
Heather
Wonderful recipe! I just made these for my son’s classroom Xmas party. Of course I had to make an extra batch for at home and they’re being gobbled up fast! A little crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They’re delicious! My oven tends to run just a little hot, so I ended up baking the cookies for 9 minutes and they turned out perfect (added 1/2 package of chocolate chips to each batch). I did use my Kitchenaid due to laziness… lol For those of you like me who can’t justify yet another kitchen tool crowding your kitchen drawers and do not own or plan to own a cookie scoop, you can easily spoon out the portion of dough you want with a regular spoon and ball the dough up into a ball with your hand (not too tightly though) and it works just as well. Also, for those of you who find using wax/parchment paper wasteful, it is totally not necessary to use it. In all of my 40 years of baking cookies (and I’ve baked a LOT of cookies) I’ve never used wax paper for baking cookies. Just put your cookie dough right onto the cookie sheet. No need to grease the sheet either, just use a spatula to get the cookies off the sheet once they’ve cooled. Easy breezy and less wasteful to your pocketbook and the environment. Win-Win. Happy Holiday’s Everyone!
Sam
Thank you so much, Heather! I am so glad you enjoyed the cookies so much. Thank you for your wonderful tips. Happy baking! 🙂
Terese Fautt
My cookies look just like your photos and taste delicious! Thank you for the hard work creating a great cookie. I am not trying more of your cookies.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the oatmeal cookies and they turned our picture perfect! I hope that you DO TRY more of my recipes. 🙂
Cassie Johnson
Is it possible to use quick/instant oats for this recipe?
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Cassie! Unfortunately, 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. 🙁
Maddy
I just made these cookies, and they were excellent. I had the same problem as another person, my cookies didn’t spread. I was the only one this bothered though, everyone else liked how thick they were! I did measure my flour properly, but I did not use a scale, so I understand that could be why. I’ll try using a little less flour next time I make them.
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Maddy! I am happy that you enjoyed the Oatmeal Cookies. I am sorry that they did not spread. If it isn’t the flour, then the other thing that comes to mind is that the baking soda could potentially be bad, which would keep them from spreading properly. Regardless, I am happy that they tasted delicious! 🙂
Kate
I’m having a hard time with the bake time and temp. My first round was way over done at 10 min. On my second try, they were crisping up on the edges but the middle was still very under cooked. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Sam
Hi Kate! I’d try dropping your oven temperature 15 degrees or so and maybe making the cookies a bit smaller. It sounds like your oven is running a bit hot so reducing the temperature may help with that. I hope you love the cookies!
Rose
Hello! I’ve been looking everywhere for a recipe for SOFT oatmeal cookies! I’m so looking forward to trying this! I just have one question. If I want to use sweetened coconut as my add-in, do you think I need to adjust the sugar amount? I’m thinking no but was just wondering what you would do. Thank you! ☺️
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Rose! I think you will be fine without adjustments. I hope that you enjoy the Oatmeal Cookie Recipe! 🙂
jasmine
Hello,
i was wondering if it’s possible to use half marguerine half butter
Thank
Sam
Hi Jasmine, 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.
Mary E
I made these cookies two years ago, and we all loved them – we love an oatmeal cookie and there were the best! I changed phones, lost my bookmarks, and haven’t been able to find this recipe again. I just made some using another recipe in my never ending quest, and recognised the description from yours. This will be the recipe I use from now on!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Mary! I am happy that you enjoyed them and I am so glad that you found my Oatmeal Cookie Recipe again. 🙂
Kathy
My whole family and church family loved these cookies! Thank you so much
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that everyone enjoyed the Oatmeal Cookies, Kathy. Thank you for commenting. 🙂
Sandra
Very strange turnout. They didn’t spread. They are in a big lump. They do not taste buttery at all despite my following recipe to a T. Something went wrong…big time. They look NOTHING like the picture. wish I could post a pic
Sam
That is strange! Usually if the cookies don’t spread the culprit is one of two things:
1) Could the flour have been over-measured? I recommend using weights if you have a scale, but if not the proper way to measure flour is to stir the flour, lightly spoon it into a measuring cup, and then level the cup off. You don’t ever want to scoop flour directly out of the container as that can pack it in and leave you with way more flour than you intend to use. Since they also didn’t taste buttery this would be my best guess as to what went wrong.
2) Your baking soda could potentially be bad, which would keep them from spreading properly.
These would be my best guesses, sorry to hear they weren’t a hit for you!
Sandra
Thank you so much! Will try all of your tips and keep posted!