Chewy & Soft Oatmeal Cookies Recipe

I perfected my Best Oatmeal Cookies with pantry-friendly substitutions and multiple baking sizes so you can make them your own.

I know oatmeal cookies get pigeonholed as a boring snack, but this Chewy Oatmeal Cookies Recipe proves otherwise. I promise these come out soft and chewy in the center, with browned edges that almost crackle when you bite.

I like using unsalted butter and old fashioned rolled oats because they give a real buttery depth and a toothsome chew. There are swaps and baking sizes you can play with, weird little tricks I still can not explain completely, and every batch teaches me something new.

If you think you’ve tried every cookie, try this one, you might be surprised.

Ingredients

• Butter gives rich flavor, keeps cookies soft and spreads while baking.
• Brown sugar adds caramel sweetness and keeps cookies moist and chewy.
• Oats add hearty texture, fiber and a nutty taste, they also hold moisture.
• Eggs bind ingredients, add protein and make cookies tender.
• Flour gives structure and chew, too much makes cookies tough though.
• Molasses gives deep flavor and extra chew, a little goes far.
• Chocolate, raisins or nuts add bursts of sweet or salty texture.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup (220 g) packed light brown sugar (or dark, it’s ok)
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temp
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
• 3 cups (about 270 g) old fashioned rolled oats, not instant
• 1 cup (about 150 g) mix ins: raisins, chocolate chips or chopped nuts (optional)
• 1 tbsp molasses or dark corn syrup (optional, for extra chew)

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat, or lightly grease them if you dont have either.

2. In a large bowl cream 1 cup (227 g) softened unsalted butter with 1 cup (220 g) packed light brown sugar and 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes; scrape the bowl down a couple times. Add 1 tbsp molasses or dark corn syrup now if you want extra chew.

3. Beat in 2 large room temp eggs one at a time, mixing after each, then stir in 2 tsp vanilla extract, dont overmix.

4. In another bowl whisk together 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all purpose flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp fine salt and 1 tsp ground cinnamon if using; spoon and level the flour when measuring so you dont add too much.

5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix just until combined, stopping as soon as you cant see streaks of flour.

6. Fold in 3 cups (about 270 g) old fashioned rolled oats (not instant) and 1 cup (about 150 g) mix ins like raisins, chocolate chips or chopped nuts if using, stir until evenly distributed.

7. Chill the dough 30 to 60 minutes for thicker, chewier cookies, or if you are impatient skip chilling for thinner spread. Tip: chilling also concentrates the flavors.

8. Scoop dough into rounded tablespoons or use a cookie scoop; spacing: leave about 2 inches between cookies. Size guide and bake times at 350°F: small (1 tbsp) 10-11 min, medium (2 tbsp) 12-14 min, large (3 tbsp) 14-16 min.

9. Bake on the middle rack until edges are golden but centers still look slightly underbaked, then let cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes so they set, transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

10. Store in an airtight container with a slice of bread to keep them soft, or reheat briefly (5-8 seconds in microwave) to refresh. Quick tips: use old fashioned oats not instant, room temp eggs mix better, dark brown sugar or molasses gives extra chew, and dont overbake if you want soft centers.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven and 1–2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, or lightly greased
2. Large mixing bowl
3. Medium bowl for whisking dry ingredients
4. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer, or a sturdy wooden spoon if youre mixing by hand
5. Measuring cups and spoons plus a kitchen scale for precise flour measurement
6. Whisk and rubber spatula for scraping and folding
7. Cookie scoop (1 tbsp or 2 tbsp) or a tablespoon and an ice cream scoop for portioning
8. Wire cooling rack and oven mitts for handling hot trays

FAQ

Chewy & Soft Oatmeal Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Butter (1 cup / 227 g): swap with 1 cup solid coconut oil or 1 cup vegetable shortening. it’ll work, but cookies might spread more so chill the dough 20 to 30 minutes before baking.
• Brown sugar (1 cup packed): use 1 cup coconut sugar 1 to 1, or stir 1 cup granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon molasses for light brown sugar or 2 tablespoons for dark, gives the same chew and flavor.
• Eggs (2 large): for each egg use a flax egg by mixing 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 2.5 tablespoons water, let it sit till gelled about 5 minutes, or use 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce per egg for a softer cookie.
• All purpose flour (1 1/2 cups / 190 g): swap cup for cup with whole wheat pastry flour for a nuttier taste, or use a gluten free 1 to 1 baking blend if you need gluten free, you might need a touch more moisture with whole wheat.

Pro Tips

1. Chill the dough for real if you want thick, chewy cookies, at least 30 minutes but overnight is even better. Scoop the dough onto a tray before chilling so the balls hold their shape, and if you need to speed things up freeze scoops on a tray for 15 minutes then bake from frozen, they wont spread as much.

2. Get your butter temperature right, not melted and not rock hard. It should dent when you press it, if its too soft the cookies will spread, if its too cold you wont cream it properly so the texture suffers.

3. Want more chew and deeper flavor add a tablespoon of molasses or use some dark brown sugar instead of all light. Also try replacing about a quarter cup of flour with finely ground oats for a chewier, softer crumb.

4. Little mix in hacks: toast the oats in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes for nuttier flavor, or pulse half the oats in a food processor for a softer cookie with a nice oat bite. If you use raisins soak them briefly in hot water or warm rum to plump them up so they dont steal moisture from the cookie.