Oatmeal Cookies
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Perfectly soft and chewy Oatmeal Cookies that are the perfect base for all your favorite add-ins like nuts, raisins, chocolate chips, dried cranberries and more! There’s no chilling required making them fast to make. Fill up the cookie jar with these, plus these freeze great!
Looking for the perfect simple oatmeal cookie that’s soft and chewy? We love these chewy Monster Cookies with oatmeal, but here’s the perfect base oatmeal cookie recipe for adding in your favorite mix-ins! This is it! This easy recipe requires no chilling and is perfect for stocking your freezer and cookie jar with.
They are chewy, buttery and comforting, there’s nothing fancy about these cookies, but they are perfect because you can’t go wrong with them. I bet you have all the ingredients you need to make these right in your pantry.
That’s the best part. You don’t need to buy any special ingredients that won’t get used again, plus you can mix them up with adding in whatever you have in the pantry!
Why You’ll Love These Oatmeal Cookies!
- Simple pantry ingredients come together to make this classic cookie recipe.
- These cookies freeze great so it’s easy to make a double batch a stock the freezer with half of them.
- So many great add-ins to mix up the flavor. This recipe is a great base recipe and will turn into your favorite cookie.
Ingredients Needed for Oatmeal Cookies
- Butter – We used salted. Be careful to only soften it, if it’s melted the cookies will spread out more. You can use unsalted butter, just add 1/4 teaspoon more of salt. It’s best to let it sit out and come to room temperature instead of using a microwave to warm it.
- Sugars – You will need both light brown sugar and granulated sugar to get a soft chewy cookie with a slight caramel flavor.
- Eggs – Will bind together the dough.
- Vanilla Extract – Pure Vanilla Extract not imitation will give you the best flavor.
- All-Purpose Flour – Bleached or unbleached will work.
- Baking Soda – Helps give the cooking it’s lift.
- Salt – Balances out the sweetness of this cookie.
- Spices – Cinnamon and Nutmeg for that classic taste.
- Oats – We prefer old fashioned which give the cookies a chewier cookie. You can use quick or instant oats, but they will result in a denser, less chewy cookies.
Add-In Ideas!
You can totally enjoy these oatmeal cookies on their own, but if you want to mix it up these are some great ideas to add to them. If you choose to add any of these into the cookies you will add it when you mix in the oats. We recommend 1/2 – 1 cup of the add-in you choose, but it can vary according to your preference.
- Raisins – Who hasn’t had a classic oatmeal cookie with raisins? Raisins offset this sweet cookie with a zingy flavor and these make the best base for oatmeal raisin cookies.
- Chocolate Chips – This is my personal favorite- add in chocolate and never look back. I prefer to use milk chocolate, but you can use semi-sweet or even dark chocolate. You may even like to try sprinkling a little flaky sea salt on the cookie before it’s placed in the oven to off-set some of the sweetness and add another dimension of flavor.
- Dried Cranberries – This delicious combination goes perfectly with these oatmeal cookies. We recommend about 1 cup dried cranberries. A great addition to the dried cranberries is ½ cup of coconut or white chocolate chips.
- Chopped Walnuts or Pecans – Even though the outside of these cookies has a nice crunch, nuts are a great addition for texture and flavor. You can choose to add in only nuts or add them in addition to raisins or chocolate chips. If you are adding nuts into the mix in combination with another ingredient, only add in ½ to ¾ cup of nuts. If you are only adding nuts, use 1 cup chopped nuts.
How to Make Oatmeal Cookies
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place parchment paper on baking sheets and set aside.
- To make the oatmeal cookie dough, using a hand mixer or using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment cream together butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a large mixing bowl.
- Add in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Add in flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and mix dry ingredients with the wet until combined. Fold in oats and any mix-ins like chocolate chips, raisins etc. if you are using them.
- Roll into 2-inch balls and place on prepared baking sheet. Gently press the cookie down just slightly with palm of your hand. Bake for 8-10 minutes in preheated oven at 350 degrees F or until edges are golden brown.
- Remove and let cookies sit on pan 2 minutes and then remove to wire rack to cool completely.
Can I use Quick Oats instead of Old Fashioned Oats?
If you use quick oats instead of old fashioned oats the cookies will be denser. So, while you can use the quick oats we recommend using old fashioned.
How to Store Leftover Cookies
ROOM TEMPERATURE: You can store these at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week.
FREEZER: If you’d like to store these longer place in a freezer safe container or resealable bag and store in the freezer for up to three months.
Did you know you can stick a piece of bread in the container to keep them soft. The cookies will absorb the moisture from the bread. White bread is best because it doesn’t transfer the taste to the cookies.
Pro Tips for the BEST Oatmeal Cookies!
- Don’t over mix your cookie dough or you will end up with a dense cookie.
- You can tell the cookies are done when they are golden brown along the edges.
- They will continue to cook while they cool on the pan, so if the middle looks a little under baked that’s fine.
- The cookies get firmer as they cool off, but stay soft and chewy.
- If you find your cookies are spreading more than you like simply put the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes before you bake the cookies.
More Easy Cookie Recipes!
- Love soft, chewy oatmeal cookies then make these Monster Cookies next!
- The easiest Sugar Cookies that are super soft and don’t require rolling out.
- There’s nothing like a classic White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookie that’s soft and chewy.
- Love the flavors of a homemade S’more? Make these S’mores Cookies!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter or two sticks, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 3 cup old fashioned oats
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cream butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Mix in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Stir in vanilla. Stir in flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Fold in oats (if you are adding in any raisins or chocolate chips, add them in with the oats).
- Roll up 2-inch balls of cookie dough (I used a 2-inch cookie scoop for this step) and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Gently press the cookie down just slightly with a fork or the palm of your hand.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
- Let cookies sit on pan for 2 minutes before moving to a cookie rack.
Tips
- Raisins – Who hasn’t had a classic oatmeal cookie with raisins? Raisins offset this sweet cookie with a zingy flavor.
- Chocolate Chips – This is my personal favorite- add in chocolate and never look back. I prefer to use milk chocolate, but you can use semi-sweet or even dark chocolate. You may even like to try sprinkling a little flaky sea salt on the cookie before it’s placed in the oven to off-set some of the sweetness and add another dimension of flavor.
- Dried Cranberries – This delicious combination goes perfectly with these oatmeal cookies. We recommend about 1 cup dried cranberries. A great addition to the dried cranberries is ½ cup of coconut or white chocolate chips.
- Chopped Walnuts or Pecans – Even though the outside of these cookies has a nice crunch, nuts are a great addition for texture and flavor. You can choose to add in only nuts or add them in addition to raisins or chocolate chips. If you are adding nuts into the mix in combination with another ingredient, only add in ½ to ¾ cup of nuts. If you are only adding nuts, use 1 cup chopped nuts.
- Don’t over mix your cookie dough or you will end up with a dense cookie.
- You can tell the cookies are done when they are golden brown along the edges.
- They will continue to cook while they cool on the pan, so if the middle looks a little under baked that’s fine.
- The cookies get firmer as they cool off, but stay soft and chewy.
- If you find your cookies are spreading more than you like simply put the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes before you bake the cookies.
- You can store these at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week.
- Stick a piece of bread in the container to keep them soft. The cookies will absorb the moisture from the bread. White bread is best because it doesn’t transfer the taste to the cookies.
- They are also freezer friendly and can be froze for up to 3 months in an air tight container perfect for whenever you are craving a cookie.
Kara says
Best oatmeal cookie I’ve tried. Followed the recipe, cooked for 8 minutes because I like mine extra soft. Added a splash of maple extract to go with the nutmeg . Amazing!
Julie Evink says
Love the addition of maple flavoring. So glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks so much for commenting and rating the recipe!
Cindy says
These are amazing! Didn’t have any nutmeg, but still a 10! Thank you for sharing! Added pecans, hubby loved that!
Julie Evink says
Great addition! Thanks so much for commenting and rating the recipe!
Lathecia says
So so yummy! Make a great and simple snack. Especially when you’re craving something light and sweet. Very soft and chewy cookie, just the way I like them! Can’t wait to make this recipe again 🙂
Julie Evink says
So glad you are enjoying these cookies Lathecia! Thanks for leaving a commenting and rating the recipe!
Diane says
Excellent cookies nice and so soft
Julie Evink says
Great to hear Diane. So glad you enjoyed them. Thanks for commenting and rating the recipe!
Sally says
I am 76 years old, I tried your oatmeal cookie recipe and they are the best ever!!! All my family loved them even my grandkids!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipe.
Julie Evink says
I’m so glad you enjoyed them Sally!! Thanks for commenting and rating the recipe!
Deb says
My husband KOVES these cookies and he’s not really a cookie man 😊
Julie Evink says
Wahooo! And who doesn’t like cookies?! 😉 Thanks for commenting and rating the recipe!
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Janelle says
350 or 375? Your recipe says 375; your five steps to prepare says 350.
Julie says
Thanks for pointing that out, Janelle! It is 375 degrees. I updated the blog to fix it, thanks again!
Kent Heustess says
I am notorious for “playing with” recipes. Sometimes it works; sometimes it doesn’t. In this case I left out cinnamon&nutmeg and I added 1C toasted almonds plus 1t almond extract. Delicious! Thanks for the tip about a slice of bread in the cookie jar. I love a cookie that’s crispy outside but also soft&chewy inside. These were perfect!
Keep up the good work,
Kent in Chattanooga, TN
Julie says
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
Stephanie says
These were flawless! I make these at least once a week!
Julie says
So great to hear! Thanks Stephanie!
Chelsea says
These cookies are incredible! We’re obsessed with these! Thanks for sharing!
Julie says
You’re welcome! So glad you loved them!
Natalie says
Love oatmeal cookies! These are perfectly soft & of course, we love adding chocolate chips!
Julie says
Wonderful! I’m glad you love them!
Eleanor says
Will try these!
Julie says
Great! I hope you enjoy them!
janet says
Can you omit the cinnamon & nutmeg if you add raisins? Thank you!
Julie says
Yes, you’ll lose a little bit of flavor but that would be fine!