How to Make Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

Oatmeal cookies combine all the buttery joy of the perfect soft-baked cookie with a touch of the wholesomeness of a granola bar. The next time you’re craving this chewy delight, why not bake it at home? It’s more fun than buying the cookies ready-made, plus you’ll have a whole batch to share. Or not. If you’re still not convinced, remember that when you make oatmeal cookies at home, you can get creative with the mix-ins. For example, if you’re in the mood for chocolate, you can stir in some chips, and if you’re in the mood for keeping it classic, you can stick to raisins.

Why you’ll love these oatmeal cookies 

• They are simple to make. 

• They contain whole-grain oats. 

• Each batch is out of the oven in just 8-9 minutes. 

• From the makers of oats themselves, this is a tried and true recipe that results in some of the best oatmeal cookies around.

‍Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 8-9 minutes per batch

Total time: 20 minutes (or a bit more if you make several batches) 

Servings: Roughly 36

Ingredients:

In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to make the classic Quaker oatmeal cookie recipe, with a few additional helpful notes and tips. In no time, you’ll be digging into the perfect snack. This is a relatively easy recipe for oatmeal cookies, and once you get the hang of it, you can put your touch on it and start your own traditions. Who knows? Maybe you and yours – be it your family, your friends, or your roomies – are about to stumble on a revolutionary cookie variety.

• 1 1/4 cups (2-1/2 sticks) margarine or butter, softened. (Hint: you can soften butter by taking it out of the refrigerator a few hours before you’re ready to bake or heating it in short intervals – a couple of seconds – in the microwave and flipping the stick occasionally.)

• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda (Careful: not baking powder)

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional but ties the flavors together)

• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 3 cup of oats

• The mix-ins of your dreams. Try raisins, dried cranberries, pecans or walnut, or chocolate chips. 

Preparation instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. 

2. Beat together the softened butter or margarine and sugars in a bowl until smooth. You can do this with an electric mixer or by hand, using a fork. 

3. Add in the egg and vanilla and continue to beat until smooth.

4. Combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg) in a separate bowl, and then add them to the wet ingredients and stir to combine.

5. Stir in the oats and any mix-ins you’d like to use, preferably by hand, taking care not to break them up. 

6. Drop rounded tablespoons of the dough onto ungreased cookie sheets. Be sure to leave enough space between each cookie, as they will expand. 

7. Bake each batch for eight to nine minutes for a cookie that’s baked through but has a delicious, chewy texture. 

8. Cool before eating. You can transfer the cookies from the baking sheet to a wire rack or plate after a couple of minutes, and they will cool faster. 

Recipe adapted from Quaker Oats

azurita - stock.adobe.com

Nutritional values

• Calories: 130

• Fat: 7 grams

• Saturated Fat: 4 grams

• Cholesterol: 20 milligrams

• Sodium: 40 milligrams

• Total Carbohydrates: 16 grams

• Fiber: <1 grams

• Sugar: 7 grams

• Protein: 2 grams

Some helpful tips

• Use softened butter. It does make a difference in this recipe and in all baking in general. Not all recipes call for softened butter, but if they do, it's for a reason. In this case, softened butter helps you achieve the correct texture. 

• Stick to the order of the recipe. You might be tempted to mix everything at once in a big bowl, but ingredients like butter, eggs, and baking soda need to be thoroughly dispersed throughout the batter to ensure that each cookie comes out perfectly. 

• These cookies will expand in the oven, so trust the process and only drop tablespoon dollops onto the baking sheet. Otherwise, the cookies might not bake thoroughly, or they may stick together. 

• Do not roll the cookies into balls before dropping them onto the baking sheet. Keeping the batter loose is what allows you to get that airy, chewy texture. We promise it'll expand during the baking process into near-perfect circular cookies.

Denira - adobe.stock.com

How to store oatmeal cookies

Store cooled cookies at room temperature in an air-tight container. 

Variations of oatmeal cookies 

• As mentioned above, you can add all sorts of different dried fruits like raisins and cranberries, nuts, and chocolate varieties to oatmeal cookies. 

• Get creative and take your oatmeal chocolate chip cookies to the next level with white chocolate, dark chocolate, or butterscotch chips. 

• Short on time? Look up oatmeal cookies recipes with few ingredients like this one for three-ingredient oatmeal cookies. 

• Look up different oatmeal raisin cookies recipes for variations on a classic that include bars, breakfast bites, and more. 

Oatmeal cookies FAQs

Why are my oatmeal cookies hard?

There are a few reasons why your oatmeal cookies may be too hard. Perhaps you left them in the oven a couple of minutes too long. To rectify this, simply bake the next batch for less time. Another reason could be the density of the dough. Try not to pack the dough too tightly as you finish stirring it. Similarly, do not roll the dough into balls before dropping it onto the baking sheet. Loose lumps work best.

How do you make the best oatmeal cookies from scratch?

Stick to a simple recipe like this one and use quality ingredients. Watch your baking times to prevent burning or tough cookies. Finally, have fun and be creative. Don’t limit yourself to one mix-in. Try combinations like cranberry, walnut, and white chocolate. 

Can I use regular oats instead of quick oats in cookies?

In this recipe, you can substitute regular oats for quick oats and visa versa. If you use another recipe, stick to the kind of oats specified for best results. 

Are oatmeal cookies healthy?

Oatmeal cookies are loaded with whole grains and are the perfect vessel for healthy morsels of dried fruit and nuts. Plus, they are good for you in another way, too. They bring joy and comfort, and you may just get a little burst of energy from the sugar. 

If you have specific dietary requirements, try searching for a healthy oatmeal cookie recipe that checks off certain boxes like low-sugar, gluten-free, or vegan.  Chances are the ingredients to make these oatmeal cookies are likely already waiting for you in your kitchen. But if you find you’re missing something, you can order it in seconds and have it at your door in minutes with Gopuff. They also deliver cookies, which may even make it to your door before these oatmeal cookies have had a chance to cool.