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No more dry, flavorless oatmeal cookies. I’ve tested and tweaked these chewy oatmeal cookies until they were share-worthy! Now you can make the best oatmeal cookie recipe in under 20 minutes from start to finish!
Why you’ll love this Easy Oatmeal Cookie Recipe
These easy oatmeal cookies are warmly spiced, with a balance of sweetness and perfect chewy texture. Not only do these make a great treat, but I love them for an easy snack, especially a late night snack!
Because they are so quick and easy to make and use mostly pantry staples, this the perfect go-to recipe to throw together whenever you have friends or family over for a visit. A yummy oatmeal cookie with a warm cup of coffee, sign me up!
Here are a few more reasons you’ll love these:
- Ready in under 20 minutes
- The chewiest oatmeal cookies
- Made with simple ingredients
- Easily customizable
Want a 4 ingredient oatmeal cookie? Make these almond butter oatmeal cookies!
Ingredients to make the Best Oatmeal Cookies
You just need old-fashioned oats and some other basic ingredients to make oatmeal cookie magic. These ingredients are so simple, you likely already have them in your pantry!
- All-purpose flour
- Old fashioned rolled oats
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Cinnamon
- Salt
- Unsalted butter: Remember to leave time to bring the butter to room temperature.
- Brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
How to make Oatmeal Cookies
Classic oatmeal cookies have never been easier, with just 5 easy steps in under 20 minutes. Keep reading to get the full recipe with ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.
- Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the all purpose flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
- Mix butter and sugars. In a separate mixing bowl cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together with a mixer on medium speed for 1-2 minutes.
- Mix in wet ingredients and combine all. Add in the eggs and vanilla extract, mix again on low. Gently add in the dry ingredients, mixing on low or by hand just until combined. The dough will be thick.
- Form dough balls and prep oven. Use a cookie scoop to drop dough balls on a silicone mat or parchment paper lined baking sheet. Place the cookies about 3 inches apart on a prepared baking sheets and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Bake and cool. Bake for 11-12 minutes. The cookies will look under baked when you pull them out of the oven, but they will continue to bake on the hot cookie sheet.
Oatmeal Cookies Recipe Variations
These simple oatmeal cookies are also customizable, which is another reason to love this recipe! I love keeping them simple just as they are, but if you’re having a certain craving or want variety for a special occasion, there are tons of options with these cookies. Here are some ideas:
- Add raisins: Simply add-in some raisins, or try my oatmeal raisin cookie recipe (with a gluten-free option) for perfectly chewy oatmeal raisin cookies.
- Add chocolate chips: If you want chocolate oatmeal cookies, simply mix-in some chocolate chips.
- Add butterscotch chips: If you’re craving that butterscotch flavor, you can mix-in some butterscotch chips.
- Replace vanilla with maple: If you like maple flavor, swap the vanilla extract with maple flavoring.
- Other add-ins: Some other add-ins you might want to try are dried cherries, cranberries, shredded coconut or white chocolate chips.
Tips for making the Best Oatmeal Cookie
This is going to be your new favorite oatmeal cookie recipe! For best results, follow these tips:
- Don’t over-bake. Don’t be worried if the cookies still look under-baked when you pull them out of the oven. They continue to bake on the hot cookie sheet. If you leave them in the oven too long, they will over-bake.
- Use a cookie scoop. I recommend using a cookie scoop to form the dough balls. This will keep them all uniform in shape and size, allowing them all to cook evenly as well.
- Don’t place cookie dough on hot pans. If making multiple batches, alternate cookie sheets. If you place the balls of cookie dough on a hot baking sheet, the cookies are likely to spread before they can cook.
- Properly measure the flour. For the right texture and consistency, be sure to properly measure your flour using the tips below.
How to Properly Measure Flour
The most accurate way to measure flour is to use a kitchen scale, weighing it in grams.
If you don’t have a kitchen scale, follow this method.
- Aerate the flour with a whisk or spoon. Flour becomes heavy and compact as it sits. Aerating is the same as fluffing the flour, but not the same as sifting it. Do not sift the flour unless the recipe specifically calls for it.
- Use a spoon to sprinkle the flour into the measuring cup. Do not tap the cup against the counter, as this will compact the flour.
- Use the back of a butter knife to level off the excess.
Storing Homemade Oatmeal Cookies
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days. Make sure they have completed cooled before sealing them in a container, so it doesn’t create condensation from the heat. These cookies also freeze well in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat them, thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Freezing Oatmeal Cookie Dough
If you like to keep cookie dough on hand or make this dough ahead of time, you can also freeze the oatmeal cookie dough. These are perfect to have ready to pop in the oven for unexpected guests, or when someone you know could use a homemade treat. Gifting these cookies is like giving lots of little warm hugs!
To freeze the dough:
- Drop cookie dough balls onto a silicone mat lined baking sheet. You can place the dough balls close together since you won’t be baking them.
- Place the baking sheet in the freezer until the cookies are frozen solid, about 1 hour.
- Remove the baking sheet from the freezer and transfer the frozen cookie dough balls to a ziplock freezer bag. Label the bag with baking directions and date.
- Freeze the cookie dough for up to 3 months.
To bake: remove the dough from the freezer. Pre-heat the oven to 350ºF. Bake for 13-14 minutes. Frozen cookies may need to bake for 1-2 minutes longer.
More Oatmeal Dessert Recipes
- Homemade Apple Crisp with Oatmeal
- No Bake Oatmeal Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Healthy Banana Breakfast Cookies
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Recipe for Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 180 grams
- 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, 1 cup
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the all purpose flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
- In a separate mixing bowl cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together with a mixer on medium speed for 1-2 minutes.
- Add in the eggs and vanilla extract, mix again on low. Gently add in the dry ingredients, mixing on low or by hand just until combined. The dough will be thick.
- Use a cookie scoop to drop dough balls on a silicone mat lined baking sheet. Place the cookies about 3 inches apart on a silicone lined baking sheet and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Bake for 11-12 minutes. The cookies will look underbaked when you pull them out of the oven, but they will continue to bake on the hot cookie sheet.
BEST absolutely BEST a cookie recipe ever… Thank you for perfecting the recipe :)
Followed recipe exactly then added a large handful of chocolate chips. Cookies came out perfectly, nice and chewy. These are now my go to oatmeal cookies!
Hey Beth,
I am pretty new to gluten-free baking.
Do these work well with a one-to-one gluten-free flour substitute?
I know you like King Authur, but that is not available to me.
Should I add xanthum gum?
Thank you!
Hi Kerry! I only have experience with King Arthur’s Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour. Your best bet would be to find another similar GF that contains xanthum gum!
These oatmeal cookies were the best I have ever made! They are delicious with raisins also. I will be trying oatmeal with chocolate chips next.
My kids just loved them.
Love ALL OF BETH’S recipes!