These Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are packed with oats, chocolate chips, and incredibly soft and chewy. These cookies are so easy to make and delicious!

A wooden tray with oatmeal chocolate chip cookies on parchment paper with oats and chocolate chips scattered around them.

Are you a fan of oatmeal raisin cookies or oatmeal chocolate chip cookies? To be honest, I actually have a hard time choosing between the two. I’ll happily take a cookie with raisins or chocolate in it any day.

Over the years, so many of you have made my oatmeal raisin cookies and absolutely loved them. So today, I wanted to share my updated oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe with more photos and better instructions. Plus, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to make another batch of these cookies too.

Why You’ll Love These Cookies

  • Incredibly easy to make using pantry staples
  • Only requires 30 minutes of dough chilling
  • Super soft, chewy, and thick
  • They’re loaded with tons of melty chocolate chips

This recipe makes two dozen cookies, but you can easily double it to make more if you prefer. I’m also sharing everything you need to know for making perfect oatmeal chocolate chips cookies, plus how to freeze the cookie dough to enjoy later!

The ingredients needed to make oatmeal chocolate chip cookies separated onto speckled bowls and plates.

Ingredients You’ll Need For This Recipe

To make these oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, you’ll be using simple pantry staples that you likely already have on hand. Here’s exactly what you’ll need to get started:

  • All-Purpose Flour: This provides the structure for the cookies – just be sure to use the spoon and level method when measuring your flour. You want to avoid scooping your flour from the container, otherwise, you can end up with dry cookies that don’t spread.
  • Ground Cinnamon: This is an optional ingredient, but I find that some cinnamon pairs beautifully with the oats in these cookies.
  • Baking Soda & Salt: For a little lift and to enhance the flavor of the cookies.
  • Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats: I find that rolled oats provide a chewier texture in these cookies. If you don’t have any, you can use quick oats, but keep in mind that the texture won’t be quite the same.
  • Unsalted Butter: As always, I use unsalted butter to control the amount of salt in these cookies. Only have salted butter on hand? Just reduce the salt in these cookies to a tiny pinch.
  • Sugar: I use a mix of brown sugar and granulated sugar. The brown sugar gives these cookies a little extra flavor and keeps them moist.
  • Egg & Vanilla Extract: You’ll be using one room temperature egg to help bind everything together as well as some vanilla extract for flavor.
  • Chocolate Chips: There’s 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips for maximum chocolate flavor! Feel free to use milk chocolate or dark chocolate chips if you prefer.

How To Make Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Once you’ve gathered your ingredients, it’s time to prepare the cookie dough. Here’s a simple breakdown of exactly how to make this cookie dough:

  1. Whisk together the dry ingredients: It’s best to whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and then stir in the oats.
  2. Cream the butter and sugars together: You’ll only need to mix them together for 1 to 2 minutes or until they’re well combined.
  3. Mix in the egg and vanilla: Once you’ve mixed in these two ingredients, it’s best to stop and scrape down the sides of your bowl, then mix again. This will ensure that all of the wet ingredients are well combined. Your mixture should look like the photo above on the left.
  4. Mix in the dry ingredients: I prefer to turn the mixer off, add the dry ingredients, and mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are just combined.
  5. Add the chocolate chips: You can mix these in on low-speed with the mixer or by hand, either ways is fine! Once the chocolate chips are added, your dough should look like the picture above on the right.
  6. Chill the dough: Cover tightly and let it chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. This will help the butter firm back up and the flavors come together a little more before baking the cookies. Colder butter = thicker cookies!
  7. Scoop, flatten, and bake the cookie dough: I use a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop and suggest slightly flattening each ball of cookie dough to help ensure that they spread a little. It’s also crucial not to over bake these cookies – check them at about 10 minutes and see how they look. The cookies are done when the tops are set and the edges are lightly browned.

The cookies will be a little soft when they come out of the oven, but the residual heat from the baking sheet will help them finish setting up. I like to let them cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes, then let them cool completely on a wire rack. You can also just dig into them while they’re still warm, the choice is all yours!

An antique baking sheet lined with parchment paper holding balls of oatmeal chocolate chip cookie dough ready to be baked.

Freezing Instructions

I get a lot of questions about freezing cookie dough and you can 100% freeze this dough. I suggest scooping the cookie dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, roll each ball of dough, and gently press each one down to slightly flatten them, then freeze them.

Freezing the cookie dough first will help prevent it from sticking together when you store it in a freezer bag or container. I also suggest slightly flattening the cookie dough before freezing so that you can bake the cookies from frozen and they will still spread.

Once the cookie dough is frozen, you can store it in a freezer bag or container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Feel free to place some wax paper or parchment paper between the layers of cookie dough if you prefer too. To bake the cookie dough from frozen, just add an additional 1-2 minutes of baking time if needed.

You may also bake the cookies, let them cool completely, and freeze them in a freezer bag or container for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, just place them on the counter and let them come to room temperature before serving. 

A stack of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies cut in half and melted chocolate running down the front of them.

Baking Tips

  • When measuring your flour, stir the flour around, spoon it into your measuring cup, and level it off with the back of a knife. If you scoop the flour from the container you can end up with too much flour in your cookies.
  • Be sure to use old-fashioned rolled oats in these cookies for a chewier texture. 
  • Make sure to chill your cookie dough for at least 30 minutes. Feel free to skip this step if you prefer thinner cookies versus thicker cookies.
  • These cookies will bake up pretty thick, especially if the dough is cold. I like to gently press down on each ball of cookie dough before baking them to help them spread just a bit in the oven. If you want your cookies to be thicker, you can skip this step.

More Oatmeal Cookie Recipes To Try!

Recipe Video

A stack of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies cut in half with melted chocolate running down the front.

Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

4.90 from 179 ratings
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 57 minutes
These Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are packed with oats, chocolate chips, and incredibly soft and chewy. These cookies are easy to make and delicious!

Ingredients

Servings: 24 cookies
  • 1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 and ½ cups (150 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats
  • ½ cup (115 grams) unsalted butter softened
  • ½ cup (100 grams) light brown sugar packed
  • ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (190 grams) semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the old-fashioned rolled oats and set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar together for 1-2 minutes or until well combined.
  • Mix in the egg and vanilla extract, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  • Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined, then mix in the chocolate chips on low-speed until fully incorporated into the cookie dough. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
  • Using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, making sure to leave a little room between each one. Gently press down each ball of cookie dough to slightly flatten them.
  • Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 10-13 minutes or until the tops of the cookies are set.
  • Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Store cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to one week.
Oats: I suggest using old-fashioned rolled oats for a chewier texture in these cookies. If you don't have any, you can use quick oats, but keep in mind that the texture won't be quite the same.
Butter: If you only have salted butter on hand, reduce the salt in these cookies to a tiny pinch.
To prepare ahead of time: Cookie dough may be prepared 2-3 days in advance, covered tightly, and refrigerated. If the cookie dough is too cold to scoop, let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes and then scoop the cookie dough.
Freezing Instructions: Scoop the cookie dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, roll each ball of dough, and gently press each one down to slightly flatten them, then freeze them. Once the cookie dough is frozen, store it in a freezer bag or container in the freezer for up to 3 months. To bake the cookie dough from frozen, add an additional 1-2 minutes of baking time if needed.
Baked cookies will freeze well for up to 3 months in a freezer bag or container, thaw to room temperature before serving.
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
Author: Danielle
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