How to make the best oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Made with old fashioned rolled oats, they're a little soft, a little chewy, and full of chocolatey goodness.
My oldest loves it when I make oatmeal raisin cookies like Grandma used to make. But sometimes I like to switch things up and add chocolate chips instead of raisins, making the most scrumptious oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.
These cookies are a little bit soft, a little bit chewy. And they're made with simple ingredients like buttermilk (I'll show you how to make your own), brown sugar, and old fashioned oats.
I love baking cookies because they're such an easy dessert to make. Some of my favorites are chocolate chip cookies and chewy peanut butter cookies.
Let's bake a yummy batch of oatmeal cookies right now, though. Are you ready?
WHERE CAN I FIND THE RECIPE FOR OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES?
If you’d rather skip all of my cooking tips, important cooking info for this recipe, and similar recipe ideas – and get straight to the oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe – just scroll down to the bottom, where you’ll find a printable recipe card.
HOW TO MAKE BUTTERMILK WITH JUST 2 INGREDIENTS
My mom taught me this little trick for making buttermilk (or souring milk) back when I was a budding baker in our old farmhouse kitchen.
Just add about a tablespoon of distilled white vinegar to a cup of milk. I usually use a tablespoon for every cup of milk.
To make sure I have the right amount of liquid, I’ll pour my vinegar into the measuring cup first; then add the milk to my desired level or measurement.
Stir it and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
And that’s it! Before you know it, your milk will be perfectly soured just like buttermilk.
Now if you're using less milk, just use less vinegar. With this recipe, I'm using 1/4 cup milk, so I'll add about 1/2 tablespoon of vinegar to the milk to sour it.
SHOULD I USE QUICK OATS OR OLD FASHIONED OATS FOR OATMEAL COOKIES?
I recommend using old fashioned oats, or rolled oats, when baking cookies, especially this oatmeal cookie recipe.
Mainly because rolled oats will lend to more of a chewy texture than quick oats. Quick oats can tend to make a cookie softer.
Baking Bites has a great article about regular vs. quick cooking oatmeal for baking. And The Kitchn has another great article explaining the difference between steel-cut, rolled, and instant oats.
TIPS FOR HOW TO MAKE THIS OATMEAL COOKIE RECIPE
Really, these are such easy oatmeal cookies to make. You basically have to mix up the dough, scoop it onto a cookie sheet, and bake.
There are a few tips I can share, though…
- Soften the butter before you ever start. If you're like me and you forget to get it out (allllwayyyys), just pop it in the microwave and soften it up a bit.
- Speaking of butter, use real butter. Margarine will change everything.
- Use light brown sugar instead of dark brown. Why? Because light brown sugar makes a more raised cookie with a slightly crispy edge and soft, chewy middle. Dark brown makes a flatter cookie with a crunchier, chewier texture.
- Use the full bag of chocolate chips. Of course, you're going to sneak a few, but don't skimp on the chocolate. It's one of those “the more, the merrier” scenarios.
- There's really no need to chill the dough, though you can if you want. It *could* lend to an even chewier cookie.
- When you scoop the cookies onto the cookie sheet, you'll need to press them down just a bit. You can do this with the flat bottom of a glass.
Warm cookies fresh from the oven are the absolute best, especially when you serve them up with a tall glass of ice cold milk. Yum!
MORE COOKIE RECIPES YOU MAY ENJOY
One of my all time favorite recipes is an old recipe my family has made for years, Grandma's chocolate sandwich cookies. Another oatmeal cookie favorite that's also full of chocolatey goodness, is this recipe for monster cookies.
Dinner Then Dessert has a delicious recipe for super chewy oatmeal raisin M&M cookies. And Lil' Luna has an old fashioned recipe for iced oatmeal cookies.
I'm getting hungry just thinking about fresh baked cookies.
KITCHEN TOOLS YOU'LL NEED TO MAKE OATMEAL COOKIES
Liquid Measuring Cup, along with Measuring Spoons and Cups
Mixer or Hand Mixer and Large Mixing Bowl
Cookie Scoop – I wasn’t sold on my cookie scoop at first; Dan wanted me to use it, but I was used to just using a spoon and my fingers. But he was right… It saves dough, makes a smaller cookie, and gives you a rounder cookie.
Wire Rack – This allows the cookies to rest and cool before you put them in the cookie jar.
OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE RECIPE
If you love this oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe as much as I do, please write a 5 star review, and help me share the recipe on Facebook and Pinterest! If you make the recipe, be sure to share that you tried it on Pinterest. I love when readers share feedback!
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Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup pure cane sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup buttermilk *
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.
- Cream (or mix) together the butter, brown sugar, and pure cane sugar.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract to your mixture, and mix well.
- Stir the baking soda into your buttermilk (or sour milk) and set aside.
- Sift together the dry ingredients, including the flour, salt, and ground cinnamon.
- Mix the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture, alternating with the buttermilk.
- Fold in the oatmeal and chocolate chips, mixing them into the dough.
- Using a cookie scoop, drop cookies onto your cookie sheet, pressing/patting the cookies somewhat flat with your fingers or the flat bottom of a glass.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the cookies turn a nice golden hue.
- When you remove each batch from the oven, remove the cookies from the cookie sheet and allow them to cool on a wire rack.
- Serve with a nice tall glass of ice cold milk.
These are very good. I added 2 cups of shredded coconut which was great. The only issue I had was the cinnamon with the chocolate chips. I think next time I would either do raisins with the cinnamon or chocolate chips without the cinnamon. But real the texture was superb!
Thanks for the awesome feedback, Kim!
When I started making these cookies, I realized I didn’t have rolled oats. So I added about 1/4cup flour and pecans and more chips. They were very good. I want to try them with the oatmeal next time.
That sounds great, Karen! Thanks for the feedback.
I bought 5lbs of oats (on accident) and needed something to make other than overnight oats. Quick search and found this recipe as recommended must try. I subbed regular choc chips for Lily’s Choc Chips. This recipe is DEVINE and hits the spot for a low(ER) calorie cookie and it’s now going on my Food for the Soul board. Thanks!
That’s awesome, Lauren. This is definitely one of my kids’ favorite cookie recipes. I’m glad you liked it.
I left out the cinnamon cut back on the chocolate chips and added dates, raisins and sliced almonds. They turned out really good especially if you eat them warm. Just pop a few in the toaster oven for a couple of minutes.
Sandy, that’s such a good idea! Thanks for trying the recipe.
Would it be too much to add raisins too
Jeana, I think that would be great!
Delicious cookies, and simple to make. Mine made 4 dozen, half to share with my daughter and son-in-law who have just had their first baby. Thanks for a great recipe!
That’s awesome, Vivian! I’m so glad you liked it. This recipe has to be one of my family’s favorite cookies.
Absolutely delicious… crunchy outside and bliss inside. I added some coconut and chopped nuts but great without too!!
Rhonda, thank you! Mmmm, that sounds delicious with the coconut and chopped nuts.
I make these weekly for my family
McKayla, I’m so glad you enjoy them! Thank you!