The Best Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe makes chewy cookies with rolled oats, chocolate chips, a hint of cinnamon and lots of love! These homemade oatmeal cookies are seriously the best!

I found this recipe for old fashioned oatmeal chocolate chip cookies in my grandma's huge stash of saved recipes. It was just a newspaper clipping, with no name or title -- most of her saved recipes are like that. But, the cookies sounded good, so my budding-baker daughter and I decided to try them.
And ..... they were good. But they were missing something. So, why am I calling these the best?
Well, we tweaked the recipe and added vanilla extract and a touch of cinnamon. And, since the original recipe for oatmeal chocolate chip cookies had margarine and no butter, we definitely went with the butter!
So, even though I love my Oatmeal Cranberry Walnut Cookies, Oatmeal Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Cookies and No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies and Banana Oatmeal Cookies, these are definitely the absolute BEST oatmeal chocolate chip cookies we've ever had! Don't just take my word for it -- check out the reviews and comments!
Ingredients
You only need a few simple ingredients for this oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe. You can find them in the grocery store if you don't already have them in your pantry or fridge:
- Butter -- softened
- Brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- All purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Sea salt
- Ground cinnamon
- Rolled oats-- old-fashioned oats work best here
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
How to Make Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Not only are these oatmeal cookies incredibly delicious, but they're also super easy. Plus, you only use one bowl to make them, so clean-up is simple, too!
First, mix the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl, and set it aside.
In a large bowl, cream butter until it's light and fluffy. Then, add the sugars to the whipped butter, and mix well. Add the eggs and vanilla.
When all the wet ingredients are mixed together, gradually add in the dry ingredients. Then, you just mix everything together.
Lastly, stir in the oats and chocolate chips.
To prevent the cookies from spreading out too much, I recommend chilling the dough for a few minutes. Cool cookie sheets help, too!
Use a teaspoon to scoop the chilled dough out onto the baking sheet. You can use a cookie scoop if you have one!
I definitely recommend using silicone baking mats if you have them. Parchment paper or foil is good, too.
We tried the baking mats, parchment paper and foil, and the mats won -- hands down!
Cooking Time
Heat oven to 350 degrees f. Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until cookies are light brown around the edges. Let them cool on a wire rack, and that's it!
These decadent warm cookies have crisp edges, chewy centers, and gooey chocolate chips--some of the best things on earth!
These chewy oatmeal cookies are just plain good -- especially when you dunk them in a glass of milk! Enjoy them with a cup of coffee or homemade hot chocolate -- yum!
Variations and Substitutions
There are a few great ways to customize these delicious oatmeal cookies to suit your tastes!
These cookies call for rolled oats, which are old-fashioned oats. This gives the cookies a deeper, nuttier flavor. But, you can use quick cooking oats if you'd like.
Instead of semisweet chocolate chips, use dark chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, or butterscotch chips. Add raisins for chocolate chip oatmeal raisin cookies.
Add chocolate chunks instead of regular chips or use a combo for extra chocolatey cookies! Chunks tend to melt a lot better than chips, and are generally larger than them--the extra chocolate takes these already good cookies to the next level!
Substitute golden brown sugar with dark brown sugar. This makes the cookies darker, a little more flavorful and a little extra chewy!
How to Store
Store your oatmeal chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container. They can be left out at room temperature.
Pro tip: put a slice of white bread in the container with your cookies--it'll keep them nice and soft!
You can also freeze the dough. This works great of you don't need a large batch of cookies.
Just freeze any cookie dough balls you don't use, and when you're ready to use the rest, let the dough thaw in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes, and get baking!
Baking Tips
- Use softened butter -- not melted
- Chill dough for about 15 minutes before scooping out to prevent cookies from spreading.
- Use cool or chilled cookie sheets -- also helps prevent cookies spreading
- Use baking mats, parchment paper or aluminum foil on the cookie sheets for easy clean-up
- Store cookies in an airtight container with a piece of sandwich bread to keep them soft!
Recipe
Best Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1 ½ cups semi sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- In a large mixing bowl, beat 1 cup butter until creamy
- Add brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla extract, and beat until creamy
- Add eggs, and beat well. Gradually mix in the flour, then add baking soda, sea salt and cinnamon, and mix well
- Stir in the oats, and mix until well combined, then stir in chocolate chips
- Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls (or use cookie scoop) onto ungreased baking sheets (silicone baking mats or parchment paper recommended), leaving about 2 inches between each cookie
- Bake for 10 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned and semi firm
- Remove from oven, allow to cool slightly, then transfer to wire rack or cool surface to cool completely
Video
Notes
Nutrition information is estimated. Please do your own calculation to fit special diets.
Nutrition
This chocolate chip oatmeal cookie recipe makes some of the best cookies I've ever had! These might seriously be my family's favorite cookies!
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Recipe was originally posted in 2018 and updated in 2022
Samantha says
These really are the best oatmeal chocolate chip cookies! They’re so chewy and chocolatey, and I’m definitely making them again!
Edna says
Another awesome recipe. The grandkids loved making these with me after school! Ate them all too!. I was hoping for leftovers!
Cheryl says
Do you use salted or unsalted butter?
Dee says
I use salted but unsalted works too.
Anne says
This is the best oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe I've tried yet. Wouldn't change a thing!
Dee says
Thank you SO much for the sweet comment! Glad you liked the cookies!
Holly says
I just made a batch of these, and I’m obsessed! They’re so chewy, chocolaty and the flavor is absolutely scrumptious! I can truly see why they’re called the best! They’re really are the best cookies I’ve ever eaten!!
Dee says
Wow, Holly! Thank you SO much for the wonderful review. I'm glad you liked the cookies!
Lola Osinkolu | Chef Lola's Kitchen says
Sounds like a must try!
Gretchen says
My friend recommended this recipe and she’s the best baker I know, so will definitely be making. Then I saw your recipe for Oatmeal Butterscotch Chocolate Chip cookies. Question- why is the base recipe different? Why not the same recipe, but with butterscotch chips? Is the flavor/taste intended to be different from one base to another? Look forward to trying!
Dee says
Hi Gretchen. So, this is more of a chocolate chip cookie with oatmeal -- the texture is softer -- while the butterscotch one is more of a chewy oatmeal cookie with chips. I hope that helps. 🙂
Tiffany says
I am so excited to make these cookies! But I have a couple of questions. 1) Is rolled oats the same as old fashioned oats and can I use those? 2) I only have light brown sugar- is this ok using or will it alter the amazing taste? I really want to make some yummy cookies so if I need to run to the store then I totally will 😊 Thank you so much!
Dee says
Rolled and old fashioned oats are the same. You can use those or quick oats. Either dark or light brown sugar works -- I've used both. Hope you enjoy them!:)
Sue says
I'm new to baking...this recipe was perfect,
Simple and delicious!
Dee says
I'm so happy to hear this, Sue! Thanks a bunch!
Erica says
Delicious!
Sarah says
These are delicious and easy to make! I had to use margarine instead of butter because, well, we are out of butter and I'm trying to avoid grocery store because of what's happening in the world right now. The touch of cinnamon is great too! Some bites are more oatmeal cookie-ish, some bites are more chocolate-chippy, and some bites are equal oatmeal/choc.chip. Every bite is yummy!!
Dee says
I'm so glad you liked the cookies, Sarah! Thank you so much!
Dneves says
Can you freeze the dough?
Dee says
I've never tried it, but you should be able to.
Heather says
These are delicious! I added a bit more flour because the first tray spread a bit too much, but that may be because I'm at high altitude. (I'm still getting used to the subtle differences)
Thanks for sharing!
Dee says
So happy you liked the cookies, Heather!