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    Home » Cookies » Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

    January 20, 2018 , Updated April 17, 2021 Maria 46 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

    Thick and Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are just perfect with a cool tall glass of milk. Classic, especially if you like to dunk your cookies. 

    A stack of Thick and Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

    It took a lot of research, a lot of trial and error, a lot of adjusting, a lot of tasting and a lot of dark chocolate chips, but we’ve finally done it: created the recipe for the perfect Thick and Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies from scratch. 

    A Google search for oatmeal chocolate chip cookies provides millions of recipes -about 15,400,000! But out of all of those, this is the one and we are so excited to share it with all of you!

    Crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside – perfection.

    You will notice that I said, “we.” I enlisted the help of my daughter and the taste buds of her classmates for this recipe!

    My daughter helped me make endless varieties; her classmates chose their favorite out of the two varieties my daughter eventually brought in.

    What you have here today is the winning cookie!

    If you have a minute, I would like to share what I learned about making oatmeal chocolate chip cookies…

    Freshly baked Thick and Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies.

    Instructions

    It all begins with butter and sugar. That seems easy enough, right? But let’s take a closer look at these two essential ingredients.

    The process of creaming the butter with the sugars.

    Softened Room Temperature Butter is crucial when baking.

    According to all that I have read (and remember from a food science course I took over 30 years ago 😮  ), when room temperature butter and sugar are whipped together, they form tiny air bubbles trapped in the mixture (also referred to as an emulsion).

    When incorporated with the rest of the ingredients (also at room temperature) and eventually baked, these well-distributed air bubbles will result in a uniform texture that is light and airy.

    A lighter version of these oatmeal chocolate chip cookies can easily be achieved by replacing half of the butter with 1/3 cup of applesauce (I like to use my chunky applesauce).

    A peanut butter version can also be achieved by replacing half of the butter with peanut butter.

    The perfect degree of chewiness is achieved by using the right proportion of white to brown sugar. Brown sugar has molasses (20% for dark brown sugar and 10% for the light one) and, as a result, provides extra moisture compared to white sugar. Extra moisture means a chewy texture. So play around with the proportions of white and brown sugar to create cookies that have the perfect texture for you. We liked our oatmeal chocolate chip cookies to be chewy.

    Different process shots showing the addition of the ingredients to make these Thick and Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies.

    Once the butter and sugars have been whipped together, add the room temperature eggs, one at a time. Make sure to beat well after each addition. Add just 1 tablespoon of milk and a drop of vanilla.

    We will then add some of the dry ingredients to this wet mixture, followed by the oats.

    A whole wheat version can easily be achieved by replacing up to half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour.

    Finally, we add the dark chocolate chips.

    For the oats to become hydrated, refrigerate this mixture for at least 30 minutes.

    Scooping out the dough.

    The only thing left to do is to use a medium-sized disher to portion your cookie dough and bake for approximately 8-9 minutes.

    There is no need to flatten the dough before it goes in the oven -the heat from the oven will take care of everything.

    Remember, we are looking for thick and chewy cookies.

    So when the edges are golden light brown, remove them from the oven. 

    Yes, I know the center will be a little soft, but let them cool on the baking sheet and your patience will be rewarded. If, on the other hand, you prefer a crisp cookie, keep it in the oven a few minutes longer.

    The soft interior of the Thick and Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie.

    At the risk of repeating myself, these cookies come out thick, soft, and chewy every single time.

    That’s what makes them my favorite.

    Thicker cookies also have the power to support a lot of add-ons (a feebler cookie would lose its structure and fall apart if you tried putting too many extras). Which is so important for oatmeal cookies!!

    One of the best things about oatmeal cookies is how customizable they are.

    I make these chocolate chip oatmeal cookies with – surprise! – dark chocolate chips, but they would work just as well with nearly any other kind of add-on.

    Variations

    • Any dried fruit, like raisins, dried cherries, and dried cranberries.
    • Nearly any kind of nut, especially walnuts and pistachios. Make sure to toast them beforehand.
    • Different types of chocolate chips. For example, using dark chocolate chips versus milk chocolate chips will yield a very different final product.

    It’s easy to associate oatmeal with warm, comforting breakfasts on cold and frigid days. You will find that these oatmeal cookies with a glass of milk carry that same sentiment and sense of warmth and comfort.

    How to enjoy freshly baked cookies

    • Use a disher (ice cream scooper) to portion the raw cookie dough on a baking sheet that fits in your freezer.
    • Place the baking sheet with the balls of cookie dough in the freezer.
    • Once frozen, transfer the frozen balls of dough to a freezable container or bag—label with the date.
    • When you feel the urge to have freshly baked cookies, preheat the oven and place your frozen ball of cookie dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
    • Bake as per directions and enjoy! 

    Simple cookie recipes we love

    • Oat Bran Cookies
    • Pets de Soeur
    • S Cookies
    • Witch Finger Cookies
    • Almond Butter Oatmeal Cookies (Gluten-Free) 

     

    A stack of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

    Recipe inspiration

    When I was a teenager, I never really bought my meals at the school cafeteria; I always brought in a lunch from home filled with tasty leftovers from the day before.

    But there was one cafeteria food that I could never resist… those giant soft oatmeal cookies, about as big as my entire hand. Do you know the ones I’m talking about?

    They came individually wrapped in cling wrap, and they were just perfect. 

    I haven’t had a cookie like that in years – decades! Not since I graduated from high school. The quest for that cookie has been on and off over the last few decades – with no success. Recently, I was overcome with a craving for them and started my oatmeal cookie bakeoff (again) in search of that elusive cookie. I started my experiment with this recipe. 

    Thick and Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies on a cooling rack.

    Well, I am happy to report that this quest is over, and I have the perfect recipe to show for it. 

    Customize them, make them your own, and enjoy them with your family and loved ones.

    THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.

    Ciao for now,

    Maria 

    ★★★★★ If you have made this Chocolate Chip Cookie, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!

    Freshly baked Thick and Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies.

    Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

    These Thick and Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are the perfect cookies to share with your family and loved ones. Customize them, make them your own, and enjoy them with a smile on your face!
    4.92 from 12 votes
    Print Save RecipeSaved! Pin Rate
    Course: cookies
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 8 minutes
    Total Time: 2 hours
    Servings: 50 cookies
    Calories: 108kcal
    Author: Maria Vannelli RD
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup butter softened, unsalted, 227 grams
    • 1/2 cup sugar granulated, 100 grams
    • 1 cup brown sugar 220 grams
    • 2 eggs room temperature
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 tablespoon milk
    • 2 cups flour all-purpose, 284 grams
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
    • 3/4 teaspoon salt
    • 3 cups quick-cooking oats OR old fashioned oats 300 grams
    • 2/3 cup dark chocolate chips

    Instructions

    • Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
    • In a medium-sized bowl, cream together the butter and the 2 sugars. 
    • Beat in the eggs, one at a time. 
    • Add the vanilla extract and the milk and mix together.
    • Add the sifted dry ingredients, followed by the oats. Finally, add the chocolate chips and mix thoroughly together with a mixing spoon.
    • Cover and chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. The longer the better.
    • Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). Set oven rack to center.
    • Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
    • Scoop dough with medium disher and place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. 
    • Bake for about 8 minutes or until the edges begin to turn golden.
    • Allow cookies to cool off on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack.
    Scroll UP for the STEP by STEP PhotosDon't miss the process shots and videos included in most posts. Simply scroll up the post to find them. Those were created especially for you so that you can make the recipe perfectly every single time you try it.

    Video

    Notes

    There is an idle time of 30 minutes.
    Half of the butter can be replaced with 1/3 cup of applesauce OR 1/2 cup of peanut butter.
    Up to half of the all purpose flour can be replaced with whole wheat flour.
    How to freeze: Portion the batter on a cookie tray and freeze. Once frozen, place the balls of frozen cookies dough in a plastic bag. Can be baked directly from the freezer. Simply place frozen balls of dough on cookie sheet and bake. Will require an additional 2 minutes of baking time. Frozen dough will keep up to 3 months in the freezer. 
    Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 108kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 95mg | Potassium: 49mg | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 125IU | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 0.5mg
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    Filed Under: Cookies

    About Maria

    Maria Vannelli is a registered dietitian who lives in a suburb just outside Montreal, Canada. She's the founder of the food blog She Loves Biscotti. Maria hopes to inspire you and bring you and your loved ones closer together at meal times enabling you to create some memorable moments.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Carmela

      October 25, 2020 at 8:35 pm

      5 stars
      The absolute best oatmeal cookie ever!
      They were gone in a flash. I baked them for 9 minutes and they were perfect!!

      Reply
      • Maria

        October 26, 2020 at 10:27 am

        Fantastic Carmela! Thanks for sharing.

        Reply
    2. Toni

      August 28, 2020 at 1:18 pm

      5 stars
      Hello, Maria.
      I used half peanut butter and did not add the white sugar. Turned out a little on the sweet side despite, but yeah, it’s milk dunking good! Thank you for the recipe. Will make this again soon.

      Reply
      • Maria

        August 28, 2020 at 9:08 pm

        Thanks so much for sharing Toni!

        Reply
    3. Savio Sequeira

      August 11, 2020 at 6:26 am

      4 stars
      Lovely receipt Maria – I ve tried some of you other before. all with great results
      I replaced half the butter with pear sauce and peanut butter both.
      and reduced the sugar a bit which made them less sweet.
      The texture wasnt chewy tough what am I doing wrong

      Reply
      • Maria

        August 11, 2020 at 5:15 pm

        Thanks so much for sharing Savio! I’m guessing that replacing the butter with pear sauce contributes to a softer texture. Perhaps the proportions need to be adjusted just a little bit.

        Reply
    4. Percy

      May 02, 2019 at 4:46 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Maria, greetings from Peru. I did all the recipe as indicated and added some walnuts. Me, my wife and kids are amazed. I’d like to try some variations in the ingredients, including some premium (more expensive) ones. Have you tried this? Does this make a huge difference in the result? I also tried different baking times (from 9 to 13 min) and it bakes a really nice difference in the chewieness. I think I will stick to this recipe from now on, thank you som much for sharing it!

      Reply
      • Maria

        May 02, 2019 at 4:50 pm

        My pleasure Percy! I am thrilled to hear you enjoyed this recipe. Yes, you can try with different nuts according to your preferences. Walnuts and pecans are lovely with this recipe. Thanks for taking the time to comment, appreciate it ♥

        Reply
      • Linda Fernandez

        February 02, 2021 at 4:31 pm

        5 stars
        Amazing!! Best recipe so far!! Made them for my husband, oatmeal cookies are his favorite. He loved them !! I baked them for 9 min. Perfect!! Thanks so much for the recipe!! Definitely will be making them again!!👍👍

        Reply
        • Maria

          February 02, 2021 at 5:15 pm

          How wonderful Linda! Thanks so much for sharing.

    5. Mary

      March 07, 2019 at 3:34 pm

      What is the point of mixing the vanilla with milk? Never seen anything like that before and I’ve been baking for 50 years.

      Reply
      • Maria

        March 07, 2019 at 10:06 pm

        Hi Mary. In line 3 I refer to beating the eggs. In line 4, the instructions indicate to add the vanilla extract and the milk and mix together with the eggs. Sorry for the misunderstanding. Thanks for stopping by.

        Reply
    6. Robin

      March 27, 2018 at 2:45 pm

      I love the taste, but I followed the recipe to a T and they are super flat 😫! Any changes I should make living at high altitude (Denver, CO)? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Maria

        April 17, 2018 at 10:02 pm

        Hi Robin, I am sorry your cookies turned out flat 🙁
        I think that with some adjustments, you should be able to get great cookies… don’t want you to miss out!
        High altitude baking can be very challenging… from what you described, the batter probably did not have enough structure.
        From what I read, Denver is about 5000 feet above sea level…
        Here is a great guide that can help you with adjustments for the next time.
        So, I would increase the flour by 2 tablespoons; decrease 1 tablespoon of brown sugar; increase the liquid by adding a medium egg (1 medium egg=3 tablespoons of liquid); and increase temperature by 20 degrees.
        Would love to hear about your results if you do decide to try it.
        Appreciate your comment. Let me know if there is anything else I can help you with.
        Have a great evening Robin 🙂

        Reply
    7. Jessica

      March 13, 2018 at 2:09 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks for all of your help! I made these last night and they are so good! Along with the taste, I love the texture. I put green M&M’s in them for St. Patrick’s Day and they turned out perfect! My husband took some to work today and his co-workers liked them! 🙂

      Reply
      • Maria

        March 13, 2018 at 2:24 pm

        What a great variation for St. Patrick’s Day! Thanks so much for sharing Jessica… and thanks so much for taking the time to comment, appreciate it ♥

        Reply
    8. Jessica

      March 07, 2018 at 3:12 pm

      Hi Maria! You said “the longer the better” when it comes to chilling the dough. What’s the longest you’d recommend?

      Reply
      • Maria

        March 07, 2018 at 3:31 pm

        Great question Jessica! I’ve kept the dough in the fridge for 24 hours with great results. Thanks for stopping by 🙂

        Reply
        • Jessica

          March 07, 2018 at 3:36 pm

          Thanks! That’s about how long I usually chill my cookie dough.

        • Maria

          March 07, 2018 at 11:14 pm

          My pleasure Jessica! Hope you like them 🙂

    9. Angie O.

      February 25, 2018 at 8:24 pm

      5 stars
      Wow, this recipe is fantastic! I, too, have scoured the internet for an oatmeal cookie recipe that hit all the right notes in terms of taste and texture. I only buy old fashioned oats, so I worried that not having quick oats would negatively affect the final product, but they turned out great! I also made a white chocolate chip/cranberry version and was pleased with the results. I will now use this recipe as my base oatmeal cookie dough. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Maria

        February 25, 2018 at 9:33 pm

        Fantastic Angie! Glad to hear you liked the recipe.Good to know the recipe works with old fashioned oats… I will update the recipe card. Appreciate you taking the time to comment. Have a great evening 🙂

        Reply
    10. Isabelle

      February 16, 2018 at 3:44 am

      Grazie mille Maria
      I was looking for a new cookie recipe and i can’t wait to try this one.
      And THANK YOU For listing the weights in grams.
      I have lived 9 years in Canada, so I am used to cups too, which I use too.
      But cup of butter, no thanks 😁
      Love your recipes
      Ciao
      Isabelle (from France)

      Reply
      • Maria

        February 16, 2018 at 9:18 am

        Thank you so much for your kind words Isabelle ♥ Measurements in weights is definitely easier, especially for butter. Hope you enjoy these oatmeal chocolate chip cookies! Appreciate your comment. Thanks so much for stopping by ♥♥♥

        Reply
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