Chewy Oatmeal Cookies
These Chewy Oatmeal Cookies are a delicious blend of chewy oats, warm vanilla and earthy cinnamon. They're so simple to make, even for newbie home bakers. You can have a mouthwatering, warm batch of these on the table in just half an hour - no chilling the dough required. Sweet, satisfying and just a little old-fashioned, you'll soon be reaching for "just one more" after the first taste.
Soft Oatmeal Cookies with Cinnamon
If you ask me, a good oatmeal cookie doesn't need frosting, raisins, chocolate chips or anything piled on top. So long as the texture is right and the flavor is balanced, these cookies are a real treat. This recipe took a long time to get right, but the warm cinnamon and vanilla aromas while they bake always makes my mouth water.
Brown sugar is one of the key ingredients here, giving the oatmeal cookies a rich, almost caramel-like sweetness, and also helping keep them soft. And then you have the oats, which make them more filling than simple sugar cookies. A touch of vanilla and a pinch of cinnamon add those nostalgic flavors home baking is all about.
Bake a batch of these chewy oatmeal cookies anytime to pair with anything from a cold glass of milk to a pumpkin spice latte or cup of tea. They're just as good for cookie trays at the holidays as they are for a mid-morning snack in summertime.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
These chewy oatmeal cookies make for a delicious treat!
- Soft and chewy texture: These cookies have a tender center, lightly crisp edges and plenty of chew from the old-fashioned oats.
- Brown sugar flavor: Using only brown sugar gives them a richer sweetness and a slightly caramel-like taste that suits this type of cookie.
- Simple pantry ingredients: There's nothing unusual here, just butter, flour, oats, brown sugar and a few baking staples.
- They keep for days: These soften a little more over time and will last for up to 5 days, or you can freeze baked cookies or balls of dough for baking later. (Well, possibly not in this house with hungry boys around!)
Ingredients
You'll need unsalted butter as the base for the cookie dough. If needed, you can use margarine, but I always find butter gives the best flavor. Brown sugar is the only sugar I tested here, but I wouldn't swap it for white sugar. It brings more moisture to the dough, which you need to give these cookies their chewy texture and deeper sweetness.
Make sure the butter has softened before you start. This helps it cream properly with the brown sugar to give your cookies an even texture.
Vanilla extract rounds out the flavor and takes the edge off the sweetness - make sure you're using pure vanilla extract for the best taste. All-purpose flour forms the structure of the dough, while cornstarch helps keep the cookies soft and tender.
Baking powder and baking soda are both important in this recipe, so don't reduce or skip either one. They help the cookies rise slightly and prevent a dense texture. Cinnamon gives the dough a warm flavor that works well with the oats and brown sugar, and a pinch of salt keeps the sweetness in check and helps the whole cookie taste more balanced.
And finally, the star ingredient - old fashioned oats - are what give these cookies their hearty texture and chew.
How to Make Chewy Oatmeal Cookies
Baking these cookies is a breeze! You won't even need to chill the dough, although you totally can if you need some time between mixing the dough and baking the cookies. (If you do chill it, let the dough sit out for 15 minutes or so before you start forming cookie dough balls - this makes the dough easier to handle).
- Cream together the softened butter, brown sugar and vanilla extract.
- Mix in the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, to form a dough.
- Fold in the oats.
- The dough will be chunky - make sure the oats are well-distributed.
- Scoop cookie dough balls and space them out on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake the chewy oatmeal cookies until golden brown.
- Let them cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer them onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
These cookies come together quickly, but don't be tempted to skip the cooling step. Cookies like this and pumpkin oatmeal cookies can be fragile right out of the oven and leaving them on the baking sheet for a few minutes makes a big difference. If you try to move them too soon, they're more likely to fall apart.
Tips for Success
- Use softened butter. If the butter's too cold, it won't cream properly with the sugar and the dough won't mix as smoothly.
- Don't swap the sugar. Brown sugar or a brown sugar alternative adds moisture as well as sweetness, and that matters for the final texture.
- Use a pair of baking sheets if you have them. That way you can keep going without waiting for one hot tray to cool between batches.
- Watch the bottoms. The cookies are done when the bottoms are lightly golden, which usually takes 10 to 12 minutes, depending on your oven.
FAQ
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 to 5 days for the best texture.
Yes. Freeze the scooped dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet until firm, then transfer them to a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen and add 1 to 3 minutes to the baking time. You can also freeze fully baked cookies once cooled, with parchment between layers so they don't stick. For cookies like these though, I prefer freezing the unbaked dough, otherwise they won't thaw out as chewy.
I like to use old-fashioned oats, which are also known as rolled oats. If you want to try quick oats, you may need a little more but keep the total under 3 cups for the best result. Quick oats are thinner and absorb more moisture, while old-fashioned oats will give a chunkier, more rustic texture.
Sure! Add up to half a cup of add-ins if you like.
Chewy Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ cups old-fashioned oats
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (177°C) and lining your baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Then cream together the softened 1 cup unsalted butter, 1 ½ cups brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- Stir in the 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon salt until a gooey dough is formed, then fold in the 2 ½ cups old-fashioned oats.
- Use your 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop 6 cookie dough balls onto your parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake for about 11-12 minutes, then let cool for at least 5 minutes on the baking sheet before moving to a cooling rack.
- Repeat with the rest of the cookie dough and enjoy when cooled!
Notes
Nutrition
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