How To Make Soft & Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Everyone has a favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, and this oatmeal one is mine. I grew up with my mom swapping out raisins for chocolate chips in every oatmeal cookie she baked, and to this day, soft and chewy oatmeal cookies with the sweet scent of cinnamon and loads of dark chocolate will always make me think of her. These particular cookies are soft and dense, with lots of buttery flavor and the ease of a no-mixer, nearly one-bowl method. They are very likely going to become one of your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipes, too.
Why You’ll Love These Easy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
There are a lot of oatmeal cookies in the world. In fact, Kitchn has at least three (Soft & Chewy, Cherry, Chocolate, and Pecan, and Pumpkin are our most popular). Almost all of them, however, require a stand mixer and more than a handful of ingredients. These cookies don’t need a stand or hand mixer, and once you master them they can be mixed in one bowl. Plus, they stay soft and chewy for days after they’re baked, thanks to the addition of cornstarch.
2 Steps for Even Better Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Melt the butter to hydrate the oats. This is a trick I learned from pastry wizard Stella Parks. The warm and liquid butter hydrates the oats and eliminates the need for a stand mixer for creaming the butter and sugar.
- Use cornstarch to keep the dough moist and chewy. The added starch makes for a slightly drier dough, but will make the finished cookies softer and chewier after baking.
Baking and Storing Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Bake these cookies on a parchment lined-baking sheet until the edges are just beginning to brown. They shouldn’t spread much, resulting in slightly mounded cookies with a dense, chocolate-filled center. (You can press the dough down before baking if you prefer a thinner cookie.) These cookies keep well in an airtight container for about five days, so keep your cookie jar full by baking these on the regular.
Easy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 10 minutes to 12 minutes
Makes 24
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons
(1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 cup
all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons
cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon
baking powder
- 1 teaspoon
ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon
kosher salt
- 1
large egg
- 1 teaspoon
vanilla extract
- 1 cup
packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup
granulated sugar
- 2 cups
old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup
chocolate chips or chunks
Equipment
Measuring cups and spoons
Large bowl
Spatula or wooden spoon
Small ice cream scoop (optional)
- 2
baking sheets
Parchment paper
Cooling rack
Whisk
Instructions
Prepare the baking sheets and heat the oven. Arrange 2 racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat to 350ºF. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Melt and cool the butter. Melt the butter in 30-second intervals in a large microwave-safe bowl until completely melted, 1 to 2 minutes total. Set aside to cool for at least 5 minutes.
Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.
Combine the butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla extract. Add the brown and granulated sugars, egg, and vanilla to the butter and whisk until completely smooth.
Fold everything together. Add the oats, followed by the flour mixture. Fold together with a rubber spatula until mostly homogenous. Fold in the chocolate until no dry streaks of flour remain.
Scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Scoop the dough with a small cookie scoop or spoon into 2-tablespoon portions on the prepared baking sheets, placing them about an inch apart, 8 cookies per baking sheet.
Bake the cookies 10 to 12 minutes. Bake until the cookies have spread, are just beginning to brown at the edges, and their centers are just set, 10 to 12 minutes.
Cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute before cooling completely. Let the cookies cool for 1 minute on the baking sheets. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat baking the remaining cookie dough, you can reuse the parchment on cooled baking sheets.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.