This easy oatmeal cookie recipe turns out perfectly every time! No raisins or chocolate, just simple butter and oatmeal cookies that you can add (or not) what you like to!
Easy Oatmeal Cookies
Long live all the staple recipes that you can make again and again! This recipe has been around the blog (and my home) for years because it’s a classic oatmeal cookie that’s delicious just as it is. I love a simple, plain cookie because it’s a great go-to for celebrations or just a regular Tuesday alike.
No matter if you add chocolate chips or raisins or nuts or anything else you like, this is a great and solid oatmeal cookie recipe that turns out every single time. They’re some of my husband’s absolute favorites because they’re simple and sweet, without being too much. Plus, the texture is everything and more you could want in a cookie -- soft and chewy with just a bit of crisp on the outside. Pure perfection!
Tips and Tricks for Making This Easy Oatmeal Cookie Recipe:
- These cookies are just begging for you to add your own touches. Add between 1 and 1 ½ cups (total) of just about anything you’d like. Try adding chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, nuts, cinnamon, cinnamon chips, chopped candy bars, M&M’s, or raisins. You could also put a layer of icing, ice cream, or peanut butter in between two baked and cooled cookies to make a sandwich cookie. The possibilities are endless!
- Old fashioned oats are great in this recipe because they help to make them chewy and give them that classic oatmeal texture. You can use quick cooking or instant oats (they are the same thing as old fashioned, just cut into smaller pieces), though it'll change the texture a bit. I recommend the old fashioned oats.
- If you like a simple spiced oatmeal cookie, try adding 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and a ¼ teaspoon of cloves and nutmeg. So good while keeping them simple.
- I always bake these on parchment paper or baking mats. Do you have baking mats yet? Such a great investment.
Can you freeze oatmeal cookies? Can you freeze cookie dough?
Yes to both! To freeze baked cookies, allow the cookies to cool completely, store them in an airtight container, and keep them in the freezer for up to 2 months. Pull them out about an hour before serving to let them thaw to room temperature.
To freeze the dough, form the dough into balls, and freeze them for a few hours on a cookie tray. After they’ve frozen through, add them to an airtight container or sealable bags, and stick them back in the freezer. When you’re ready to bake them, preheat your oven, place the frozen dough balls on a baking sheet, and add 2 to 4 minutes of baking time to the suggested bake time. No need to thaw!
How do you keep oatmeal cookies soft?
You can keep the cookies soft after baking them by storing them in a container or sealable bag with a piece of bread. The bread will lend its moisture to the cookies, keeping them soft for longer. Using white bread is preferable, so it doesn’t give off any flavor to the cookies.
What kind of oats do you use for oatmeal cookies?
I recommend using old-fashioned oats in this recipe because they help to make the cookies chewy and give them that classic oatmeal texture. You *can* use quick oats, but it’ll just have a bit of a different texture.
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The Best Simple Oatmeal Cookie Recipe
- Total Time: 24 minutes
- Yield: 36 cookies 1x
Description
This easy oatmeal cookie recipe turns out perfectly every time! No raisins or chocolate, just simple butter and oatmeal cookies that you can add (or not) what you like to!
Ingredients
- ¾ cup butter (1 ½ sticks), at room temperature
- 1 and ½ cups brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 and ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 ¼ cups old fashioned oats
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Add the butter and the brown sugar to the bowl of your stand mixer and beat on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, around 5 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla and beat for another minute.
- Add the flour, sprinkle in the baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix until combined. Add the oats and combine.
- Fold in the dried cherries, chocolate, chopped pecans, or other mix-ins if desired.
- The mixture will be a little tacky, but you should be able to roll it into a ball in your hands without making a total mess. If it is too sticky, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until the mixture can be handled.
- Roll the dough into 1 to 1.5 inch balls (about 1 large tablespoon of dough), using your hands and place the balls on the prepared cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes until the edges begin to brown and the centers are set.
- Transfer to a wire rack and let them cool completely.
Notes
- These cookies are just begging for you to add your own touches. Add between 1 and 1 ½ cups (total) of just about anything you’d like. Try adding chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, nuts, cinnamon, cinnamon chips, chopped candy bars, M&M’s, or raisins. You could also put a layer of icing, ice cream, or peanut butter in between two baked and cooled cookies to make a sandwich cookie. The possibilities are endless!
- This recipe was tested with salted butter but can be made with unsalted as well.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 14 min
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: easy oatmeal cookie recipe, best oatmeal cookie recipe, how to make oatmeal cookies
You may also enjoy these oatmeal cookie recipes:
- Amazing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie Bars
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie Bars
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
- Soft Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Spring M&M Oatmeal Cookies
- Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Oatmeal Cookies with Cinnamon Chips
- Old Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies
This post was originally published in April 2013 and has been updated, rephotographed, and improved with reader feedback.
Diane
Love this recipe....easy and delicious!
Quick question - should the brown sugar be packed, or loose? Can effect be sweetness.....
★★★★★
Melissa
I pack it, but I bet you can get away with loose if you want a less sweet cookie.
Erica
Did I do something wrong my cookies came out in the flatter side?!
Melissa
It's probably just a measuring thing or your butter was a little on the warm side. So melty butter that isn't creamed into the sugar long enough and/or not enough flour will lend to a flatter cookie. You could also try chilling the dough before baking. Let me know how it turns out, I hope they tasted great!
Ranya
I just made half a batch of these, adding a few crumbled wafer praline "cigars" In there and subbing applesauce for half the butter to make up for the wafers. They are delicious! You saved the next few days' breakfast. I can't wait for my preschooler and husband to try these tomorrow. Will definitely be making them again as well, with different, and healthier, add-ins. I love versatile recipes so much!
Melissa
Ooohhh fun idea! I have an applesauce cookie on my site that you might love too!
Ranya
Yes, I am an applesauce newbie and I love it! I have been making it for my 8-month-old's meals but there are so many recipes to make with it, plus you can sub it for butter. Plus, you can just eat some straight out of the jar when the need for dessert hits!
Oh, and the cookies only lasted 2 days. 20 of them. HUGE hit over here.
Juliette van der Wal
97 calories*
I'm sorry
Melissa
That's what the calorie counter that I use says. Feel free to plug it into something like MyFitnessPal once you know how many cookies your batch made and see what you get.
Juliette van der Wal
is it true that it's only 19 calories per portion? and what do you consider a portion?
Sincerely, Juliette van der Wal
Lannae Sanders
Will be trying this recipe today ...Thank you
Debbie
Is it salted or unsalted butter?
Melissa
I've used both with great success and don't think it makes a huge difference either way for this recipe. Unsalted is more traditional for baking though.
Emaan
Hello. I'm a teenager and I tried these out excitedly, because the recipe looked inviting. Well, the cookies stuck to the baking tray and wouldn't dislodge, and once they did, they all broke up into crumbs. I was so disappointed..... ?
★★
Melissa
Sorry you didn't find success. The recipe indicated that you need to use parchment paper on your pan which stops the cookies from sticking. Alternatives to parchment is to grease the cookie sheet or to use baking mats, all of which will fix the issues.
Diana
I would like to know how to use this recipe with grams instead of cups.
★★★★★
Tami
Just finished makeing these cookies. They are delicious. I added walnuts and they taste amazing!
★★★★★
Melissa
One of my favorite additions! Did you add a little cinnamon to go with your walnuts? That's so good too, just a 1/2 teaspoon!
Cherish
Made this recipe tonight and they turned out PERFECT dispite a few changes. They turned out soft, chewy and crispy all at once. I had no brown sugar so I used half regular sugar and half powdered sugar and added half of cup of both chocolate and butterscotch chips. Delicious! Thanks for the recipe. I'll be making these cookies again for sure *2 thumbs up*
★★★★
Wendy I Petty
Made these with smashed bananas and walnuts and they came out really really good thank you for the recipe love love
★★★★★
Melissa
That sounds awesome. Did you replace anything with the bananas or just add them in addition to everything else? Definitely something I want to try!
Wendy I Petty
Made these with smashed bananas and walnuts and they came out really really good thank you for the recipe
deb c
He loves these cookies! I need to surprise him with a batch one of these nights. I think baking mats are such a great invention! Cookie dough is dangerous to have around...either fresh or frozen....its one of life's tasty pleasures!!
★★★★★
Melissa
I'm so glad you like them as much as we do! And I need your pine gum salve recipe if you share it! I'm almost out 🙂
deb c
I'll dig it out and send it your way! 🙂
Peter Zeevy
Copied wholesale from Jools Oliver, Jamie Olivers wife. Thse have been around for years. At least credit who you are copying.
Melissa
Hey now, let's not point finger where fingers don't need to be pointed. I certainly didn't steal anyone's recipe, and certainly not Jamie Oliver's wife's. I had to look hers up and it's not at all like mine. And I published this recipe for the first time in 2013, so it's been around a long time. I always give credit if the recipe is not original to me. I believe in internet Karma, maybe you should start believing in it too.
deb c
Tonight he read the oatmeal container while I was mixing a batch, and proudly announced...."It says here oatmeal will lower my cholesterol, so these cookies will be healthy for me!!!!!!!!!!" Bah ha ha!!!
deb c
He likes these so much, he is willing to let me do an add-in on round 3......oh my!!! First though, we will need to consume round 2.....life is rough!
deb c
We loved these! Crunchy but chewy, and full of rich flavor (thank you butter!) No additions... that would be too scary for my other half.... one step at a time! A perk of being snowed in this week has been playing with your recipes!
Diana Jeffrey
I made these today and oh wow! Great texture and flavor in every bite. I added toasted coconut and walnuts. Definitely a cookie I'll make often and try different additions.
Sonja Onderko
I love these cookie with just walnuts in them! Yummy