These chewy oatmeal cookies are soft in the middle, crisp on the edges, and totally addictive.

Why You'll Love These
Made with pantry staples, these cookies have that classic chewy texture thanks to a mix of rolled oats, butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
They're big, bakery-style cookies—but you can make them smaller if you want! Perfect for lunchboxes, holiday trays, or sneaky freezer snacks.
Recipe Ingredients 👇👇
Ingredients You'll Need:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 cup unsalted butter - softened
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
Optional Add-Ins:
- 1 cup raisins or chocolate chips
BAKING TIP: One of the biggest secrets to a large, flat, crunchy bakery-style cookie is in the sugar. That’s why this recipe uses a combination of white granulated and brown sugar to give the best results.
Oatmeal Cookies Recipe Instructions:
Full ingredients and instructions are also in the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post.
STEP 1: Preheat Oven
Set your oven to 350°F.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray. This helps the cookies bake evenly and prevents sticking.
STEP 2: Mix the dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together:
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
Set this bowl aside—having this mix ready makes it easier when you're working with the wet ingredients.
STEP 3: Cream the butter and sugars
In a large bowl, beat 1 cup softened butter with a hand mixer for about 1 minute until creamy.
Add 1 cup brown sugar and ½ cup granulated sugar.
Beat for another 2–3 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Tip: This step is key! Proper creaming creates that soft, chewy texture and helps the cookies spread just right.
STEP 4: Add eggs and vanilla
Crack in 2 large eggs and pour in 1 tsp vanilla extract.
Mix until just combined. Don’t overdo it—you want to avoid beating too much air into the batter.
STEP 5: Combine wet and dry ingredients
Slowly pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixture.
Use the mixer on low speed, or switch to a spatula.
Mix until just combined. The dough will be thick.
STEP 6: Fold in the oats
Add 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats.
Use a spatula to fold them in by hand until evenly distributed.
This gives the cookies their signature chewy bite.
Optional: You can also fold in 1 cup chocolate chips or raisins at this stage.
STEP 7: Scoop the dough
Use a cookie scoop or spoon to drop 2 Tbsp of dough per cookie onto the baking sheet.
Leave 2 inches of space between each one—they’ll spread out while baking.
STEP 8: Bake
Bake for 11–13 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.
The centers may still look slightly soft—that’s okay!
STEP 9: Cool the cookies
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
They’ll firm up as they cool.
Tip: Use a thin metal spatula for easy transfer without breaking the cookies.
Recipe Tips
- Use softened butter (not cold or melted!) for proper creaming.
- Don’t use quick oats—they’ll make the cookies dry and crumbly.
- For smaller cookies: Use 1 Tbsp of dough and reduce baking time slightly.
- Use a thin metal spatula to transfer cookies to the cooling rack without breaking.
- These are great with raisins, chocolate chips, or even chopped nuts!
How To Store Leftovers
- Counter/Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- Freezer: Freeze in a sealed bag for up to 6 months.
- (Tip: Freeze in a single layer first, then stack in the bag once solid.)
Troubleshooting Tips
Cookies spread too much?
- Your butter may have been too soft or melted.
- Try chilling the dough for 15–20 minutes before baking.
- Make sure you're using parchment paper, not a greased sheet (too much grease = more spread).
Cookies didn’t spread enough?
- You may have added too much flour—scoop flour into the measuring cup with a spoon, then level off.
- Check that your baking soda and baking powder are still fresh!
Cookies are dry or crumbly?
- Don’t use quick oats—they absorb too much moisture.
- Make sure you used 2 eggs and real butter (not margarine).
- Don’t overbake! Pull them out when the centers still look slightly soft.
Too flat and greasy?
- You may have overmixed the dough or used melted butter.
- Always start with softened, not melted, butter.
Have A Question?
- Tried this recipe? Leave a star rating and comment below—I’d love to hear how it turned out!
- Got a question? Ask in the comments—I’m happy to help.
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Chewy Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter - softened
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a bowl, whisk together 1½ cups flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp salt, ½ tsp baking powder, and ½ tsp baking soda.
- In a large bowl, cream 1 cup softened butter for 1 minute. Add 1 cup brown sugar and ½ cup granulated sugar. Mix 2–3 minutes until fluffy.
- Add 2 large eggs and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Mix until just combined.
- Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until just combined.
- Fold in 3 cups rolled oats (plus 1 cup raisins or chocolate chips, if using).
- Scoop 2 Tbsp dough per cookie, spacing 2 inches apart.
- Bake 11–13 minutes, until edges are golden. Cool 5 minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to wire rack.
Recipe Notes:
- Use room temperature butter for best creaming.
- Stick with old-fashioned rolled oats, not quick oats.
- Add raisins or chocolate chips for variety.
- Don’t overmix the dough—just until combined.
- Let cookies cool fully to firm up before storing or stacking.
Nutrition Info
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving.
Laura says
These are my husbands and my latest obsession. They are perfect! I add dried cranberries. Perfection!
Lois says
A keeper
Srh says
I don't usually write reviews but...as simple as these are, they are the BEST that I've ever made. The brown sugar gives them an outer crunch, while the extra butter lets them spread out-while staying chewy in the middle. A quick & yummy keeper!
Rhonda says
Loved this recipe! Added 1/2 cup chocolate chips!
Cath says
How much milk?? We can see in the overhead picture milk is listed?
Andi says
Hi thanks for pointing this out, there is no milk in the actual recipe! What is listed is correct. But I made an error in that ingredient image listing the sugar as milk. I've changed it now - thanks again for letting me know!
Robin Graham says
I made this recipe exactly as printed. Not much flavor to them. More soft cookie than chewie. Will not make them again.