Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chips

      Tessa’s Recipe Summary

      Taste: Delightfully sweet, rich, and buttery, enriched with a comforting hint of cinnamon!

      Texture: Soft and dense, with a chewy center and crispy edges.

      Ease: Nearly effortless!

      Pros: This recipe offers a unique twist on traditional chocolate chip cookies, ensuring it remains familiar yet distinctive. It’s also quick and straightforward, requiring only 30 minutes of preparation time.

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      This rapid recipe for classic oatmeal chocolate chip cookies features hearty rolled oats, warm brown sugar, and subtle cinnamon notes. Think of it as an enhanced version of oatmeal raisin cookies!

      After years of experimenting with cookie recipes, I aimed for one that merges the nostalgic chewiness of oatmeal with the rich flavor of classic chocolate chip cookies. These cookies bake to a soft interior, with crisp edges, providing a comforting treat! These cookies tend to vanish quicker than anticipated every time.

      If you prefer a traditional chocolate chip cookie without oats, check out my soft chocolate chip cookie recipe! They are chewy, gooey, and among the most popular recipes on my site.

      Having Trouble with Flat or Dry Cookies?

      My free guide offers solutions to texture issues, helping you bake cookies you'll enjoy.

      Ingredient Insights

      Every ingredient in this recipe is crucial in creating a fun variation of classic chocolate chip cookies. Key ingredients are:

      Oats: Both old-fashioned and quick oats can be used, but I recommend old-fashioned oats for a heartier, chewier texture that holds its shape better. While oats typically absorb moisture in any recipe, old-fashioned oats are less absorbent than quick oats.

      Chocolate Chips: I opt for semi-sweet chocolate chips, but feel free to exchange them with an equal amount of milk chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or bittersweet chocolate chips. These substitutions may alter the cookie's sweetness. You can also replace them with chopped nuts—such as walnuts or pecans—or raisins in a 1:1 ratio.

      Cinnamon: I enjoy adding a dash of cinnamon to enhance the flavors, but you can omit it if that's your preference.

      Sugars: This recipe requires granulated sugar and dark brown sugar. The molasses in the dark brown sugar introduces a delightful caramel flavor and keeps the dough moist.

      Eggs: The eggs, along with the egg yolk, add richness and extra moisture. I haven’t found easy substitutes, but feel free to experiment if necessary.

      Butter: Ensure you use unsalted butter at room temperature, ideally around 67°F (or slightly cooler). Butter that is too warm may cause the cookies to spread too much during baking.

      A Touch of Science

      How to Make Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

      These cookies come together quickly, but a few minor details can significantly impact the outcome. Here’s a step-by-step guide to making them:

      1. Preheat the oven and pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

      2. Combine the dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, ensuring even distribution before incorporating them with the wet ingredients.

      3. Cream the butter and sugars: Beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until the mixture is smooth and well-combined, around one to two minutes.

      4. Add eggs and vanilla: Mix until the dough becomes cohesive and glossy.

      5. Combine everything: Gradually incorporate the flour mixture at low speed, mixing until just combined. Stir in the oats and semi-sweet chocolate chips, resulting in a thick, chunky dough.

      6. Portion and bake: Using a large spring-loaded scoop (approximately 3 tablespoons), portion the dough, flatten it slightly with the bottom of a measuring cup, and bake for 14-15 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. The edges should turn a light golden color.

      7. Cool: Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheets for five minutes before transferring them to cooling racks.

      Tips for the Perfect Cookie

      These cookies are easy to prepare, and with a few small technique adjustments, they will be just as pleasing to the eyes as to the palate. Remember these tips:

      - Use a digital kitchen scale for flour measurement: Measuring with cups can compact flour, leading to dry, hard cookies that don't spread. If a scale is unavailable, opt for the spoon and level method instead.

      - Don’t reduce the sugar: Sugar does more than add sweetness; it impacts moisture, chewiness, and spread. Lowering the sugar will yield cookies that are less sweet, tougher, drier, and crumble more.

      - Use unsalted butter at a cool room temperature: Butter that's too warm can cause cookies to spread excessively during baking.

      - For thicker cookies, chill the dough balls