How to Make the BEST Oatmeal Cookies

April 13, 2023
Whether you enjoy them plain just-as-they-are, or with your favorite add-ins, these are the best Oatmeal Cookies ~ bringing together the wonderful elements of great thickness, soft and chewy middles, great texture, and fantastic flavor. Whip up a batch today! They do not disappoint.
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 The BEST Oatmeal Cookies Image ~ bring together great thickness, soft and chewy middles, great texture, and fantastic flavor in these oatmeal cookies!



There's not much I love more than a good oatmeal cookie.  But -- the key word in that statement is good.  And good oatmeal cookies are way harder to come by than one would think.

But what makes the best oatmeal cookies?

For me first and foremost, I love to bite into an oatmeal cookie that has a little bit of thickness to it, not something that's flat as a pancake.

The best Oatmeal Cookies bring together the wonderful elements of great thickness, soft and chewy middles, great texture, and fantastic flavor.  

Second, I like my oatmeal cookies soft and chewy, with just a tiny bit of crispness around the edges.  I don't like a crisp cookie that's crunchy through-and-through.

Next, there's got to be some good texture from the oats ~ which in my opinion comes from the use of old-fashioned oats rather than smaller, softer quick cooking oats.

And finally, there's got to be great flavor, of course.

All too often, though, oatmeal cookies are thin, flat, crispy discs -- like the ones on the left in the photo below (which flattened because of not enough flour).

How to Make the BEST Oatmeal Cookies Image

Or, even if they don't flatten out, they've got no thickness to them ... like the ones second from the left in the photo above (because of limited rise from using only baking soda).

Or, they've got no depth of flavor like the ones on the far right (that used just granulated sugar, with no brown sugar).

But sometimes ... sometimes ... you get oatmeal cookies that nail all the best elements ... great thickness, soft and chewy middles, great texture, and fantastic flavor.  Like this recipe does!

Oatmeal Cookies with Old-Fashioned Oats Image

How to Make the Very BEST Oatmeal Cookies:

To figure out how to make the best oatmeal cookies, I first put our old-timey family-favorite oatmeal cookie recipe up against my favorite go-to source's, Cook's Illustrated's, recipe.

After making a batch of each, I decided our family-favorite recipe needed more thickness, and the Cook's Illustrated version needed to be a little softer and chewier.

So I combined the two recipes, testing out different tweaks, until I found our ultimate oatmeal cookie recipe.

The four variables tested were:

  1. Different ratios of flour and oats
  2. Granulated sugar, brown sugar, or both
  3. Including baking powder or not (along with the baking soda)
  4. Vanilla or no vanilla


Batter for Making the Best Oatmeal Cookies Image

What we found for making the BEST oatmeal cookies:

1. Use a ratio of 1 part flour to 2 parts oats ~ When it came to the ratio of flour to oats, a 1:2 ratio worked best for my taste.  This means that a recipe needs to use twice as much oats as flour, which meant I needed to increase the amount of oats used in our classic family recipe.  This 1:2 ratio gives the cookies a nice thickness, keeps them tender, and gives nice texture from the higher amount of oats.

2. Use both granulated and brown sugars ~ For great flavor and tenderness, I found a combination of both granulated and brown sugar to be best.  A touch of brown sugar flavor goes beautifully with the oats and brings fabulous depth of flavor!

3. Include both baking powder and baking soda ~ Many oatmeal cookie recipes call for just baking soda in the batter.  Adding baking powder, too, gives more rise to the cookies and creates a really nice soft-and-chewy middle.

The amount of dough used for each cookie definitely matters in making these the best cookies, too.

4. Add vanilla extract - Though many oatmeal cookie recipes leave it out, to me vanilla extract is essential for fabulous oatmeal cookie flavor.  My vote goes for including vanilla in the batter, for sure.


To make the best oatmeal cookies, the amount of dough per cookie is important:

The amount of dough used for each cookie definitely matters in making these the best cookies, too.

When it comes to scooping and forming the cookies, I went with Cook's Illustrated method to produce the best cookies.  They recommend using a full 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie, which is much more than my family's recipe called for.

But I have to agree with them.

Scooping and forming the best oatmeal cookies image

Using Cook's Illustrated's method of forming 2 tablespoons dough into a ball and then gently flattening that ball just a bit with the palm of your hand results in nice-sized, nice-thickness, soft and tender cookies.

Just the way I love them.


To make the best oatmeal cookies, do not overbake:

Oh, and one other very key point for getting that coveted soft and chewy texture, though ... and this is super important ... do not  over bake the cookies.

If anything, err on the side of under baking.

One other very key point for getting that coveted soft and chewy texture, though ... and this is super important ... do not  over bake the cookies.

Because the best ratio of flour and oats or not, the greatest mix of granulated and brown sugar or not, just the right amount of baking powder for great rise, and perfect execution on scooping and forming the cookies won't matter a bit if the cookies are crisp from being over baked.

And keep in mind, when it comes to baking cookies they're basically just a little dollop of dough and can, therefore, go from perfectly-baked to over-baked in a matter of a mere 30 seconds or so.

Keep a close eye on them, and pull them from the oven when the middles still look a little soft and moist.

Stack of the BEST Oatmeal Cookies Image

Perfectly delicious just as they are, oatmeal cookies also serve as a wonderful canvas for add-ins, too.

Of course we all know the classic combination of oatmeal raisin cookies, but how about Oatmeal Raisinet Cookies instead?  Or the very tasty combination of pecans and toffee bits in Toffee Oatmeal Cookies?  Or toss in some semi-sweet chocolate chips for a yummy chocolate touch in Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Whether you enjoy them plain just-as-they-are, or with about 1 & 1/2 cups of your favorite add-ins, this recipe for the best Oatmeal Cookies brings together the wonderful elements of great thickness, soft and chewy middles, great texture, and fantastic flavor.

Now, just pass a big glass of milk, please.

What to add to oatmeal cookies image
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oatmeal cookies, oatmeal cookie recipe, best oatmeal cookies, cookie recipes
Cookies & Bars
Yield: about 18-20 large cookies

How to Make the BEST Oatmeal Cookies

Whether you enjoy them plain just-as-they-are, or with your favorite add-ins, these are the best Oatmeal Cookies ~ bringing together the wonderful elements of great thickness, soft and chewy middles, great texture, and fantastic flavor. Whip up a batch today!
prep time: 25 Mcook time: 14 Mtotal time: 39 M

ingredients:

  • 3/4 c. (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 c. granulated sugar
  • 1 c. brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ c. all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 3 c. old-fashioned oats

instructions:

How to cook How to Make the BEST Oatmeal Cookies

  1. Beat butter with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat well until fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla extract; beat until well combined.
  2. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture and beat until just combined.
  3. Gently stir in oats by hand until just combined.
  4. Use your hands to roll 2 tablespoons dough into a ball. Place on baking sheet and gently press down with the palm of your hand to flatten the dough ball just slightly. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing dough balls about 2 ½” apart on the baking sheet {so you’ll only get about 8 or 9 on the baking sheet at a time}.
  5. Bake at 350℉ for 13 - 14 minutes, or until golden brown and set on the edges but still doughy, soft, and moist looking in the middles. Let cool on the baking sheet for about 2 minutes, then place on a wire rack to cool completely.
Created using The Recipes Generator

How to Make the BEST Oatmeal Cookies ~ Bringing together the wonderful elements of great thickness, soft and chewy middles, great texture, and fantastic flavor, this Oatmeal Cookie recipe is truly the BEST. Whip up a tasty batch today! #oatmealcookies #oatmealcookierecipe #bestoatmealcookies www.thekitchenismyplayground.com


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36 comments

  1. These look beautiful and, when eaten in moderation, a relatively health cookie! I might have to make some cookies today!

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  2. Yes please, do pass the milk! Your Oatmeal Cookies look so tasty, Tracey and I love how versatile the recipe is. Thank you for sharing them with us at Hearth and Soul.

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  3. We will really enjoy your cookies! Thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with us at Full Plate Thursday! Hope you are having a great week and come back to see us real soon.
    Miz Helen

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  4. Can these be made ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen?

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  5. We love oatmeal cookies and these look fabulous. Found you at Friday Favorites.

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  6. Eating a cookie while I write this. These are definitely the best oatmeal cookies I have ever made! I doubled the recipe, added 1 1/2 c Golden raisins and 1 1/2 c chopped walnuts. They are perfect and I live at high altitude! Thank you so much for sharing. New favorite!

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  7. These are delicious and were a hit at both my huband's and my work( I added butterscotch chips and raisins) Today I made a batch with craisins and white chocolate chips - so so good!

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  8. These look delicious. Can these be made with the quick oats?

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    Replies
    1. Hello, Jenn. Yes, they CAN be made with quick oats ... but the texture won't be the same. As we mention in the post, we recommend making them with old-fashioned oats.

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  9. Delicious cookies!! made with a couple additions and turned out amazing! Thank you!!! They will become a staple from now on.

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  10. I use steel cut oatmeal- these cookies are AMAZING!!

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  11. Tried recipe today and my cookies didn’t keep form when put in oven. Could it be my dough is too warm ?

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    Replies
    1. It could indeed have been that your dough was too warm, most likely from the butter being too soft. You want the butter to yield to the touch, but not be melty or too soft.

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  12. The most perfect oatmeal cookie. My go to recipe from now on.I made a dozen with mini chocolate chips for my wife and the rest with golden raisins. Perfect!

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  13. I realized after mixing I had to much oats so I only put 2 cups and they turned out great.

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  14. These were yummy & moist! I will bake them again!

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  15. These were yummy and moist! Thank You Tracey!

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  16. These were literally the best oatmeal cookies I’ve ever eaten! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. Very well thought out and very easy to follow!

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  17. Thank you for your work on creating this recipe! I added an extra 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp cinnamon, and they are our new favorite!

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  18. These are the best oatmeal cookies I have ever made!! I added raisins and chocolate chips and they have the perfect crisp we love!

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    Replies
    1. We are so glad you shared you additions and we are glad you enjoyed.

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  19. Outmeal cookies are my husband's favorites. So, I'll have to give these a try soon!

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  20. Made today with butterscotch morsels. Delish!

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  21. Best oatmeal cookies ever…thank you for doing all the hard work!!! I followed to a T & added to half of the double batch I made walnuts & walnuts & mini choc chips to the other… perfection!!

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  22. Have you ever filled these with a cream? To make those oatmeal pies?

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  23. Have you ever used for oatmeal pie cookies like the lil Debbie’s? A coach of mine is asking for them and this is the best oatmeal cookie recipe, I’m wondering if I can just put cream in the middle.

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    Replies
    1. We have never tried making these into cream pies but doing so sounds delicious.

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  24. This makes large oatmeal cookies that are slightly crispy around the edges but chewy inside. They are delicious.

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  25. These were absolutely perfect. The taste was right on point. I added golden raisins and other than that kept the recipe the same. They set up beautifully and tasted even more amazing the next day. Ashamed to admit how many I've eaten so far 🤤 Thank you!

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  26. Those cookies are amazing! I gave them 5 stars. I was never a big fan of oatmeal cookies but those ones make me fall in love definitely my favorite cookies I must say I added some cinnamon, Nutmeg, chopped pecans, and some raisins. came Came out so delicious my husband loves them. I had to stop him from eating so much of them. Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipe with us!

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