I just baked Soft Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies that stay insanely soft and loaded with chocolate so you’ll drop everything for a glass of milk.

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I love these Soft Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies because I ruined a batch once and ended up with the best accident ever. I was stingy with the packed light brown sugar and thought they’d be bland, but the chew came out insane and the semisweet chocolate chips melted into tiny pools.

I can’t stop eating them straight off the tray. They’re the opposite of crispy, soft and pillowy in all the right ways.

And yeah, I’m that person who uses cookies as breakfast sometimes. No shame.

Just big crumbs, sticky fingers, and pure, messy joy. Worth every single bite daily.

Ingredients

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Basically butter makes the cookies tender and rich, it’s the comforting fat.
Brown sugar gives chew and molasses warmth, plus stickier is better.
Granulated sugar adds light sweetness and slight crisp edges when it bakes.
Eggs bind everything together, add softness and a bit of structure.
Vanilla brings a warm sweet note, it makes flavors feel familiar.
Flour gives structure and balance, so the cookies hold their shape.
Baking soda helps spreading and browning, it keeps things soft inside.
Baking powder adds gentle lift, so cookies aren’t overly dense.
Salt brightens the sweetness and sharpens the chocolate contrast.
Oats add chewy texture and a wholesome bite, basically old-fashioned comfort.
Chocolate chips bring melty pockets of sweetness you’ll dig into.

Ingredient Quantities

1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened or melted (either works)

1 cup (200g) packed light brown sugar, a little stickier is better

1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups (155g) all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups (240g) old fashioned rolled oats

1 1/2 cups (260g) semisweet chocolate chips

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350F (177C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

2. If using melted butter, let it cool slightly so it wont cook the eggs. In a large bowl beat 1 cup (226g) butter with 1 cup (200g) packed light brown sugar and 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar until smooth and a little glossy.

3. Beat in 2 large room temperature eggs, one at a time, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract until combined.

4. In a separate bowl whisk together 1 1/4 cups (155g) all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt so it is evenly mixed.

5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two additions, mixing just until you dont see streaks of flour. Overmixing makes them tough so stop when it’s blended.

6. Stir in 3 cups (240g) old fashioned rolled oats until evenly distributed. Then fold in 1 1/2 cups (260g) semisweet chocolate chips.

7. For best soft cookies, chill the dough for 30 to 60 minutes. If you are impatient you can scoop and bake right away but chilling helps them hold shape and stay chewy.

8. Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to drop rounded balls of dough onto prepared sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Slightly flatten each ball with your fingers or the back of a spoon so they spread evenly.

9. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are set and centers still look a bit soft and glossy. Dont overbake, they will firm up as they cool.

10. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Enjoy with a cold glass of milk.

Equipment Needed

1. Rimmed baking sheets (2) lined with parchment paper or silicone mats
2. Large mixing bowl (and a medium bowl for dry ingredients)
3. Electric mixer or sturdy whisk
4. Measuring cups and spoons (including 1 cup, 1/4 cup, tablespoon)
5. Kitchen scale (helpful for accurate grams)
6. Rubber spatula or wooden spoon for folding
7. Cookie scoop or tablespoon for portioning dough
8. Wire cooling rack
9. Oven mitts or potholders

FAQ

Q: Can I make the dough ahead of time? A: Yes, totally. You can chill the dough for up to 48 hours in the fridge which actually makes the cookies more flavorful and helps them stay soft. You can also freeze scooped dough balls for up to 3 months; bake from frozen, add a minute or two to the bake time.

Q: Do I have to use melted butter or softened butter? A: Either works. Melted butter gives chewier cookies and helps them spread a bit more, softened butter gives a slightly puffier, tender cookie. If you use melted, let it cool a bit before mixing with eggs so they don't scramble.

Q: How do I keep the cookies soft and not crunchy? A: Don't overbake. Take them out when the edges are set but centers still look a little underdone. They firm up as they cool. Also, using more brown sugar than white helps keep them moist.

Q: Can I swap quick oats for the old fashioned oats? A: You can, but texture will change. Quick oats make a softer, more uniform cookie, while old fashioned oats give better chew and more oat texture. I recommend sticking with old fashioned for this recipe.

Q: What if my dough is too dry or too wet? A: If too dry, add a tablespoon of milk or an extra egg yolk. If too wet, add a tablespoon of flour or a bit more oats until it holds shape. Chill for 20 to 30 minutes if it's too sticky to scoop.

Q: Can I add nuts or other mix ins? A: Yes, go for it. Chopped walnuts, pecans, or dried fruit work great. Reduce chocolate chips a bit if you add a lot of extras so the cookie doesn't get overloaded and won't bake evenly.

Soft Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Butter: swap with 1 cup (226g) coconut oil, melted, for a similar texture and slight coconut note. If using margarine, use same weight but expect a little less flavor and maybe a bit flatter spread.
Brown sugar: replace with 1 cup (240ml) packed maple syrup or honey, reduce the other liquids slightly and chill dough before baking so cookies dont spread too much.
Eggs: use 2 flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flax + 6 tbsp water, mixed and rested 5 minutes) for an egg-free option. Cookies will be a bit denser and chewier, so bake a minute or two less if you like them softer.
Semisweet chocolate chips: swap for 1 1/2 cups chopped dark chocolate or 1 1/2 cups raisins for a non-chocolate option. Chopped chocolate melts more and can make the cookies gooier, raisins add chew and sweetness.

Pro Tips

– Chill the dough longer if you can, like 2 hours or even overnight. It firms up the butter so the cookies spread less and stay chewy, plus the flavor gets better. If you forget, pop the scooped balls in the freezer for 10 minutes before baking.

– Measure the flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling it off, dont pack it down. Too much flour makes them cakey and dry. Also weigh ingredients if you can, that fixes a lot of “why are mine different” problems.

– Pull them out when the centers still look underdone and glossy, then let them cool on the sheet for 5 to 10 minutes. They keep baking a little on the hot pan so overbaking is the usual culprit for dry cookies.

– Try sprinkling a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt on top right after they come out of the oven, or toss half the chips as chunks so you get pockets of gooey chocolate. Both tricks make them taste way more bakery-level.

Soft Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Recipe by Tina Bueller

0.0 from 0 votes

I just baked Soft Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies that stay insanely soft and loaded with chocolate so you’ll drop everything for a glass of milk.

Servings

servings

Calories

237

kcal

Equipment: 1. Rimmed baking sheets (2) lined with parchment paper or silicone mats
2. Large mixing bowl (and a medium bowl for dry ingredients)
3. Electric mixer or sturdy whisk
4. Measuring cups and spoons (including 1 cup, 1/4 cup, tablespoon)
5. Kitchen scale (helpful for accurate grams)
6. Rubber spatula or wooden spoon for folding
7. Cookie scoop or tablespoon for portioning dough
8. Wire cooling rack
9. Oven mitts or potholders

Ingredients

1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened or melted (either works)
1 cup (200g) packed light brown sugar, a little stickier is better
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups (155g) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups (240g) old fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cups (260g) semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F (177C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
If using melted butter, let it cool slightly so it wont cook the eggs. In a large bowl beat 1 cup (226g) butter with 1 cup (200g) packed light brown sugar and 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar until smooth and a little glossy.
Beat in 2 large room temperature eggs, one at a time, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract until combined.
In a separate bowl whisk together 1 1/4 cups (155g) all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt so it is evenly mixed.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two additions, mixing just until you dont see streaks of flour. Overmixing makes them tough so stop when it's blended.
Stir in 3 cups (240g) old fashioned rolled oats until evenly distributed. Then fold in 1 1/2 cups (260g) semisweet chocolate chips.
For best soft cookies, chill the dough for 30 to 60 minutes. If you are impatient you can scoop and bake right away but chilling helps them hold shape and stay chewy.
Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to drop rounded balls of dough onto prepared sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Slightly flatten each ball with your fingers or the back of a spoon so they spread evenly.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are set and centers still look a bit soft and glossy. Dont overbake, they will firm up as they cool.
Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Enjoy with a cold glass of milk.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.