Best Oatmeal Cookie Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
Meet your new go-to oatmeal cookie recipe: just the right texture, that nostalgic flavor you love, and a dough that’s easy to whip up whenever the craving hits. They’re a must-bake for any cookie lover!
I love discovering end-all-be-all recipes for classic American desserts (see also my favorite chocolate chip cookies and make-on-repeat brownie recipe). You bakers out there know that it can take many attempts to get it just right, but once you find that perfect recipe, it’s your go-to forever. This isn’t your average oatmeal cookie recipe—it uses way fewer oats than most, which, surprisingly, makes for much better oatmeal cookies.
I also opt for using all brown sugar instead of granulated sugar or a combination of the two. This gives the cookies a rich flavor, a slightly crisp exterior, and a perfectly chewy center.
Like chocolate chips in your oatmeal cookies? I’ve got you covered—my oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are always a hit.
“Golden brown, crispy, chewy perfection! This is now my forever recipe. I can’t wait to try different mix-ins!”
What You’ll Need To Make The Best Oatmeal Cookies
- Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats: Give the cookies their signature chewy texture and toasty oat flavor. Stick with rolled oats—quick-cooking oats won’t give you the same hearty texture.
- All-Purpose Flour: Adds structure to the dough so the cookies hold their shape. For best results, scoop it into your measuring cup with a spoon and level it off with a knife.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: Work together to help the cookies rise.
- Unsalted Butter: Brings richness and moisture, plus that classic buttery flavor we all love in a good cookie.
- Dark Brown Sugar: Adds deep, molasses-like sweetness and helps keep the cookies soft. Be sure to pack it tightly when measuring.
- Egg: Holds everything together and gives the cookies a bit of lift.
- Vanilla Extract: Rounds out the flavors with warm, sweet notes.
- Coarsely Chopped Pecans: Add a nutty crunch and buttery flavor. You can swap in walnuts or skip the nuts altogether if you prefer.
- Raisins or Currants: Bring natural sweetness and chewiness. Other dried fruits like cranberries or chopped apricots work great, too. Pro Tip: If your dried fruit is overly dry or firm, you can soak it in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain well—this keeps it soft and plump in the cookies.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Whisk the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk the oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
Step 2: Cream the butter and sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use a hand mixer and large mixing bowl), combine the butter and brown sugar. Butter that’s just a touch cooler than room temperature blends more easily and helps achieve a uniform creamy texture—if it’s too cold, the mixture may be clumpy.
Step 3: Beat until creamy. Mix on medium speed until the mixture looks creamy and light, about 3 minutes. Aim for a pale, fluffy mixture.
Step 4: Add the egg and vanilla. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until smooth, about 30 seconds.
Step 5: Add the dry mixture. Add the flour and oat mixture to the bowl and mix on low speed until just combined. Overmixing at this stage can make the cookies tough—stop as soon as the dry ingredients are incorporated.
Step 6: Stir in the mix-ins. Add the pecans and raisins and mix just until evenly distributed—don’t overdo it.
Step 7: Portion the dough. Drop the cookie dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets in 1½-tablespoon mounds, spacing them a couple of inches apart. It’s not necessary, but if you have a cookie scoop, use it to make easy work of portioning out the dough.
Step 8: Bake and cool. Bake at 350°F for 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges are golden but the centers are still pale. Be careful not to overcook oatmeal cookies; they get very crispy if baked too long, and you’ll enjoy them so much more if they are slightly chewy. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then slide the parchment onto wire racks or use a spatula to transfer the cookies. Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Enjoy!
You May Also Like
Oatmeal Cookies
Old-school in the best way, these oatmeal cookies are tender, golden around the edges, and full of classic oatmeal-raisin goodness.
Ingredients
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (do not use quick cooking or instant oats)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened but still cool
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup coarsely chopped pecans
- ¾ cup raisins or currants
Instructions
- Position two racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then add the egg and vanilla and beat again until smooth, about 30 seconds.
- Add the flour and oatmeal mixture and mix on low speed until just combined; add the pecans and raisins and mix again until just combined. Do not over-mix.
- Drop the dough into 1½-tablespoon mounds about 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway through, or until the edges are slightly golden but the centers are still pale. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then either slide the papers off the pans onto cooling racks or transfer the cookies with a spatula. Once cool, store the cookies in an air-tight container.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cookie dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. Scoop into balls, freeze on a baking sheet until firm, then transfer to a sealable bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Bake directly from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the baking time. The baked cookies can also be frozen. Once cooled completely, store in an airtight container with parchment or foil between layers. Let them come to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition Information
Powered by 
- Serving size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 105
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Sugar: 9 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Sodium: 13 mg
- Cholesterol: 52 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Would it be ok to add about a quarter cup of dried shredded unsweetened coconut? I can’t wait to try this recipe. I have made several of your recipes and they have been delicious. Thanks!
Sure, that should be fine. Hope you enjoy!
These came out perfectly – so good, I’m searching now for more cookie recipes on this site 🙂
These are so good and remind me of my mom’s yummy oatmeal raisin cookies. I used einkorn flour and coconut oil instead butter and they are perfect!
Nailed it. Great recipe. Made following modifications: browned the butter first for 5 minutes. Toasted pecans for 5 minutes at 350 before adding. Used food processor to grind up half of the oats to make more of a cookie like texture. Used kosher salt. So so good and the upper/lower rack method worked. Can’t stop eating them.
I must have done something wrong. My cookies spread initially. I decided to chill them to see if that would help and they still spread to a crisp. They had great flavor but a failed cookie for me.
So many oatmeal cookie recipes online. I wanted the cookies to be delicious so I turned to your website which I really trust. I used chopped medjool dates and Eikorn flour. The cookies are awesome. Thank you for being a reliable source.
Yet another 5 star recipe from Jenn! I don’t think I’ve ever made anything from once upon a chef that my family hasn’t loved. I made these without nuts and with gold raisins, as that is what we had and I didn’t want to run out to the grocery store. I made a dozen and am flash-freezing the rest for another time (which if I’m honest will probably be like 3 days from now : ).
Hi Jenn,
Is using light brown sugar likely to result in quite a different cookie? Or perhaps a ratio of the two? Also, would you change both the temperature and cooking time if they’re a larger sized cookie.. about 55g? Thanks in advance, Nicole
Hi Nicole, using a combination of light and dark brown sugar (or just light brown sugar) is fine, and it will give you the same result. You don’t need to change the oven temperature for larger cookies, but the bake time may be slightly longer. Just keep a close on them; you’ll know they’re done when the edges are slightly golden but the middle is still a bit pale. Enjoy!
The secret to a good raisin cookie is to first soak the raisins and then dry them off before adding to the dough
I also like cinnamon in this type of cookie 😉😋
This is my first time seeing your page. I printed this recipe to try, as well as the pecan shortbread recipe and I really like your printing format!
I have made many of your recipes and loved them all. Sorry, but these oatmeal were ok but not our favorite. I compared three different recipes and realized the cinnamon was missing from yours. I made the recipe from the box and we agreed the cinnamon made the cookies just right. I will continue with all your other 5 star recipes!