Delicious and flavorful Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe with crisp edges, a soft chewy center, and plenty of melty chocolate in every bite.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie -- soft, chewy, and buttery! With chocolate chips
chelsea

author’s note

I Tested Dozens and This Recipe Won!

Something very important to know about me is I am a cookie fanatic and my all time favorite cookie is a chewy oatmeal chocolate chip cookie. It always has been and always will be. Nothing beats the texture and flavor that oatmeal adds to a chocolate chip cookie and trust me when I say I would not settle until this recipe was the best oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe ever.

And while the idea of a perfect cookie can be subjective, my kind of perfect cookie has crisp edges, a soft and chewy center, and melty chocolate in every single bite. So if this sounds like your kind of cookie too, you have to give these a try. They truly are the best I have ever had.

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Process shot of creating oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips or raisins

IngredientSwap or Tip
Unsalted ButterRoom temp butter blends better and gives the best texture. Salted butter works if you reduce added salt a little.
Dark Brown SugarLight brown sugar works too for a slightly lighter flavor.
Old Fashioned OatsDo not use quick oats (make oatmeal creme pies if that’s all you have).
All Purpose FlourSpoon and level to prevent adding too much flour. Too much flour = dry, thick cookies.
Milk Chocolate ChipsUse your favorite brand. You can also use dark, semi sweet chips or raisins.
CornstarchHelps keep the cookies soft and thick without drying out.
Process shot of wet ingredients finished and the flour being added.
  1. Cream: Beat butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth.
  2. Mix: Add eggs and vanilla; blend well.
  3. Dry: Stir in cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and oats. Mix in flour and chocolate.
  4. Chill: Refrigerate dough for 1 hour. Let sit if too hard.
  5. Shape: Roll into balls and place on a lined baking sheet.
  6. Bake: Cook at 350°F for 8-11 minutes. Press in extra chocolate chips and enjoy!

Tips For Success

  • Measure Flour: Spoon flour into the cup and level it off with a knife. Avoid scooping to prevent packing.
  • Under-Bake: Bake slightly less for a soft, chewy oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe. Over-baking makes them dry and less flavorful.
  • Use a Food Scale: For even-sized cookies, weigh the dough balls.
  • Add Chocolate Chips: Press extra chocolate chips on top after baking for added chocolate and a nicer look.
Up-close overhead photo of the best Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Storage

Leftovers?

Baked cookies last about 1 week at room temp in an airtight container.

Can I Freeze This Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe?

To freeze baked cookies: Cool completely, freeze on a baking sheet, then store in freezer bags with parchment paper between layers. Freeze for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding 2-3 minutes to the baking time.

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4.86 from 42 votes

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies with crisp edges, a soft, chewy center, and loads of melty chocolate—irresistible!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Chilling Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 23 minutes
Servings: 20 cookies

Video

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 16 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 cup, at room temperature
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar firmly packed; light brown sugar works
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt I use fine sea salt
  • 3 cups old-fashioned oats not quick oats
  • 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour when you measure, make sure to spoon and level
  • 1-1/2 cups milk chocolate chips divided, see note 1
  • Flaky sea salt optional, if you like salty sweet!

Instructions 

  • In a large bowl, add the room temperature (not melted or softened) butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat until smooth and creamy, about 2–3 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat until combined, scraping the sides as needed.
  • On top of the wet ingredients, add cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and old-fashioned oats. Beat to combine. Once ingredients are combined, add flour (make sure to spoon and level this measurement!) Mix until just combined, being careful to not overbeat the mixture. Using a spatula, fold in 1 cup of the chocolate chips.
  • The dough is quite sticky; don’t worry, the oats will absorb the wetness of the dough and become thicker as it chills. Cover and chill the oatmeal dough for an hour. (If you chill longer than a few hours, let it sit at room temperature for 15–20 minutes before trying to roll dough balls—it gets hard!)
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a sheet pan with a silicone liner or parchment paper.
  • Roll dough balls (if you have a food scale—1.7 ounces). Roll the balls higher rather than wider (see photos) and place on the prepared sheet pan. Bake 8–11 minutes, watching the cookies carefully near the end of baking. Err for slightly underbaking to keep these cookies soft and chewy! They might look a tiny wet in the center, but will harden as they cool!
  • Let the cookies stand on the sheet pan for a few minutes before removing. Press reserved chips into the tops of the cookies—this ensures they look pretty and you get chocolate in every bite! If you like salted cookies, add a tiny sprinkle of sea salt to your cookies! (Totally optional!)
Final step! Please let us know how it was by leaving a review.

Recipe Notes

Note 1: I love Ghirardelli or Guittard milk chocolate chips in these cookies, but use your favorite type of chocolate chip (semi-sweet or dark). To use raisins, soak the raisins in hot water for 10 minutes, drain and thoroughly dry, and add to these cookies in place of the chips.
Storage: Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week. To freeze, cool completely, freeze on a sheet pan, then transfer to freezer bags with parchment between layers. Freeze up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding 2–3 minutes to the baking time.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 303kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 184mg | Potassium: 118mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 323IU | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Variations

Meet Chelsea


Hello, and welcome to Chelsea’s Messy Apron! I’m Chelsea, the recipe developer, food photographer, and writer behind the site. I’m passionate about creating simple, reliable, and delicious recipes that anyone can make.

Thanks for stopping by—I hope you find something delicious to make!

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4.86 from 42 votes (9 ratings without comment)

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106 Comments

  1. Pete says:

    5 stars
    Just made these….. The BEST recipe I’ve ever used. This may be the perfect cookie!

    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      Yay!! So thrilled to hear that! Thanks Pete 🙂

  2. Kayla says:

    Omg! I’m blown away. These are the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever made. EVER. Loved your directions and I’m so thankful I stumbled upon you and your cookie wisdom! Thank you, thank you!!

    1. Kayla says:

      5 stars
      Got so excited I forgot to post my 5 star rating! ? Thank you again!!

      1. Chelsea Lords says:

        Awe thank you Kayla!! So glad these were a hit 🙂

  3. Karen says:

    5 stars
    Made them today and they’re yum thanks Chelsea!

    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      So happy to hear it! Thanks Karen 🙂

  4. Mary says:

    5 stars
    I made both the Oatmeal, and the Chocolate Chip Versions and my family absolutely devoured and loved these cookies!
    Your precise measuring tips helped a lot, as did refrigerating before cooking them, plumping up the raisins in hot water was genius (they were delicious), the Ghirardelli chocolate chips were sooo good. I did under bake them to keep them chewy :). No cinnamon was needed the flavor was perfect without it.
    My only suggestion is to Print and Immediately bookmark this recipe, so you don’t spend hours searching the internet looking for it when your family has a craving for these delicious Oatmeal Cookies !!

    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      Awe LOVE hearing this!! Thanks so much Mary 🙂

  5. Kate says:

    5 stars
    Since kindergarten I have baked chocolate chip cookies for my daughter on the first day of school. This year she has headed off to college and my husband and I are headed down for bid day. With the start of school following up next week I can continue our tradition. These are the best ones I have ever made. I know she will live them and have a little piece of home in her new dorm room. Thanks so much!!!

    1. Kate says:

      Just a side note. I have stated using organic sugar and it really enhances all of my baking plus I used the new Nestles 3 ingredient semi sweet chocolate chips…delish!

    2. Chelsea Lords says:

      I am seriously so flattered by this! Also what a sweet tradition, I’m totally going to have to implement this with my kids! Thanks so much for your comment! 🙂

  6. clare says:

    5 stars
    Thanks for the recipe! i’ve tried to make it with a little bit less sugar! It tastes sooooo delicious! although they dont come out really flat but still good !! ^^

  7. Sara Welch says:

    5 stars
    Wow! These are just what I was looking for to satisfy my sweet tooth! Yum!

  8. April says:

    5 stars
    These are my faaaaaaavorite cookies! The sprinkle of salt on them is perfect.

  9. Anna says:

    5 stars
    My family loves these cookies! Best ever!

  10. Julie says:

    5 stars
    These are delicious! I always love finding new cookie recipes to make with my girls!

    1. Ashley says:

      Idk what I did wrong. I even spooned flour into the measuring cup and leveled it off and the dough was very thick and crumbly and the cookies came out as balls. I only made some and froze the rest. Hopefully, they will turn out correctly after baking the frozen ones.

      1. Chelsea Lords says:

        Did you use old fashioned oats?