Easy Oatmeal Cookie Recipe
on Aug 12, 2013, Updated Oct 12, 2024
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This Easy Oatmeal Cookie Recipe turns out perfectly every time! No raisins or chocolate, just simple butter and oatmeal cookies that you can add (or not) what you like to!
Long live all the staple recipes that you can make again and again! This recipe has been around the blog (and my home) for years because it’s a classic oatmeal cookie that’s delicious just as it is. I love a simple, plain cookie because it’s a great go-to for celebrations or just a regular Tuesday alike.
This is a great and solid oatmeal cookie recipe that turns out every single time. They’re some of my husband’s absolute favorites because they’re simple and sweet, without being too much. Plus, the texture is everything and more you could want in a cookie — soft and chewy with just a bit of crisp on the outside. Pure perfection! And they are perfect these Homemade Oatmeal Cream Pies, too.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- You can customize it by adding chocolate chips, raisins, nuts, and more.
- They have that perfect soft and chewy texture.
- They freeze well so you can enjoy some now and some later.
Ingredients
- Butter
- Brown Sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla
- All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Soda
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Old Fashioned Oats
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities
How to Make Easy Oatmeal Cookies
Step #1. Preheat the oven and line your baking sheets.
Step #3. Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and arrange on baking sheet.
Step #2. In the bowl of your mixer, cream the sugar and butter. Add the egg and vanilla, then stir in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix in the oats and any other mix-ins.
Step #4. Bake until edges brown and center is set. Move to a cooling rack to cool.
Recipe FAQs
I recommend using old-fashioned oats in this recipe because they help to make the cookies chewy and give them that classic oatmeal texture. You can use quick oats, but it’ll just have a bit of a different texture.
You can keep the cookies soft after baking them by storing them in a container or sealable bag with a piece of bread. The bread will lend its moisture to the cookies, keeping them soft for longer. Using white bread is preferable, so it doesn’t give off any flavor to the cookies.
Expert Tips
- These cookies are just begging for you to add your own touches. Add between 1 and 1 1/2 cups (total) of just about anything you’d like. Try adding chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, nuts, cinnamon, cinnamon chips, chopped candy bars, M&M’s, or raisins. You could also put a layer of icing, ice cream, or peanut butter in between two baked and cooled cookies to make a sandwich cookie. The possibilities are endless!
- If you like a simple spiced oatmeal cookie, try adding 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and a 1/4 teaspoon of cloves and nutmeg. So good while keeping them simple.
- I always bake these on parchment paper or baking mats. Do you have baking mats yet? Such a great investment.
How to Freeze Cookies and Cookie Dough
To freeze baked cookies, allow the cookies to cool completely, store them in an airtight container, and keep them in the freezer for up to 2 months. Pull them out about an hour before serving to let them thaw to room temperature.
To freeze the dough, form the dough into balls, and freeze them for a few hours on a cookie tray. After they’ve frozen through, add them to an airtight container or sealable bags, and stick them back in the freezer. When you’re ready to bake them, preheat your oven, place the frozen dough balls on a baking sheet, and add 2 to 4 minutes of baking time to the suggested bake time. No need to thaw!
More Cookie Recipes to Consider
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review and share it on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!
The Best Simple Oatmeal Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter, 1 1/2 sticks, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/4 cups old fashioned oats
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Add the butter and the brown sugar to the bowl of your stand mixer and beat on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, around 5 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla and beat for another minute.
- Add the flour, sprinkle in the baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix until combined. Add the oats and combine.
- Fold in the dried cherries, chocolate, chopped pecans, or other mix-ins if desired.
- The mixture will be a little tacky, but you should be able to roll it into a ball in your hands without making a total mess. If it is too sticky, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until the mixture can be handled.
- Roll the dough into 1 to 1.5 inch balls (about 1 large tablespoon of dough), using your hands and place the balls on the prepared cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes until the edges begin to brown and the centers are set.
- Transfer to a wire rack and let them cool completely.
Notes
- These cookies are just begging for you to add your own touches. Add between 1 and 1 1/2 cups (total) of just about anything you’d like. Try adding chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, nuts, cinnamon, cinnamon chips, chopped candy bars, M&M’s, or raisins. You could also put a layer of icing, ice cream, or peanut butter in between two baked and cooled cookies to make a sandwich cookie. The possibilities are endless!
- I recommend using old-fashioned oats in this recipe because they help to make the cookies chewy and give them that classic oatmeal texture. You can use quick oats, but it’ll just have a bit of a different texture.
- You can keep the cookies soft after baking them by storing them in a container or sealable bag with a piece of bread.
- This recipe was tested with salted butter but can be made with unsalted as well.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in April 2013 and has been updated, rephotographed, and improved with reader feedback.
Mine didn’t spread in the oven
You probably just measured your dry ingredients a little heavier than I did. Next time you can omit 1/4 cup of flour.
Husband approved! Easy.
I made these cookies this morning with my daughter and, it’s delicious! Even my picky child loved them.
These really are the best chewy oatmeal cookies. I didn’t have any raisins or chocolate chips or anything to add and they were delicious just plain. Thank you!!