Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
These soft and chewy Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies are perfect for an easy dessert, afternoon snack, or anytime you’re craving something chocolatey. With rich cocoa, plenty of chocolate chips, and old-fashioned oats, they’re simple to make and stay soft and chewy.
Ingredient Notes
Here’s what each ingredient brings to these chocolate oatmeal cookies, from the chewy oats to the mix of chocolate chips.
- Unsalted Butter: Make sure it’s softened so it creams easily with the sugars and helps give the cookies the right texture.
- Light Brown Sugar: This adds moisture and helps keep the cookies soft and chewy.
- Granulated Sugar: It helps with spreading and gives the cookies slightly crisp edges.
- Eggs: Hold the dough together and add moisture for softer cookies.
- Vanilla Extract: A splash of vanilla brings out the chocolate flavor and adds a little extra warmth.
- All-Purpose Flour: Gives the cookies enough structure without making them too cakey.
- Natural Cocoa Powder, Unsweetened: Stick with natural unsweetened cocoa powder here. Dutch-process cocoa has different acidity and can throw off the way the baking soda works in the recipe.
- Baking Soda: Helps the cookies spread and gives them a nice, tender texture.
- Freshly Cracked Black Pepper: It may sound a little unexpected, but you won’t get a strong pepper flavor. A small amount adds warmth and brings out the chocolate.
- Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats: Give the cookies their hearty, chewy texture. Old-fashioned oats work best here.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: These add melty chocolate throughout without making the cookies overly sweet.
- Dark Chocolate Chips: I like adding these for a deeper chocolate flavor that balances out the sweetness.
A Few Easy Swaps
- Butter: You can use coconut oil or plant-based butter instead.
- All-Purpose Flour: A 1:1 gluten-free baking flour is an easy swap if you need the cookies to be gluten-free.
- Brown Sugar: Try dark brown sugar if you want a deeper molasses flavor and a little extra chew.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: Dark chocolate chips or chopped chocolate are both good options if that’s what you have on hand.
How to Make Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Follow these simple steps for soft, chewy chocolate oatmeal cookies with plenty of chocolate chips. For the full recipe and exact measurements, see the recipe card below.
Step 1: Prepare the Baking Sheets
Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Line your baking sheets with parchment paper so the cookies release easily and cleanup is a breeze.
Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugars
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar for about 3 minutes, until light, creamy, and fluffy. This gives the dough some air and helps create soft, chewy cookies.
Step 3: Add the Eggs and Vanilla
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on low after each addition until just incorporated. Stir in the vanilla extract, scraping down the sides of the bowl if needed.
Step 4: Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and freshly cracked black pepper. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until the flour disappears. Try not to overmix the dough, since that can make the cookies tougher.
Step 5: Add the Oats and Chocolate
Gently fold in the old-fashioned rolled oats, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and dark chocolate chips until everything is evenly distributed. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes so the oats can absorb some of the moisture and soften slightly.
Pro Tip: If you want a deeper chocolate flavor, let the cookie dough rest a little longer before baking. The cocoa and oats have more time to blend into the dough, giving the finished cookies a richer flavor and chewier texture.
Step 6: Scoop the Cookie Dough
Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie and arrange them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each one. This gives the cookies enough room to spread without running into each other.
Make-Ahead Tip: Want to get a head start? Scoop the cookie dough into individual portions and freeze them until firm, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. When you’re ready to bake, place the frozen dough straight on a baking sheet and add 1 to 2 minutes to the baking time.
Step 7: Bake the Cookies
Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, watching for set edges and centers that still look slightly soft. The cookies will continue to set as they cool, so you don’t want to wait until the centers look completely firm.
Step 8: Cool and Finish
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack. While they’re still warm, press a few extra chocolate chips on top for a bakery-style finish, and gently shape any uneven edges with the back of a spoon for rounder cookies.
If you love ice cream sandwiches, turn these cookies into cookie ice cream sandwiches with a scoop of your favorite ice cream between two cookies.
Tips for Success
A few things can make a noticeable difference with these cookies, especially when it comes to texture and flavor.
- Measure the flour carefully: Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level off the top. Scooping directly from the bag can pack in too much flour and leave you with dry cookies.
- Don’t overmix the dough: There’s no need to keep mixing once the dough comes together. This helps the cookies stay soft and chewy.
- Use fresh baking soda: Baking soda loses its effectiveness over time, so make sure yours is fresh for the right spread and texture.
- Keep an eye on the first batch: Oven temperatures can vary, so use the first batch to gauge the actual baking time for your oven. Once you know when the edges are set and the centers are still soft, repeat that timing for the rest.
What to Serve With Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
These cookies are great on their own, but a few simple pairings make them even better.
- Rocky Road Ice Cream: The chocolate, marshmallow, and almonds add a little extra texture and flavor next to the chewy cookies.
- Crockpot Hot Chocolate: A warm mug of hot chocolate makes these cookies a cozy choice for an afternoon snack or dessert.
- Strawberry Milkshake: The fruity milkshake gives you a nice contrast to the rich chocolate cookies.
- 3-Minute Brownie: If you’re making dessert for serious chocolate lovers, pair the cookies with a quick mug brownie topped with whipped cream.
- Ice Cream Crunch Cake: For a bigger dessert spread, slices of ice cream crunch cake bring together ice cream, chocolate, cookies, and whipped cream.
- Brownie Bites: Small brownie bites are an easy addition to a cookie platter and keep the chocolate theme going.
I hope you give these chocolate oatmeal cookies a try! They’re easy to make, full of chocolate, and just the kind of cookie you’ll want to keep around.
Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter (224g), softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar (200g), packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract pure
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (150g)
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder (45g), natural, unsweetened
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper freshly cracked
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (325-330g)
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (255g)
- 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips (50g)
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
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In a large bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. This step incorporates air and helps create a soft center.
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Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed just until combined. Stir in the vanilla.
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In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and freshly cracked black pepper.*
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Fold in the oats and both types of chocolate chips. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes so the oats can hydrate. This helps prevent dry or crumbly cookies.
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Scoop 2 tablespoon portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
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Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until the edges are set, but the centers still look slightly soft.
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Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
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For a bakery-style finish, press additional chocolate chips onto the tops of the cookies immediately after removing them from the oven.*
Notes
*For evenly rounded cookies, gently nudge any irregular edges inward with the back of a spoon while the cookies are still warm.
Storage and Reheating
Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze them in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months, placing parchment paper between layers to keep them from sticking together. Let frozen cookies thaw at room temperature before serving.
To warm them back up, place the cookies in a 300°F oven for 3 to 4 minutes or microwave them for about 10 seconds.
Nutrition
Variations
Want to switch things up? These are a few easy changes that work well with the chocolate oatmeal cookie base.
- Triple Chocolate Espresso: Add 1 teaspoon espresso powder to deepen the chocolate flavor without making the cookies taste strongly like coffee.
- White Chocolate Swirl: Replace some or all of the chocolate chips with white chocolate chips for a sweeter contrast.
- Nutty Chocolate Crunch: Stir in ½ cup toasted pecans or walnuts for a little crunch.
- Peanut Butter Double Chocolate: Swirl ¼ cup creamy peanut butter into the dough just before scooping for a peanut butter and chocolate combination.
More Oatmeal Cookies to Try
- Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies
- Carrot Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Apple Oatmeal Cookies
- Absolutely Loaded Oatmeal Cookies
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Storage and Reheating
Storage: Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Freeze/Thaw: Freeze baked cookies in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months, placing parchment between layers to prevent sticking. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Reheating: To soften them back up, warm the cookies in a 300°F oven for 3 to 4 minutes or microwave for about 10 seconds.
