Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are the BEST soft and chewy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Inspired by Quaker Oats, these cookies vanish before they barely cool! They rival their gluten-free counterpart, Dark Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies.

Believe it or not, the best oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe ever was originally on a box of Quaker Oatmeal.  

Crazy, right?! 

Honestly, until this past year, I never considered putting oatmeal and cookie together in a sentence, let alone a recipe! 

But ever since this recipe was first tested in the Crumbs kitchen, it has been a huge hit! Many oatmeal cookies have come through the oven doors since then. Peanut butter oatmeal cookies being a favorite!

Why Make Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies? 

Apparently there are cookies out there made with oatmeal and raisins. That is what the Quaker Oatmeal box called for on the side. I automatically turned my nose up to the raisin idea and substituted chocolate chips. 

I do not regret that decision!

The combination of oats and chocolate chips in a cookie is out of this world! I mean, they’re cookies!! Mr. Crumbs likes to call these “vanishing oatmeal cookies.” 

Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Ingredients

If you just throw oatmeal and chocolate chips on a pan, you will not get cookies. There are a few other ingredients you need to make the best cookies ever. I highlight some of them here:

• Butter. I’m a big fan of using butter in cookies. It really makes them taste great and has quite a few health benefits!
• Coconut Oil. Coconut oil also has some amazing health benefits. I like to use it anytime I can!
• Sugar. My family has made great strides to quit eating sugar. Cookies are one exception. I use Turbinado sugar instead of white sugar since it is less refined.
• Molasses. I never thought to add molasses to chocolate chip cookies before. But it gives a rich depth of flavor that works really well with the oatmeal. 
• Flour. I use a mix of all-purpose and whole grain flour in this recipe. The all-purpose flour gives the cookie a light taste while the whole grain ups the healthy factor. 
• Oatmeal. Old fashioned oats are the best for baking with. Besides steel-cut oats, it is the least processed and bakes well.
• Chocolate Chips. Dark chocolate chips or chips with raw cacao are going to have less sugar in them than regular milk chocolate chips. I recommend reading the label to your chocolate chips to make sure you’re getting clean ingredients.

What Makes These Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies?

You might be wondering why this recipe is considered “healthy” when you read butter and sugar in the ingredients. 

I mentioned in the ingredient list that butter actually has a lot of health benefits. The best butter comes from grass-fed pastured cows. If that’s not in your budget, that’s ok! Conventional butter still has a lot of benefits. Use the best you can for now. 

Determining food priorities is the first lesson in my course, Grocery Budget Bootcamp! Sometimes it is hard to sort through all the terminology of healthy eating. And it’s easy to think we have to have an all or nothing approach. Knowing where to start is the first step!

Sugar is not a healthy type of food. Reading this article that Dr. Axe shares will make you want to run far away! Yet, you do have to determine what’s going to be realistic for your family. We choose to eat some sugar in moderation (aka cookies!). 

Our choice is less refined sugar. Turbinado sugar comes in larger granules, making a full cup of sugar “less” than a cup of white refined sugar. 

It may seem silly to get nit-picky about the size of the granules of sugar. However, in the world of budgeting, I’ve learned that every little bit counts! The same is true for our health!

What Kind of Oatmeal Do You Use for Cookies?

Oatmeal comes in a lot of shapes and sizes. Here’s a quick rundown:

• Steel-Cut Oats. Steel-cut oats are made in a machine that spins really fast to separate the oat groat from the husk. In the process, many oat groats break into small pieces, creating steel-cut oats.
• Old Fashioned Rolled Oats. Large oat groats are rolled in between large pins and flattened into rolled oats. The result is considered old fashioned oats. These are my favorite to use for just about everything calling for oatmeal. 
• Rolled Oats. Old fashioned oats are steamed and lightly toasted to aid in the cooking process at home.  These are called rolled oats.
• Quick Cooking Oats. These are old fashioned oats that were cut into smaller pieces before steaming and toasting. Making them cook even faster at home.
• Instant Oatmeal. These oats are pre-cooked and then dried before packaging. Typically you will find them with added sugars and flavors. Not ideal for the real food family on a budget!

Old fashioned oats are your best choice for baking. Since they are minimally processed, they won’t cook too fast as your cookies are baking. If you use quick-cooking oats, you’ll end up with runny, burnt cookies!

Frequently Asked Questions About Oatmeal Cookie Recipes

Can you reduce the sugar? 

The sugar is already reduced from the original recipe. If you want to use less, you could go down to ¾ cup. I would not go as low as 1/2 cup because that will change your wet/dry ratio. That can be a problem with cookies!

Do you need to chill oatmeal cookies?

Chilling the dough is not necessary for oatmeal cookies. This dough can scoop and plop on a sheet pan! Typically, chilling is to help a softer dough become more manageable, like in cut out sugar cookies. 

Are these oatmeal cookies gluten-free? 

No, this recipe uses wheat flour. If you need gluten-free cookies, try this recipe for dark chocolate chip oatmeal cookies! 

Can you freeze oatmeal chocolate chip cookies? 

Yes! Making a double batch and freezing is one of the best ways to get ahead in the kitchen. Even with treats! Use this guide on freezer cooking to learn how to freeze cookies, bread, muffins, and more!

Can you use steel-cut oats in cookies? 

I wouldn’t recommend it. Steel-cut oats are fairly sturdy and require a longer cook time than old fashioned oats. Here’s my recipe for perfect overnight steel cut oats and high protein oatmeal.

More Healthier Cookie Recipes

• Healthier Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
• Cut Out Sugar Cookies
• Candy Cane Cookies
• Molasses Breakfast Cookies
• Pumpkin Cookies with Naturally Sweetened Cream Cheese Frosting
• Dark Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Watch How to Make Soft Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

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