Quick Info
- Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus 30 minutes chill)
- Cook Time: 10–12 minutes per tray
- Total Time: 60–70 minutes
- Yield: 26–30 cookies (2 tbsp scoop)
- Course: Dessert / Cookies
- Cuisine: American, bakery-style classic
- Skill Level: Easy
- Special Equipment: Hand or stand mixer, two rimmed baking sheets, parchment, 2-tbsp cookie scoop, cooling rack
Introduction
These Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies are my definition of old-fashioned goodness: nubby edges, soft chewy middles, and big melty pockets of chocolate that make the house smell like a bakery. I learned the base from my aunt, who always kept a tin by the back door for “drive-by snackers.” Now my kids sneak warm cookies from the cooling rack and claim they’re “helping with research.” (Sure, buddies.)
This dough leans into hearty old-fashioned oats, brown sugar for caramel notes, and a hint of cinnamon—just enough to cozy things up without stealing the show. Resting the dough for a short chill keeps the cookies thick, chewy, and perfectly craggy. Pour the milk, line up a playlist, and let’s bake a tray that tastes like home.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened (or brown it for toffee flavor; cool to room temp)
- ¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1¾ cups (220 g) all-purpose flour (spoon & level)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional but classic)
- 2 cups (180 g) old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick)
- 1½ cups (255 g) chocolate chunks (semi-sweet or a mix; chopped bar chocolate melts into puddles)
- ½ cup (60 g) chopped toasted walnuts or pecans (optional)
Optional / Variations
- Raisin Classic: Swap half the chocolate for ¾ cup plump raisins (soak in warm water 10 minutes, then pat dry).
- Espresso Edge: Add 1 tsp instant espresso with the dry ingredients—deepens the chocolate.
- Coconut Chew: Fold in ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut.
- Double Chocolate: Replace 2 tbsp flour with cocoa powder for a soft mocha version.
- Gluten-Free: Use a 1:1 GF baking blend and certified GF oats; chill 45 minutes.
- Dairy-Free: Plant-butter sticks + dairy-free chocolate.
- No Nuts Household: Skip nuts and add ¼ cup extra chocolate or ½ cup chopped dried cherries.
Instructions
Step 1: Whisk the Dry Mix
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until even. This keeps leavening distributed and prevents pockets of spice.
Step 2: Cream Butter & Sugars
In a large bowl (or stand mixer with paddle), beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium for 2 minutes until creamy and slightly lightened. You’re dissolving some sugar for a bendy, chewy center without making the cookies cakey.
Step 3: Add Eggs & Vanilla
Beat in egg, egg yolk, and vanilla just until smooth, scraping the bowl. The extra yolk is your chew insurance.
Step 4: Add Dry Ingredients
On low, mix in the flour blend until only a few flour streaks remain—don’t overmix.
Step 5: Fold in the Good Stuff
Using a spatula, fold in oats, chocolate chunks, and nuts (if using). You want a thick, studded dough with visible oats and chocolate ridges.
Step 6: Chill Briefly
Cover and chill 30 minutes (up to 24 hours). This quick rest hydrates the oats and firms the butter so cookies bake thick and craggly. If chilling overnight, rest dough 10 minutes at room temp to scoop.
Step 7: Scoop & Bake
Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment. Scoop 2-tbsp mounds spaced 2½ inches apart. Press a stray chunk or two on top for a bakery look.
Bake 10–12 minutes until edges are set and just golden while centers still look soft. Rotate pans halfway for even color.
Step 8: Cool & Set
Cool on the sheet 5 minutes, then move to a rack to finish setting. Warm cookies should bend in the middle with gooey chocolate pockets—aka the moment tiny hands “assist with quality control.”
Tips & Variations
- Brown Butter Magic: For deeper flavor, brown the butter over medium heat until amber and nutty, cool 20–30 minutes, then proceed. The toffee notes + oats = nostalgic perfection.
- Oats Matter: Use old-fashioned rolled oats. Quick oats drink moisture too fast and can make cookies dry; steel-cut won’t soften properly.
- Measure Like a Pro: Weigh flour (220 g) or spoon & level. Too much flour = cakey, dry cookies.
- Thickness Control: For ultra-thick cookies, chill overnight and bake dough cold; add 1–2 minutes to bake time.
- Stay-Soft Trick: Slip a slice of soft bread into the storage tin; replace after a day to keep cookies plush.
- Make-Ahead Dough Balls: Scoop and freeze on a tray; store in a bag up to 2 months. Bake from frozen at 350°F, adding 1–2 minutes.
- Milk’s Best Friend: A pinch of flaky sea salt on warm cookies makes the chocolate pop.
- Raisin Upgrade: If going classic, plump raisins in warm water (or apple juice) for 10 minutes, pat dry, then fold in—no hard, chewy nuggets.
- Edge Lovers: For frillier edges, give the hot tray a gentle tap on the rack right after baking (“pan-bang”) and let the ripples set.
- Holiday Twinkle: Swap cinnamon for pumpkin pie spice or add orange zest (½ tsp) for a festive nudge.
- Allergy Notes: Use nut-free add-ins like pumpkin seeds or extra chocolate if baking for a classroom.
Nutrition
(Per cookie, ~1/28 batch with nuts; estimates.)
- Calories: 170
- Protein: 3 g
- Carbs: 22 g
- Fat: 8 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Sodium: 100 mg
- Sugar: 13 g
Final Thoughts
These Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies are the sort of treat that makes neighbors linger in your kitchen and kids barter chores for “one more.” They’ve got the hearty chew of old-fashioned oats, the cozy hint of cinnamon, and generous puddles of chocolate—simple, nostalgic, and impossible to resist. Bake a batch for lunchboxes, gift tins, or the second half of your favorite movie; stash a few dough balls in the freezer for cookie emergencies (a real category at our house).
Save this for oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, chewy oatmeal cookies, classic cookie recipes, and easy homemade desserts. From my oat-dusted, chocolate-smudged kitchen to yours—happy baking and even happier nibbling!
