The Softest Oatmeal Cookies My Family Demands I Make Every Single Week
Because there are so many delicious cookie recipes out there, sometimes I feel like the classic oatmeal cookie gets slightly overlooked. Growing up, oatmeal cookies were a staple at family gatherings, and they still are as my papa Cuco (my grandpa) enjoys nothing more than a warm oatmeal cookie almost right out of the oven. Yet, they have a bad rep for being too crispy or hard. But not these oatmeal cookies! My recipe makes incredibly soft and chewy cookies that are slightly crispy on the outside. Here, I reach for quick oats instead of old-fashioned rolled oats, as I discovered that quick oats added the right amount of moisture to create a softer cookie. The addition of brown sugar and honey ensured they were chewy with every bite. Give my recipe a try because I promise after one bite, you’ll be planning to bake your next batch ASAP; they’re just that good.
Why You’ll Love It
These are the best oatmeal cookies you’ll ever have. Using quick oats makes for a perfectly chewy and soft cookie.
No stand mixer needed. The cookie dough comes together quickly in a bowl, and the results are just as delicious.
You can spruce them up with mix-ins. These cookies are customizable to any craving, so toss in raisins or chocolate chips for an unexpected pop of sweetness.
Key Ingredients in Oatmeal Cookies
Quick oats: Quick oats are ground just a smidge finer than old-fashioned rolled oats, and are thicker than instant oats. This makes them better at absorbing more liquid from the cookies as they bake, while also releasing moisture, resulting in a chewy and soft texture.
Brown sugar: Thanks to its moisture content, brown sugar is key in making a chewy, soft cookie while also leaving behind delicious notes of molasses and caramel.
Honey: Joining forces with the brown sugar, honey adds moisture while also adding some floral sweetness that highlights the earthiness of the warm spices.
Nutmeg: This spice adds a touch of warmth, bringing out the flavor in the brown sugar and the oats as the cookie bakes.
How to Make Oatmeal Cookies
Combine dry ingredients. Whisk all-purpose flour, quick oats, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg together in a large bowl.
Combine wet ingredients. Whisk melted butter, honey, eggs, vanilla extract, and kosher salt together in a medium bowl.
Make the cookie dough. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, and fold together with a flexible spatula until just combined; the dough will be sticky and soft. Fold in semisweet chocolate chips and/or golden raisins if desired.
Refrigerate the dough and preheat the oven. Cover and refrigerate the dough to give it time to firm up. Heat the oven to 350ºF. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Scoop cookie dough and bake. Drop the cookie dough onto the baking sheets. Bake, rotating halfway through, until the cookies are golden brown around the edges. Let cool on a baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
The cookie dough balls can be frozen solid on the baking sheet, then stored in a zip-top bag for up to 2 months.
The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
More Cookies to Love
Oatmeal Cookies Recipe
Cinnamon, nutmeg, and honey make these the most flavorful oatmeal cookies ever.
Prep time 25 minutes
Cook time 40 minutes to 50 minutes
Makes Makes 22 (4-inch) cookies
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups quick oats
1 cup packed dark or light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
3 tablespoons honey or molasses
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chunks (optional)
1 cup golden raisins (optional)
Instructions
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Whisk 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 cup quick oats, 1 cup packed brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon and, 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg together in a large bowl.
Whisk 2 sticks melted unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons honey, 3 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt together in a medium bowl.
Transfer to the flour mixture and fold together with a flexible spatula until just combined; the dough will be sticky and soft. Fold in 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips and 1 cup golden raisins if desired.
Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to firm up. Arrange 2 racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat the oven to 350ºF. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
Drop the cookie dough in 3-tablespoon portions onto the baking sheets, spacing them evenly apart, 6 per sheet. Bake, rotating the baking sheets between racks and from front to back halfway through, until the cookies are golden brown around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes total.
Let cool for 5 minutes on a baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat baking the remaining cookie dough on cooled baking sheets, you can reuse the parchment paper.
Recipe Notes
Make ahead: The cookie dough balls can be frozen solid on the baking sheet, then stored in a zip-top bag for up to 2 months. Bake the cookies from frozen for about the same amount of time.
Storage: The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Further Reading
Why People Are Ditching Their Seltzer After a Disturbing Study
We Asked 3 Chefs to Name the Best Ice Cream, and They All Said the Same Thing
The “Beautiful” $3 Flower Tumblers at Walmart People Are Buying 2 at a Time
