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    Home » All Recipes

    Brown Sugar Oatmeal Cookies

    Nov 6, 2019 · 29 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    Easy Brown Sugar Oatmeal Cookie with chocolate chips. Soft and Chewy. One Bowl. No Raisins. (Unless you want them!)

    Stack of brown sugar oatmeal cookies.

    Today we’re talking about oatmeal cookies. Specifically, oatmeal cookies made with brown sugar. I have some strong opinions about oatmeal cookies. I want them to be made with brown sugar and chocolate chips—no granulated sugar or raisins for me, thank you. They also need to be easy. Too many recipes are a bit finicky for such a simple cookie. They call for a combination of sugars and ask you to rest the batter for up to an hour before baking. 

    Who’s got time for that?

    I believe, down to my toes, that oatmeal cookies should be easy. This is a weeknight cookie—something you should be able to make in minutes. 

    And my last requirement? The batch can’t make dozens and dozens of cookies. Grandma might have wanted a recipe that churned out five dozen cookies but I don’t.

    What These Taste Like

    Classic oatmeal cookies. The type you want someone to bake for you when you’ve had a rough day. They’re soft and chewy and filled with oats with just a hint of cinnamon and a generous amount of chocolate chips*.  You won’t find any coarse sea salt sprinkled on these cookies, nor does the recipe require you to brown butter. And when they’re baking, oh my goodness, friend, the house smells amazing. (Confession: if a hug had a scent, I think it would smell like a tray of warm oatmeal cookies.) 

    (*Raisin lovers, there’s a place for you too. Simply replace the chocolate chips with an equal amount of raisins.)

    Two brown sugar oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips on baking pan.

    What You’ll Love

    Besides the flavor and texture, two things stand out about these brown sugar oatmeal cookies.

    • How easy they are to mix. You don’t need an electric mixer to make these cookies. Can you use one? Of course! But you don’t need to. The dough is stirred together in under two minutes and doesn’t require chilling. 
    • The size of the batch. Traditional oatmeal cookie recipes make four dozen (or more!) cookies. This recipe makes two dozen cookies. 

    Why Brown Sugar in Oatmeal Cookies?

    It perplexes me why so many oatmeal cookies use granulated sugar. Don’t get me wrong, granulated sugar has its place in cookies, but oatmeal cookies? They practically beg for the molasses-sweetness of brown sugar. 

    Use either light brown or dark brown sugar in this recipe. Both make for tasty oatmeal cookies. (I prefer dark brown sugar because it’s flavor is more pronounced. But that’s just my flavor preference, not a must-use.)

    Instant Oats or Old Fashioned?

    It’s up to you! When made with old fashioned oats, the cookies are a bit chewier. Instant oats make for (slightly) softer cookies. 

    Use whatever you have on hand. (Just don’t use steel-cut oats. Those won’t work.)

    How to Make Brown Sugar Oatmeal Cookies

    1. Melt the butter. You can do this in either the microwave on low power or in a small saucepan over low heat. 
    2. Whisk the butter and egg together until it looks like lemon curd. This step is a bit unusual. You whisk the melted butter and egg together until it’s creamy and smooth. It’ll look like a cross between lemon curd and mayonnaise. 
    3. Add the brown sugar and vanilla. The sugar dissolves a lot in the egg-butter mixture and at this point, everything looks like a thick caramel sauce. 
    4. Add the dry ingredients, minus the oatmeal. Now’s the time to switch from a whisk to a wooden spoon. Stir the flour into a mixture until you don’t see any streaks of flour. The dough will look very soft at this point. 
    5. Stir in the oats and chocolate chips. Add the oats and chocolate chips and stir until combined. The dough stiffens almost immediately. 
    6. Scoop and bake. Grab a cookie scoop and drop the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until the cookies are set and golden brown on the edges.

    15 brown sugar oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips on pan.

    FAQ: Brown Sugar Oatmeal Cookies

    Can I keep the dough overnight?

    No. This dough is best made within an hour and a half of being mixed. Since the butter isn’t creamed together with the sugar, the only lift comes from the baking soda. After an hour or so, it loses its oomph. 

    Can I replace the chocolate chips with raisins?

    Of course! Replace the chocolate chips with an equal amount of raisins. Or do half chocolate chips and half raisins. 

    Can I add nuts?

    Yes. Add up to one cup of chopped nuts to the dough. 

    How do you freeze oatmeal cookies?

    Allow the cookies to cool completely. Place them in a freezer container and separate layers with wax or parchment paper. Freeze the cookies well up to three months.

    Other Cookie Recipes You’ll Love

    Brown Sugar Peanut Butter Cookies.
    So easy. Just three ingredients. 

    Cookies and Cream Crispy Treats.
    Everything you love about crispy treats plus sandwich cookies. 

    Coconut Macaroons.
    4 Ingredients. Soft and chewy coconut goodness.

    Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars with Marshmallows.
    Easy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars with Toasted Marshmallows. (Think of these as a chocolate chip cookie bar with a s’more twist.)

    Stack of brown sugar oatmeal cookies.
    4.95 from 18 votes
    Print

    Brown Sugar Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chips

    Easy Brown Sugar Oatmeal Cookies. Soft and Chewy. One Bowl. No Raisins. (Unless you want them!)

    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Cook Time 12 minutes
    Total Time 30 minutes
    Servings 27 cookies
    Calories 137 kcal

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted and cooled slightly (4 ounces/ 113 grams)
    • 1 large egg (about 2 ounces/ 57 grams, out of shell)
    • ¾ cups firmly packed brown sugar (6 ounces/ 170 grams)
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 cup all-purpose flour (4 ¾ ounces/ 135 grams)
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 ½ cups quick or old fashioned oats, uncooked 5 ¼ ounces/ 148 grams)
    • 1 cup chocolate chips (6 ounces/ 170)

    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

    2. Make the dough. Whisk together melted butter and egg until smooth. Add brown sugar and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth. Mixture will look like caramel sauce. Add flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Switch to a wooden spoon and stir until you don't see any streaks of flour. Add the oats and chocolate chips. Mix until combined.

    3. Bake Drop dough, about two tablespoons each, onto one of the prepared baking sheets. Space dough about one inch apart. These don't spread much. Bake until set, about 12 minutes.

    4. Cool Remove the pan from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the pan for about three minutes. (While they cook, bake the remaining dough on the second baking sheet.) Transfer cookies to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.

    5. Store. Keep the cookies covered on the counter for up to four days or freeze for up to three months. To freeze cookies: place in a freezer container and separate layers with a piece of wax or parchment paper. Thaw overnight on the counter.

     

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sandra :) says

      January 25, 2020 at 3:42 pm

      I have all the ingredients and can’t wait to try these 🙂 Is the cooking temperature correct – 305F?

      Reply
      • Elizabeth says

        January 25, 2020 at 4:04 pm

        Ack! No! Sorry! It’s supposed to be 350 degrees F. It’s been updated. Please refresh the page to see the change. And again, sorry about that!

        Reply
        • Sandra :) says

          January 25, 2020 at 4:49 pm

          No problem – thanks for the fast fix! I’ll try these tomorrow 😀

          Reply
      • MrsMeyer says

        December 23, 2020 at 2:46 pm

        5 stars
        I searched for a great oatmeal cookie recipe so I wouldnt spend all my money at a late night cookie chain. Oh my gosh!!! You are the best! These cookies are amazing. I did semisweet choc chips and walnuts. Santa may be out of luck this year as I dont know if they will make it to Christmas eve. And i love how it is a small batch recipe! Thank you and blessings to you and your loved ones.

        Reply
        • April L Tenney says

          March 31, 2021 at 7:26 pm

          5 stars
          Just pulled these out of the oven! I am not a novice cookie baker, but these came out great! I used Lily’s semi-sweet chocolate chips for lower sugar. Will try the dark brown sugar next time.Thanks for sharing!

          Reply
    2. Melissa says

      April 11, 2020 at 12:11 pm

      Can I make these into bars and if so, what size pan do you recommend? I will add on cooking time too. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Elizabeth says

        April 28, 2020 at 3:10 pm

        Yes! You can make these into bars. Here’s the recipe: oatmeal chocolate chip cookie bars.

        Reply
    3. melissa j. says

      April 19, 2020 at 7:24 pm

      5 stars
      i’ve made these twice now and they are SO delicious!! i swapped the butter out for apple sauce & still so good. can’t recommend this recipe enough 🙂

      Reply
    4. Kay says

      May 02, 2020 at 8:27 pm

      5 stars
      Hi, had wanted to make a brown sugar oatmeal cookie….love this recipe and used old fashioned oats, raisins & chocolate chips! Perfectly chewy & perfectly great to give to friends who, during pandemic, been shopping for me, sharing dinners, etc. Thks, k

      Reply
    5. Martha Knight says

      May 12, 2020 at 4:51 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is amazing. I don’t typically love oatmeal cookies, but wanted to try these as I was craving oatmeal with toffee (???). These hit the spot! If toffee were a cookie with oatmeal, this is the baby. They taste amazing and my house smells like a Yankee Candle. They really taste like chocolate chip cookies also….these are so good! Thanks for recipe!!!

      Reply
    6. Hali says

      November 15, 2020 at 12:16 pm

      5 stars
      As a reluctant baker, this cookie recipe was the one to tempt me into finally turning on the oven. I weighed out ingredients, used dark brown sugar Bc that’s what I had on hand. Will be making these again and again

      Reply
    7. Andrea says

      November 16, 2020 at 3:30 pm

      5 stars
      Like the flexibility of this recipe! I swapped out chocolate chips for dried cranberries and silvered almonds. Then drizzled melted white chocolate on top to make add a holiday touch.

      Reply
      • Elizabeth says

        November 17, 2020 at 1:35 pm

        That sounds AMAZING.

        Reply
      • Amanda Caudill says

        June 30, 2021 at 4:29 pm

        Can I use salted butter? Maybe omit the salt if you think it’ll be too salty?

        Reply
        • Elizabeth says

          July 02, 2021 at 6:19 pm

          Salted butter works great! I’ve made it with salted butter and the salt called for and didn’t find them too salty.

          Reply
    8. Grace says

      January 07, 2021 at 8:02 am

      5 stars
      I’m about to make these for a third time since Christmas. Once I made with regular chocolate chips and one time with Hershey kisses chips. Truly these are awesome!!!! My partner made a point of telling me multiple times how much they liked them. A total hit! Thanks ?

      Reply
    9. Byrd says

      February 09, 2021 at 5:55 am

      5 stars
      Delicious! I reduced the baking time to 9 mins, the first batch got hard when they cooled down. But the BEST cookies we have made. Especially since hockey pucks and paper weights are my usual..lol

      Reply
      • Elizabeth says

        February 09, 2021 at 4:25 pm

        If they got hard when they cooled, I’d check your oven temperature with an oven thermometer if you can. Your oven might be running a little hot.

        Reply
    10. Ann says

      March 26, 2021 at 7:33 pm

      5 stars
      Really easy and yummy! I followed the recipe exactly as directed, but I did use 1/2 cup raisins and 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, and the old fashioned oats. I love the softer cookie with the dark brown sugar and cinnamon taste. Definitely a winner!

      Reply
    11. Kathy says

      April 03, 2021 at 1:30 pm

      5 stars
      Made my second batch with butterscotch chips & slivered almonds for a toffee-like result. I wasn’t a fan of cinnamon w/chocolate in first batch. Both turned out well. Recipe omitted how many minutes to cool on the baking pans.

      Reply
      • Wayne says

        June 23, 2021 at 10:48 pm

        Love the butterscotch chips idea! If I’d read your comment first I wouldn’t have suggested it in mine. Great minds and all that

        Reply
    12. Wayne says

      June 23, 2021 at 10:47 pm

      5 stars
      These came together super quickly with minimal cleanup. I used white whole wheat flour instead of AP. I found the recipe when searching for a cookie that was essentially the topping of a fruit crisp.

      You could use butterscotch chips if you wanted to really reinforce that flavor dimension.

      Reply
    13. CP says

      January 19, 2022 at 10:02 am

      5 stars
      Fantastic recipe.
      Made a batch for my sis and her bf and he said they were the best cookies I’ve made.
      I made them a second time and added about a cup of chopped roasted pecans/almonds instead of chocolate chips and they were also delicious. Excellent recipe that is very easily adaptable 🙂

      Reply
    14. Phat Khat says

      February 10, 2022 at 4:38 am

      5 stars
      So easy! I used unbleached flour, old fashioned oats, salted butter and no added salt. Instead of chocolate chips, I used half walnuts and half cranberries. I added the zest from a medium orange and substituted orange extract for the vanilla. They were absolutely amazing!

      Reply
    15. Carrie says

      February 20, 2022 at 6:29 pm

      4 stars
      These came out great. Love the taste, ease of recipe and smaller size

      Reply
    16. Mary says

      February 21, 2022 at 7:52 pm

      5 stars
      I just made these… really simple to make… I added raisins, coconut and walnuts with the oatmeal… simply delicious… I will certainly make these again!

      Reply
    17. Dee says

      October 03, 2022 at 8:30 pm

      5 stars
      When I say these are the best oatmeal cookies I’ve ever made, that’s what I mean. 100% true to recipe, wonderful flavor, so easy to make. Mine came out looking EXACTLY like the photos. Even though I substituted wheat flour for 1-to-1 gluten free flour and it still came out wonderful, so this is a great cookie recipe for people with celiac disease. I ate seven in one go, and I don’t even feel a little bit bad about it. This is literally my new favorite cookie recipe. Do yourself a favor, make these once a week; I know I will!

      Reply
    18. Em says

      December 29, 2022 at 8:26 pm

      5 stars
      Excellent.
      I’ve made these and kept the dough in the fridge for 3-5 days and they bake up beautifully. They’ve been a hit at parties and family!!!

      Reply
      • Em says

        December 29, 2022 at 8:27 pm

        I used half oat four and half whole wheat.

        Reply

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    Elizabeth Barbone

    Elizabeth Barbone is the founder and recipe developer behind Cook Fast, Eat Well. A food writer for over 15 years, she's built a reputation for creating easy recipes that work.

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