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A delicious take on old-fashioned grandma cookies. Shh... with chewy, toffee-studded interiors, crisp, buttery edges, and lots of melty chocolate chips in each bite, these Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies might just be a bit better than Grandma's!
Although this recipe for Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies has been in the making for quite a while, there's a fun, funny story that prompted me to perfect them.
Although we have a wonderful collection of chocolate chip cookies in our recipe archives, I wanted to create a great recipe for Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies. I've been working on this recipe idea on and off, since last fall but I wasn't happy with any of my cookie test cases. They were either too dry, too blah or they spread into blobs in the oven. After numerous attempts, I gave up.
But a few weeks ago I got a text from one of my granddaughters that inspired me to return to my quest. This is what it said:
"hey geeg (that's me)! any chance you could make some chocolate chip cookies for my friend's birthday on march 20th??! she loves you and wants to try ur yum cookies"
To be honest, I don't know her friend but that's okay. The part that made me laugh was the text that followed:
"and then i don’t have to buy her a present 😁"
In response to her request, I revisited my chocolate chip oatmeal cookie quest. There's been lots of cookie testing/tweaking and yummy chocolate aromas wafting from the Café kitchen over the last two weeks and I'm finally happy with the results. 🙌
My goal was an easy, one-bowl, old-fashioned-grandma oatmeal cookie recipe with chewy interiors and crisp edges. These are all that! Plus each bite is bursting with buttery toffee and melty chocolate chips! Perhaps even a bit better than Grandma's, hence the name!
So much to love!
I love that this dough does not need to be refrigerated before baking. Although it's not a big deal to refrigerate dough, sometimes you just want cookies when you want them. And refrigerating for even 30-60 minutes is not ideal!
Another bonus is that you can stir up the dough for these Chocolate Chip Oatmeal cookies in one large bowl - with no mixer necessary. I love the idea of making cookies or cakes without any special equipment - the way grandma made them!
Freeze the dough or the cookies
This recipe makes a large batch but the dough freezes well. I like to scoop up the dough and freeze the scoops on a pan or plate. Once the dough balls are frozen, I throw them in a ziplock bag. That means I can have freshly baked cookies on the spur of the moment with minimal fuss on my part.
You can also freeze the cookies once they're baked although that's a little dangerous. I always think they're "safe" in the freezer but, in reality, it takes less than a minute in the microwave (at 50% power) to transform a frozen cookie into an irresistibly delicious, warm-melty Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie.
Lots of taste testers
I've been passing out plates and boxes of these delicious Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies to family, friends, neighbors, etc. EVERYONE has loved them and has given them rave reviews.
Since these cookies make a wonderful gift, we've created a gift label to dress them up.
To receive the free printable labels just let us know that you'd like them in the comment section at the very bottom of this post. We'll email a PDF for the labels that you can print on your computer along with links for the boxes and ribbon shown in the pictures in this post.
Want to make someone's day? Make a batch of these delicious Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies. Then wait to see the happy faces.
Make plenty because even Grandma's smile will fade when the cookie jar is empty and all that's left on her plate is this:
Cafe Tips for making these Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
- Because this recipe doesn't require a mixer, the butter needs to be nice and soft. You can let the butter sit out at room temperature, but if the air is chilly in your house, it won’t get soft enough. Here are some easy ways to soften butter:
- You can soften the butter in the microwave on power level 10%. It works like magic! You’ll need to experiment a bit with your microwave though, as they’re all different. Start with 1 minute. Add 20 to 30-second increments until you learn how long your microwave will take to get the butter nice and soft, but not melted.
- Another technique I often use to soften butter is to put it in the microwave for a few hours with the light on. To keep the light on in the microwave I put a folded paper towel in the door.
- Boil a cup of water in the microwave for 3-4 minutes and get things nice and steamy. Leave the water cup in the microwave, add the butter and close the door. The warmth from the steamy water will help to quickly soften the butter.
- Cutting the butter into small pieces helps it soften quicker.
- Place the hard butter on a small plate. Fill a bowl with hot water. Wait 5 minutes then discard the water. Put the warm bowl over the butter.
- Put the butter in the oven with the light turned on. This will take a few hours.
- The fastest way to soften butter is to put cold butter in the microwave for 10 seconds. Turn it to the opposite side and microwave for another 10 seconds. It might be ready at this point, but if it’s not completely soft, add one or two more 5-second stints.
- Note that these cookies bake at 325˚F instead of the usual 350˚F. I found that the bottoms got too brown at 350.
- This recipe calls for toffee bits. You can find toffee bits at many larger grocery stores in the same section as the chocolate chips. I use Heath Toffee Bits. ( A note to those with nut allergies - most toffee bits (including Heath) have almonds.)
- If you like perfectly shaped cookies, use a metal spatula immediately after the cookies emerge from the oven to push any unruly edges into a circle.
- After you scoop up the dough you can tuck a few extra chocolate chips and/ or a tiny sprinkle of toffee bits onto the top of the dough balls for a pretty presentation.
- This recipe makes a large batch (2-3 dozen, depending on how large your scoops are). If you don't need that many cookies, you can scoop up the dough balls and freeze them for spur-of-the-moment cookie attacks. Just give them a few extra minutes in the oven if you start with frozen balls.
- Because this does make a lot of dough, the bigger the bowl, the easier it will be to stir together.
- I mix up this dough by hand but the oatmeal makes it a little stiffer than than normal cookie dough. Feel free to use a mixer if you prefer.
- I like to keep my dough covered with a damp cloth or several thicknesses of damp paper towels in between batches to keep the dough from drying out.
- Make these Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies any size you like. The yield, of course, will depend on the size you choose. I like to use a medium-size scoop (a #24 which holds 2.7 tablespoons or 40ml).
- If you're in the market for cookie sheets, I love these OXO Good Grip pans. I have had mine for several years - they're sturdy, a nice weight and they hold up well.
- I love these pre-cut sheets of parchment paper. They're the perfect size for a half-sheet pan and they make clean-up super easy. You never have cookies sticking to the pan!
Thought for the day:
Lift up your eyes on high
And see who has created these stars,
The One who leads forth their host by number,
He calls them all by name;
Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power,
Not one of them is missing.
Isaiah 40:26
What we're listening to for inspiration:
If you enjoy this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It’s so helpful to other readers to hear your results, adaptations and ideas for variations.
- 1 cup very soft butter see Café Tips above in the post
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt I use Morton's
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2¼ cups old-fashioned rolled oats try 2 ¼ cups
- 1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips 9 ounces
- 1 cup toffee bits
- flaky sea salt for garnish if desired
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Preheat the oven to 325° F. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper for easy cleanup, if desired. Set aside.
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Place the soft butter in a large bowl and stir until smooth and creamy Add the brown sugar and stir until any small lumps of butter and brown sugar are incorporated. Add the white sugar and stir again. The mixture will be a thick and sandy at this point.
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Add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla. Stir until creamy. Add the baking soda and salt and stir again.
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Add the flour to the butter-sugar mixture and stir until incorporated. At first, it will seem like too much flour but just keep stirring (from the bottom up and scraping the sides of the bowl) and it will come together. Make sure all of the flour at the bottom of the bowl is incorporated.
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Add 1 cup of the oatmeal and stir until well combined. Stir in the remaining oatmeal. Again, make sure all of the oats at the bottom of the bowl are incorporated into the dough.
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Lastly, add the chips and toffee bits and stir until evenly distributed. It will be a stiff dough.
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Scoop up the dough with a medium scooper (I use a #24 scoop which holds 2.7 tablespoons or 40ml) onto one of the prepared sheet pans, leaving 2 ½ -3 inches in between each scoop to allow for the cookies to spread.
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Bake for 18-22 minutes or until light golden brown. Don’t overbake. Remove from the oven and sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt. Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the pan then remove to a wire cooling back. Repeat with the remaining dough. (I like to keep the dough covered with a damp cloth or paper towel in between batches.)
See Café Tips above in the post for more detailed instructions and tips to ensure success.
If you prefer to use Metric measurements there is a button in each of our recipes, right above the word “Instructions”. Just click that button to toggle to grams, milliliters, etc. If you ever come across one of our recipes that doesn’t have the Metric conversion (some of the older recipes may not), feel free to leave a comment and I will add it.
Susan says
I just ordered the boxes that you recommended and now I'd like to request the labels. Thank you for all of your wonderful recipes.
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Sending them your way, Susan!
MaryJo says
Please send labels and box info. I've made these cookies at high altitude and only adjusted the oven temp and used two egg yolks since that seems to work here! 5 star!
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Thanks for the review, MaryJo! Sending the labels your way.
Sarah Hewis says
These look scrumptious! Can't wait to try them and give some to my grandson before he returns to college after his spring break. May I have the labels to go with them, please?
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Of course, Sarah!
Jean says
Please send the PDF label. Can't wait to try and I know they will be yummy.
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Sure, Jean!
Judith Coleman says
Please send the cookie label . Thank you.
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Sending them your way, Judith!
Jean says
Can’t wait to try these soon! Please send me the PDF. labels.
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Sure, Jean!
MJ says
Can't wait to try these! Please send the PDF for the labels--I can see my recipient list grow even as I think about these cookies.
Thank you, Chris, for all the work you put into your recipes and your blog. The arrival of your daily email always makes me smile, as I know something good is coming.
MJ
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Thank you for the kind comment, MJ! Sending the labels your way.
Bev says
Thanks! I was wondering about using butterscotch chips in place of the toffee.
Mary Welch says
Just tried first cooled cookie… Wow, so very scrumptious!! I used butterscotch instead of toffee, only because no toffee I’m pantry today. Terrific!!! I have 1/2 the batch ( uncooked scoops) ready to freeze. Thank you for so many outstanding recipes, helpful tips, and encouraging Words.
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Awesome! Thanks for the kind review, Mary!
Tina says
These look delicious!!! Would love the labels. Thanks so much!
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Sure, Tina!
Julie Lewis says
Best oatmeal cookies ever! They came out perfect! Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Awesome! Thanks for the review, Julie!
Sue B Youmans says
I am making these this weekend. They look amazing. Thanks for the recipe! I would love the label please 🙂
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Sending them now, Sue!
Palette says
I love anything with oatmeal in it and oatmeal cookies are my favorite so I'll have to make these! Please sent labels so I can share!
Chris Scheuer says
Sure! Happy to send them, Palette!
Lauri says
I don't see the clickable link for the OXO Good Grip pans. Can you please pot it. Thanks.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Lauri, thanks for letting me know. Just added that link!
jo says
Chris I want to thank you for all of the delicious recipes that you have shared over the years.
Please send the labels for these yummy cookies.
Thank you for your generosity.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for your kind words, Jo! Sending the labels now.
Bernice Arnett says
Hello!!! Sounds absolutely wonderful !
Thank you from one grandma to another!❤️
Would love your darling labels too.
Thank you !
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Bernice! Hope you enjoy the cookies and the labels.
Jane says
The cookies sound fabulous and with grandchildren in school would be fun to send as well as neighbor gifts. Please send the free printable labels and the link to the boxes and ribbon. Thank you
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Jane, these make great gifts for anyone! Sending the labels your way!
Chris Scheuer says
Jane, the email with the labels was returned. Perhaps you typed it incorrectly?
Terri says
Delicious! First time I've come across a recipe better than my mom's (and I've lost count of how many recipes I've tried over the years!)!! Would love to have the .pdf for the labels for these "Better Than Grandma's Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies"! Many thanks!
Chris Scheuer says
Such a compliment, Terri! Happy to send the labels.
Sandy says
i am making these today. i already have the box you all used. i would like that wonderful label. thank you,
Chris Scheuer says
Perfect! Sending the labels now, Sandy!
Jean says
Theses sounds absolutely delicious! I would love to receive the labels to show how special they are.
Thank you.
Chris Scheuer says
Hope you enjoy them, Jean! The labels are on the way!
Leslie says
So many fantastic recipes, Chris and this one looks like another winner!
I would love to have the printable labels,
Thanks.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Leslie! Sending the labels now.
Kathy Gates says
I fell in love with your oh- so- tasty Choc.chip recipe, so thanks so much for your persistance in refining this recipe....this gets my "4 Yum" rating.
Can I also have the PDF of the labels please?
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Thanks, Kathy! Sending the labels your way.
Laurie Cottrell says
I would love the labels please!
Chris Scheuer says
Happy to send them, Laurie!
Liz says
Can't wait to try these. Please send the labels. Thank you.
Chris Scheuer says
Sure, sending them now, Liz!
DoLee Spurgeon says
These sound delicious, and one of my granddaughters is coming this weekend, so I think we will give them a try. And, of course, I would love to have the labels. Thank you.
Chris Scheuer says
Perfect timing! Sending the labels now, DoLee!
Michele says
These look amazing. I need to give them a try!
Chris Scheuer says
You do! Hope you enjoy them, Michele!