Description
This recipe for The Best Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies combines the hearty texture of old-fashioned rolled oats with sweet semi-sweet chocolate chips for the perfect chewy yet soft cookie. With a rich blend of brown and granulated sugar and a hint of cinnamon, these cookies are soaked overnight in the fridge to develop their flavors and prevent spreading. Perfect for a comforting homemade treat!
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ to 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (to taste)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt (optional)
Add-ins
- 1 heaping cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Cream Ingredients: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the egg, softened butter, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until fluffy, which takes about 4 minutes. This step ensures a light and airy cookie base.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Add the oats, flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and optional salt to the wet mixture. Mix on low speed until just combined to avoid overworking the dough and toughening the cookies.
- Add Chocolate Chips: Gently fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips to distribute them evenly throughout the dough without breaking them up.
- Form Dough Balls: Using a large cookie scoop or a ¼ cup measure, scoop the dough into 11 equal-sized balls, ensuring consistent cookie sizes for even baking.
- Chill Dough: Place the dough balls on a tray, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (and up to 5 days). Chilling helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much during baking and deepens the flavor.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and promote even baking.
- Arrange Dough on Sheet: Place the chilled dough balls onto the baking sheet spaced about 2 inches apart. Flatten them slightly if needed to encourage even spreading.
- Bake Cookies: Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly undercooked. This ensures a soft, chewy center.
- Cool Cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, preventing breakage.
Notes
- Refrigerating the dough is crucial; it helps the cookies keep their shape and enhances the texture.
- Adjust the cinnamon to your taste preference; from a mild warmth to a stronger spice.
- For even softer cookies, you can slightly underbake them by a minute.
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- You can freeze unbaked dough balls up to 3 months; bake directly from frozen, adding a couple of extra minutes to the baking time.
