Oatmeal cookies are a delicious treat that are easy to make at home. Hereâs a recipe for perfect soft and chewy oatmeal cookies that youâre sure to love.
Oatmeal cookies combine all the buttery joy of the perfect soft-baked cookie with a touch of the wholesomeness of a granola bar. The next time youâre craving this chewy delight, why not bake it at home? Itâs more fun than buying the cookies ready-made, plus youâll have a whole batch to share. Or not. If youâre still not convinced, remember that when you make oatmeal cookies at home, you can get creative with the mix-ins. For example, if youâre in the mood for chocolate, you can stir in some chips, and if youâre in the mood for keeping it classic, you can stick to raisins.
Not Enough Moisture: Ensure you’re using the right amount of butter in your recipe and that it’s at the correct temperature (softened not melted) when you start. Oatmeal cookies require more moisture to stay soft. Consider adding an extra egg yolk or a touch of milk to your dough to enhance moisture content.
Why youâll love these oatmeal cookiesÂ
- They are simple to make.Â
- They contain whole-grain oats.Â
- Each batch is out of the oven in just 8-9 minutes.Â
- From the makers of oats themselves, this is a tried and true recipe that results in some of the best oatmeal cookies around.
âPreparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 8-9 minutes per batch
Total time: 20 minutes (or a bit more if you make several batches)Â
Servings: Roughly 36
In this tutorial, weâll show you how to make the classic Quaker oatmeal cookie recipe, with a few additional helpful notes and tips. In no time, youâll be digging into the perfect snack. This is a relatively easy recipe for oatmeal cookies, and once you get the hang of it, you can put your touch on it and start your own traditions. Who knows? Maybe you and yours â be it your family, your friends, or your roomies â are about to stumble on a revolutionary cookie variety.
- 1 1/4 cups (2-1/2 sticks) margarine or butter, softened. (Hint: you can soften butter by taking it out of the refrigerator a few hours before youâre ready to bake or heating it in short intervals â a couple of seconds â in the microwave and flipping the stick occasionally.)
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (Careful: not baking powder)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional but ties the flavors together)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 cup of oats
- The mix-ins of your dreams. Try raisins, dried cranberries, pecans or walnut, or chocolate chips.Â
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.Â
- Beat together the softened butter or margarine and sugars in a bowl until smooth. You can do this with an electric mixer or by hand, using a fork.Â
- Add in the egg and vanilla and continue to beat until smooth.
- Combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg) in a separate bowl, and then add them to the wet ingredients and stir to combine.
- Stir in the oats and any mix-ins youâd like to use, preferably by hand, taking care not to break them up.Â
- Drop rounded tablespoons of the dough onto ungreased cookie sheets. Be sure to leave enough space between each cookie, as they will expand.Â
- Bake each batch for eight to nine minutes for a cookie thatâs baked through but has a delicious, chewy texture.Â
- Cool before eating. You can transfer the cookies from the baking sheet to a wire rack or plate after a couple of minutes, and they will cool faster.Â
Recipe adapted from Quaker Oats
azurita – stock.adobe.com
- Calories: 130
- Fat: 7 grams
- Saturated Fat: 4 grams
- Cholesterol: 20 milligrams
- Sodium: 40 milligrams
- Total Carbohydrates: 16 grams
- Fiber: <1 grams
- Sugar: 7 grams
- Protein: 2 grams
- Use softened butter. It does make a difference in this recipe and in all baking in general. Not all recipes call for softened butter, but if they do, its for a reason. In this case, softened butter helps you achieve the correct texture.Â
- Stick to the order of the recipe. You might be tempted to mix everything at once in a big bowl, but ingredients like butter, eggs, and baking soda need to be thoroughly dispersed throughout the batter to ensure that each cookie comes out perfectly.Â
- These cookies will expand in the oven, so trust the process and only drop tablespoon dollops onto the baking sheet. Otherwise, the cookies might not bake thoroughly, or they may stick together.Â
- Do not roll the cookies into balls before dropping them onto the baking sheet. Keeping the batter loose is what allows you to get that airy, chewy texture. We promise itll expand during the baking process into near-perfect circular cookies.
Denira – adobe.stock.com
Why are my oatmeal cookies hard?
There are a few reasons why your oatmeal cookies may be too hard. Perhaps you left them in the oven a couple of minutes too long. To rectify this, simply bake the next batch for less time. Another reason could be the density of the dough. Try not to pack the dough too tightly as you finish stirring it. Similarly, do not roll the dough into balls before dropping it onto the baking sheet. Loose lumps work best.
The Best Recipe for Chewy Oatmeal Cookies is Not on the Back of the Oat Canister
FAQ
Why are my oatmeal cookies so hard?
How do you soften oatmeal cookies?
Why do my cookies turn out so hard?
What is wrong with my oatmeal cookies?
Why are my oatmeal cookies hard?
Overbaking is the most common cause of hard oatmeal cookies. Cookies continue to cook on the baking sheet even after they’re removed from the oven, so try taking them out when they’re just lightly golden and still a bit soft in the middle. They’ll firm up as they cool, resulting in a chewier texture.
Are oats unhealthy?
Oatmeal is a very healthy food, as it contains fiber, vitamins, minerals, complex carbohydrates, and is low in fat, so its proteins are lean. In addition, it is very versatile because it can be consumed in various ways.
Are oatmeal cookies hard?
Overmixing can lead to tougher cookies. Watch the Baking Time: Oatmeal cookies can go from chewy to crispy quickly. Start checking them a couple of minutes before the suggested baking time to ensure they remain soft and chewy. Cool Completely: Resist the temptation to immediately take a bite.
Why are my cookies hard?
If your cookies are rock hard, the site explains that it’s likely due to an over-abundance of sugar, which hardens, darkens, and flattens the cookies as they bake. Bake or Break adds that over-mixing your dough can be the culprit, too. When flour is blended with other ingredients, gluten starts to form. Too much gluten yields tough cookies.