Before you start
Oats give these cookies a proper chew, and using more brown sugar than white keeps them soft. Add raisins, chocolate or leave them plain. Chilling the dough for even 20 minutes stops them spreading too thin.
Everything you need
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (165 g) light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups (135 g) rolled oats
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¾ cup (110 g) raisins or chocolate chips (optional)
Weigh, don't scoop. Measuring flour by cups can overpack it and dry out your bake. Tap any ingredient to open its converter.
Method
-
Beat the softened butter with both sugars until creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
For this step
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter
- ¾ cup (165 g) light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
-
Mix the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and a pinch of salt in another bowl, then stir into the wet mix.
For this step
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
-
Fold in the oats and the raisins or chocolate. Chill the dough for at least 20 minutes so the cookies hold their shape.
For this step
- 1½ cups (135 g) rolled oats
- ¾ cup (110 g) raisins or chocolate chips (optional)
-
Heat the oven to 180°C / 350°F and line two trays with baking paper.
-
Scoop tablespoons of dough onto the trays, leaving room to spread. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are set but the centres still look soft.
-
Leave on the tray for 5 minutes to firm up, then move to a rack. They finish setting as they cool.
Baker's tips
- Pull them while the middles still look underdone. They set on the hot tray and stay chewy.
- More brown than white sugar is the trick to a soft, chewy cookie.
Make it your own
- Half raisins, half dark chocolate is a great mix.
- Add 60 g of chopped toasted walnuts or pecans.
Storing & freezing
Airtight at room temperature for 4 days. Freeze scooped dough balls and bake from frozen, adding 2 minutes.
Frequently asked
Rolled oats or quick oats?
Rolled (old-fashioned) oats give the best chew. Quick oats work but make a softer, more uniform cookie. Avoid steel-cut oats here.
Why did they spread flat?
Warm dough or too little flour. Chill the dough for at least 20 minutes and weigh the flour so you aren't under-measuring.
Baking in a different unit? Use the cups ↔ grams converter or the recipe scaler to halve or double this recipe.
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A note on cooking safely. Recipes are provided for informational purposes only and are not medical or nutritional advice. Cooking times, temperatures and quantities are suggestions: use your own judgement, and check that meat, poultry, fish and eggs are properly cooked before serving.
Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making dietary changes, particularly if you have allergies, a medical condition or specific nutritional requirements.