There are some cookies I make because they’re fun, some because they’re over-the-top delicious, and some because one of my kids loves them. But these Oatmeal Cookies are different. For me, they just taste like home.

They’re one of those simple family comfort treats that I probably shouldn’t make nearly as often as I’d like to, because I have absolutely no self-control around them. I’ll tell myself I’m just going to have one, and somehow that plan never seems to work out very well.

Maybe that’s part of what makes them so good.

The Oatmeal Cookies That Remind Me of Home

I love all of my cookie recipes for different reasons, but there’s something about these oatmeal cookies that feels especially comforting to me.

They aren’t fancy. There’s no filling hidden in the middle, no elaborate topping, and no need to dress them up.

In fact, my favorite way to eat them is completely plain.

Just oatmeal, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, a little nutmeg, and that soft, chewy center. That’s the version I have the hardest time staying away from.

My family, however, has opinions.

Some of them love chocolate chips in their oatmeal cookies, while others want raisins. So when I make a batch, I usually divide the dough and make all three.

Plain for me.

Chocolate chip for some of the family.

Raisin for the others.

Everyone gets the kind they love, which is probably one of the reasons this recipe has become such a family favorite.

Three Ways We Make Our Oatmeal Cookies

One of my favorite things about this recipe is that I don’t have to choose between oatmeal raisin cookies and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

I just make both.

Once the basic oatmeal cookie dough is finished, I divide it into portions and leave one plain. Then I add chocolate chips to one portion and raisins to another.

If your family unanimously agrees on one version, you can certainly make the entire batch that way. In my house, making all three keeps everybody happy.

Plain Oatmeal Cookies

This is my favorite.

Without chocolate chips or raisins, you really taste the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, butter, and oats. They’re simple, chewy, and exactly what I want when I’m craving a comfort treat.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

For the chocolate lovers in the family, stir chocolate chips into the dough and press a few extras into the tops before baking.

You still get that chewy oatmeal cookie underneath, with little pockets of chocolate throughout.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

And then, of course, there are the oatmeal raisin people.

Add raisins to the dough and press a few extras on top if you’d like. The raisins work especially well with the cinnamon and nutmeg in this recipe.

I may always reach for the plain ones first, but I can appreciate that everyone has their favorite.

Ingredients for My Oatmeal Cookies

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3 cups brown sugar
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 cup butter, melted
1 cup margarine, melted
2 tablespoons vanilla
5 large eggs
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
3 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
5–6 cups all-purpose flour
4–5 cups old-fashioned oats
2½ cups chocolate chips or softened raisins, if using
Milk, as needed if the dough is too dry

I always use old-fashioned oats for these oatmeal cookies. They give the cookies that hearty, chewy oatmeal texture I love.

How to Make the Best Oatmeal Cookies

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the melted butter, melted margarine, brown sugar, and granulated sugar.
Beat in the eggs and vanilla until everything is well combined.
Mix in the cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt.
Gradually add 5 cups of flour, mixing until incorporated. Add additional flour as needed until the dough is soft but not overly wet.
Mix in the old-fashioned oats.
Check the consistency of your dough. If it seems too dry, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time. If the dough is too wet, gradually add additional flour.
If making different varieties, divide the dough now. Leave one portion plain, stir chocolate chips into another, and stir raisins into the third.
For my extra-large cookies, I use a 4-tablespoon cookie scoop and portion two scoops of dough together to make approximately a 5-ounce cookie.
If desired, press a few extra chocolate chips or raisins into the tops of those varieties before baking.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. If you’re baking at an elevation above 4,000 feet, try 325°F instead.
Place the cookie dough on a baking sheet, leaving plenty of room between the cookies for spreading.
Bake the extra-large 5-ounce cookies for approximately 15 to 18 minutes. The edges should look set while the centers are still soft.
Allow the cookies to sit on the baking sheet briefly after removing them from the oven so the centers can finish setting.

Baking Oatmeal Cookies at Different Altitudes

Cookie recipes can behave differently depending on your oven, altitude, and the size of the cookies you’re making.

I live at an elevation of over 4,000 feet, and 325°F works well for my extra-large oatmeal cookies. At lower elevations, you may find that 350°F works better.

I always recommend baking one test cookie before putting an entire tray in the oven. That one little test can tell you whether your cookies need a slightly different temperature, a little more flour, or a different baking time.

For smaller cookies of about 2 ounces each, start checking them around 12–14 minutes.

The goal is a cookie with lightly set edges and a soft, chewy center. Be careful not to overbake them while you’re waiting for the middle to look completely done. They’ll continue to set as they cool.

Getting the Dough Consistency Just Right

The amount of flour in this recipe is given as a range for a reason.

Start with 5 cups and pay attention to the dough rather than automatically adding all 6 cups.

You want a dough that is soft and scoopable but sturdy enough to hold its shape.

If it feels too wet, add a little more flour. If you’ve added the flour and oats and the dough seems too dry, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches the right consistency.

This is another reason I like baking a test cookie. Cookie dough can tell you quite a bit, but the first cookie tells you even more.

Giant Bakery-Style or Regular Oatmeal Cookies

Like many of my cookie recipes, I love making these big.

For the extra-large version, I use two scoops from my 4-tablespoon cookie scoop to make a cookie that’s approximately 5 ounces.

You can absolutely make regular-sized cookies instead.

The smaller cookies are especially nice if you’re making them for a gathering, taking them to someone, or just trying to convince yourself you’ll eat fewer cookies because they’re smaller.

I’m not promising that last strategy works.

This recipe makes approximately 2 dozen extra-large cookies or about 6 dozen regular-sized cookies, depending on exactly how large you portion them.

Storing and Freezing Oatmeal Cookies

Once the cookies have cooled completely, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. I don’t refrigerate my cookies because I find that refrigeration dries them out too quickly.

These Oatmeal Cookies also freeze really well. I like being able to make a big batch, freeze the extras, and pull out whichever kind someone wants later.

Place the completely cooled cookies in a freezer-safe container or bag. If you’re stacking them, separate the layers with parchment or wax paper.

When I want a warm cookie, I put the frozen cookie directly into a cold oven and then turn the oven to 350°F. A smaller cookie usually needs about 8 minutes, while one of my giant 5-ounce cookies needs closer to 10 to 12 minutes.

I prefer this to microwaving because the oven brings back that lightly crisp outside while warming the soft center.

Just make sure you know which ones are which before they go into the freezer, unless you enjoy oatmeal cookie roulette.

A Few Tips Before You Bake

Use old-fashioned oats. They give these cookies their wonderfully chewy texture. If you’ve ever wondered about the difference between old-fashioned, quick, and steel-cut oats, Quaker has a helpful explanation of the different types of oats.

Soften the Raisins First

If you’re making oatmeal raisin cookies, I recommend softening the raisins before adding them to the dough. I usually put mine in a small saucepan with a little water and warm them over low heat until they’re nice and plump. Drain them really well and let them cool before adding them to the cookie dough. It keeps the raisins soft and juicy instead of dry and chewy.

Don’t add all the flour immediately. Start at the lower end of the range and add more only if the dough needs it.

Make a test cookie. This is especially helpful when you’re making the giant 5-ounce version.

Don’t overbake them. I want the outside set with a soft, chewy middle.

Make more than one flavor. You don’t have to commit the entire batch to raisins or chocolate chips. Divide the dough and make whatever combination your family likes.

And, apparently, don’t leave a plate of plain oatmeal cookies anywhere near me.

I haven’t figured out how to solve that problem yet.

More Tips for the Perfect Cookie

If you’d like even more help getting the texture you want, my Tips for the Perfect Cookie guide includes the things I’ve learned through years of baking cookies, including flour, baking times, altitude adjustments, and getting that lightly crisp outside with a soft, chewy center.

Why These Oatmeal Cookies Will Always Be Special to Me

I make a lot of cookies.

Some are giant bakery-style creations filled with chocolate, caramel, candy, marshmallows, or all kinds of other things. I love creating those recipes, and many of them have stories and people attached to them that make them incredibly special to me.

These oatmeal cookies don’t need any of that.

They’re simple.

They’re familiar.

And when I eat one, they remind me of home.

Maybe that’s why I have such a hard time stopping at one. Food has a funny way of becoming more than just something we eat. Certain recipes become part of our families, our routines, and the memories we make around the kitchen.

For my family, these oatmeal cookies are one of those recipes.

So I’ll keep making the dough three different ways, everyone can grab their favorite, and I’ll continue pretending I’m only going to eat one of the plain ones.

We’ll see how that goes.

Which would you choose: plain, chocolate chip, or raisin?

Making every house feel a little more like home