Chunky Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Name: Chunky Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 57 min
Yield: 20 servings
Ingredients: 1 cup unsalted butter softened; ½ cup light brown sugar packed; ½ cup granulated sugar; 2 large eggs; 2 teaspoons maple syrup instead of vanilla extract for twist; 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour; 1 ¼ cups old-fashioned rolled oats; ½ teaspoon table salt; ½ teaspoon cinnamon (replacing baking powder); ½ teaspoon baking soda; 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chunks (sub chocolate chips if preferred)

By Emma

Certified Culinary Professional

Published on 25 January 2026 • Recipe tested & approved

Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies with a twist. Uses old-fashioned rolled oats and a hint of cinnamon swapped for baking powder, making them chewy yet structured. Brown and white sugars lighten the sweetness contrast. Butter creamed well gives a tender crumb. Dough chills for thirty-five minutes to firm, aiding shape retention. Press cookies slightly before baking; they hold their form, won’t spread like classic cookies. Baked at 345°F for 12 minutes, edges turn golden, centers still soft but set. Substitution notes: coconut oil for butter, maple syrup for vanilla for allergy-friendly tweaks. Perfectly nipped sweetness without overpowering chocolate chunks.

Prep: 20 min

Cook: 12 min

Total: 57 min

Servings: 20 servings

#cookies #baking #chocolate chip #oatmeal #chewy texture #American desserts

Cookie dough sticky and sweet, speckled with glossy chocolate. Butter creamed slow, sugar crystals melting into velvety mix, eggs folded like silk. Oats mingle with flour, salt cutting deeper flavors, cinnamon whispers instead of baking powder. Chilling chills mess and eccentric spreading—dough firm, cooler temperature means predictable shapes. Oven hums low heat, cookie edges bronzing while centers remain pliant. A test press to confirm done: springy yet solid, no jiggle of raw batter. This cookie is about texture interplay—soft chew with crisp edge, melting chocolate bursts, hearty oat chewiness. Tried too hot baking time? They burn edges quick. Too cold dough? Cookie ugly lumps. Perfect timing is touch and look. Pragmatic sensory reading keys success here. No fudge recipes. Just patience and tactile trust.

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter softened
½ cup light brown sugar packed
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons maple syrup instead of vanilla extract for twist
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ¼ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
½ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon (replacing baking powder)
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chunks (sub chocolate chips if preferred)

About the ingredients

Sub butter with coconut oil one-to-one for dairy free. Don’t swap brown for white sugar fully—brown sugar’s moisture crucial for chewiness. Maple syrup swaps vanilla for a more earthy note, suitable where vanilla extract lacking or allergy present. Oats must be rolled, not instant—they create textural integrity and visible bites. Cinnamon replaces baking powder here; adds subtle warmth and depth, pushing flavor complexity while slashing chemical leaveners. If dough too sticky after chilling, add a tablespoon or two of flour before baking. Chocolate chunks encouraged over chips for more melty pockets—chips hold shape and risk hardness. Salt balances. Don’t skip—makes difference. Adjust salt lower if using salted butter. Batch size yields about twenty medium cookies; freeze unused dough in balls on tray then bag. Restarts easy without texture loss.

Method

Preheat oven 345°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
In large bowl, beat butter and both sugars until blend creamy but don’t overbeat or add air—just combined.
Mix in eggs one at a time, then pour in maple syrup; beating till batter thickens slightly and becomes fluffy-ish.
Whisk together flour, oats, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda separately to distribute evenly.
Gradually fold dry into wet mixture. Use mixer low or wooden spoon: get all dry stubborn bits incorporated but not overmixing.
Fold in chocolate chunks last—don’t pulverize them; chunky bits add surprise pockets.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap tight, refrigerate 35 minutes minimum. Dough firms up—makes scooping manageable and prevents spreading.
Scoop rounded dough balls onto trays with about 1 ½ inches gap. Press each gently just to flatten tops, helps bake evenly.
Bake about 12 minutes. Watch edges golden and centers set but springy when touched lightly—cookies continue setting out of oven.
Cool 3-4 minutes on sheet before transferring to rack. Avoid immediate removal, they firm up while cooling.
Serve warm or cooled. Store airtight but use within 3 days or freeze for longer.
Note: If dough too soft after chilling, add 1 tablespoon flour before scooping. Butter too warm? Chill 10-15 minutes more. Sugar types interchangeable but brown sugar adds chew.

Cooking tips

Creaming butter and sugars is about texture chemistry; do not rush or heat butter too much. You want smooth but not greasy. Adding eggs one at a time ensures fuller incorporation, less curdling. Dry ingredient whisking important for even distribution, especially salt and leaveners—prevents pockets. Cold dough critical—warmer dough spreads excessively, loses shape. Pressing cookie balls flattens peaks, helps consistent doneness; practice feels necessary for uniform bake. Don’t overbake or cookies dry out quickly; edges golden but centers slightly soft signal done—carryover heat firms them after oven. Cooling on sheet stabilizes crumb before moving—warm, fragile cookies easily break. Always watch closely last few minutes; ovens vary. Use silicone liners if parchment unavailable; prevents sticking. Freeze dough if baking later; thaw slightly before scooping for best results.

Chef's notes

💡 Butter and sugars creamed till creamy but not air whipped. Avoid overbeating; aeration ruins chew and structure. Watch closely; texture looks glossy, not stiff. Eggs added slowly help emulsify better. Maple syrup instead of vanilla adds subtle moisture and depth, changes sugar reaction; keep an eye on dough tackiness after mixing.
💡 Whisk dry ingredients together well but do not aerate flour too much. Cinnamon replacing baking powder means less rise; dough will be denser but more flavorful. Mixing oats folded last prevents clumps, keeps texture uneven but pleasant. If dough sticky post-chill add flour tablespoon by tablespoon; dough too stiff loses melt feel.
💡 Press dough balls gently before baking. Avoid splaying—flattening tops allows even browning edges yet soft centers. Cookies bake at 345°F shorter time than usual. Watch edges for golden bronze, centers still soft but set under light touch; sensory check over timer. Cooling on sheet important; immediate removal causes breakage and shape loss.
💡 Coconut oil swap for butter works one-to-one but affects flavor and crisping; slightly greasy edges may appear. Maple syrup substitute in place of vanilla results in earthier aroma, less perfume but richer base notes. Brown sugar moisture crucial for chewiness—don’t try full white sugar replacement; texture flattens.
💡 Chocolate chunks keep pockets molten and melty—chips resist melting fully, yield harder texture. Adding chunks too early pulverizes them; fold last with care. Dough chilling prevents overspread, promotes shape retention. Overchilling hardens dough too much; let soften slightly before scooping for easy balling.

Common questions

Why use cinnamon instead of baking powder?

Adds flavor, less rise so cookies denser. Texture chewier, no fluff. You lose lift but gain complexity. Chemical leavening absent here, relies on baking soda and moisture balance.

Can I replace oats with quick oats?

No, rolled oats create needed chew and bite. Quicker oats cook differently, mushier texture. Rolled oats keep shape, textural integrity. Instant types too fine, risk gummy cookies.

How to fix dough if too sticky?

Chill longer first, usually soft means warm butter or humidity. If after chilling still sticky add flour teaspoon by teaspoon. Watch not to overdo; stiff dough yields tough cookie. Flour type matters—use all-purpose, not bread or whole wheat.

How to store baked cookies and dough?

Cool fully before sealing in airtight. Cookies best within 3 days, freeze extra. Dough balls freeze well on tray before bagging. Thaw partial in fridge before scooping. Helps with shape and texture retention.