May 5, 2025

Classic Oatmeal Cookies

If you are an oatmeal cookie fan, then this recipe for classic oatmeal cookies is for you! This is a no nonsense basic. It doesn’t have any fancy ingredients in it, there are no mix ins. It doesn’t require any new age techniques like browning butter or slamming the pan during baking. It is just a simple, classic oatmeal cookie recipe.

And better yet–they are easy to make. You don’t even need an electric mixer if your butter and shortening are soft enough. You don’t need any special skills like kneading dough or shaping. You just roll the dough into balls and in minutes you’ll have bakery style looking cookies.

What Ingredients do I Need for Classic Oatmeal Cookies?

You probably already have the ingredients to make these classic oatmeal cookies. Here is a list of what you will need:

Quick cooking oats
All purpose flour
Baking powder
Baking soda
Salt
Butter
Shortening
Brown sugar
White sugar
Eggs
Vanilla

Can I Use Regular Old Fashioned Rolled Oats?

Yes you can, but the texture will be different. Because regular old fashioned oats have not been steamed or rolled as long as quick oats, they will have more texture. This is not a bad thing, just a preference. Sometimes regular rolled oats can leave behind a slightly too mealy aftertaste that some don’t like, but your cookies will still turn out delicious.

To use regular old fashioned oats, pulse them a few times in a food grinder and they will have a texture almost identical to quick oats.

Quick cooking oats have a slightly finer texture because they have been pressed a bit more. This way they cook faster and anything you make–from oatmeal to baked goods–will have a smoother texture. And because they have been steamed longer they cook more thoroughly. To learn more about the difference between these oats, read here.

Can I Use All Butter or All Shortening?

Yes you can! Some bakers may not want to use the shortening in the recipe and instead use all butter. At the same time, some may not want to use any butter and use all shortening to cut costs. You can do either, but your cookie’s texture is going to change.

With all butter, your cookies turn out very flavorful and more crispy. They also tend to brown a little more, so watch them while baking! Shortening in a cookie recipe makes the texture more cake like and soft. Your cookies may maintain their shape better if you use only shortening, but this will compromise their flavor. Shortening has zero flavor at all, so this is the downfall.

For a balanced texture of slightly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, we recommend using a combination of both. With equal parts of butter and shortening, your cookies will have that perfect bakery style texture and lots of flavor.

Can I Freeze These Classic Oatmeal Cookies?

Yes, these classic oatmeal cookies freeze beautifully both in their raw and baked form. You can make your dough balls and layer them in an airtight container. Use parchment or waxed paper to separate the layers. They will keep this way for up to 3 months in the freezer.

For the baked cookies you can pack them the same way. They keep best for up to 1 month in the freezer.

How Long Can I Keep the Dough in the Refrigerator?

If you are pressed for time, you can make this dough in advance and refrigerate it. In fact, the longer it sits in the fridge, the more flavorful it becomes. This is because some of the moisture leaves the dough and concentrates the flavors. It also inhibits over spread while they bake. You can keep your raw cookie dough in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

I hope you’ll give these classic oatmeal cookies a try soon. Make them for your next bake sale, picnic or birthday party. Or make them just because! And if you do, please don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how they turned out for you!

If you liked this recipe, then you will love my Best Oatmeal Muffins!