Oatmeal Cookies

Bake Oatmeal Cookies with a chewy center and caramel notes; quick to mix and perfect for sharing.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups (187.5 g) all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 cups (180 g) rolled oats
• ½ cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter, (room temperature)
• 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, (packed)
• 2 large eggs, (room temperature)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon molasses

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat and prepare the sheet

Preheat the oven to a high heat and line a baking sheet with a single sheet of parchment paper so it’s ready when the dough is formed. Do this first so you can move quickly once the dough is scooped; keep the lined sheet on the painted pine surface so it’s handy, clean, and waiting for shaped cookies.

Step 2: Combine the dry ingredients and oats

In a large bowl whisk together the all-purpose flour, a leavening mix (baking powder and baking soda), fine kosher salt, warm ground cinnamon, a whisper of nutmeg, and the rolled oats until everything feels evenly distributed and slightly rough in texture. The mixture should look flaky with oats scattered through the pale flour base and a few oat flecks dusting the rim of the bowl.

Step 3: Cream butter and brown sugar until soft and airy

In a stand mixer or by hand, beat the room-temperature unsalted butter with packed light brown sugar on low speed just until smooth and creamy, with the sugar fully incorporated and the surface appearing satin and slightly grainy from the sugar crystals. Scrape the bowl down so no concentrated pockets of butter remain.

Step 4: Add eggs, vanilla and molasses

Add the large eggs, vanilla extract, and a spoon of molasses to the creamed butter and sugar. Mix until the mixture is glossy and cohesive, with ripples of caramel color from the molasses; stop occasionally to scrape down the sides so the wet base is uniformly smooth and slightly glossy.

Step 5: Incorporate the dry mix into the wet until a shaggy dough forms

With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry oat-and-flour mixture into the wet bowl until just combined into a thick, shaggy cookie dough—clearly oat-forward, slightly sticky, studded with oats and brown sugar specks, with small pockets of butter still peeking through. Don’t overmix; the dough should hold together yet show visible grains and flakes of oats across the surface.

Step 6: Scoop, roll and slightly flatten the cookies on the lined sheet

Using a small scoop or tablespoon, drop rounds of dough onto the prepared parchment-lined sheet, roll each portion into a loose ball, then gently press to slightly flatten so each cookie is thick but will spread to a tender chew. Leave space between the mounds for gentle spreading and keep a few stray oats dusted on the parchment for a rustic, homemade look.

Step 7: Bake briefly and let rest before cooling

Bake the cookies until the edges are set and the centers still look a touch doughy—then remove to the painted pine surface and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. The finished cookies should read golden-brown with a crisp outer edge and a soft, chewy interior when you break one apart.

Notes

• Use old-fashioned rolled oats for best texture.
• Chill scooped dough briefly if cookies spread too much.
• Swap dark brown sugar for deeper flavor if desired.
• Store in an airtight container with a slice of bread to keep cookies soft.
• Freeze baked cookies flat in a single layer before bagging for long-term storage.