These Double Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies combine all that’s good in a cookie: hearty oats, earthy cocoa powder, and sweet chocolate chips. They get a little extra kick from cayenne pepper and ground cinnamon.
Pretty much everyone has a favorite cookie. Maybe it’s Crispy Chocolate Chip or Double Chocolate Magic Bars or Snowball Cookies, a classic that you know you can depend on.
In fact, there’s a long list of cookies out there!
But every once in awhile you have a hankering for something just a little different.
Enter Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies!
These Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies are just the thing, a perfect mash up of the classic oatmeal cookie meets brownie with a little spice added for good measure. They may not be flashy, but they can be counted on to give you a dose of chocolate and a hint of spice.
Be sure to add these to your next cookie platter.
What kind of oats should you use in cookies?
I find that you can use old fashioned rolled oats and quick oats fairly interchangeably in most cookie recipes. The old fashioned oats are less processed so they make for a heartier, more whole grain cookie.
How do you make Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies?
Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies are super simple to make. Make sure you soften the butter before mixing.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Cream together the brown sugar and butter.
- Stir in the eggs and vanilla extract.
- Add the flour, oats, chocolate chips, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and spices.
- Stir well to distribute the ingredients throughout the dough.
- With wet hands or a 1-inch cookie scoop, shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Place the cookie dough balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared trays.
- Press each dough ball with the bottom of a glass dipped in water, to flatten.
- Bake until set, about 8 to 9 minutes. Cool on a rack.
Can I make these cookies dairy-free?
To make these cookies dairy-free, go ahead and use your favorite dairy-free margarine (some do contain milk ingredients) or plant-based butter.
For a vegan or egg-free oatmeal cookie, try my Classic Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.
How do I freeze these cookies?
There are several different ways to freeze cookies.
- Store the dough in an airtight container in the freezer. Thaw and scoop as directed in the recipe.
- Scoop the dough balls as directed and place on a lined tray in the freezer. Once frozen firm, remove to a labeled, ziptop freezer bag and store in the freezer. To bake: thaw slightly and proceed with the recipe.
- Bake and cool the cookies according to the recipe. Place them in an airtight container and store in the freezer.
How much do these cookies cost to make?
You know me, I love to make Good Cheap Eats. And you know that commercially made items are often more expensive than homemade.
Is it cheaper to bake your own cookies? Here’s how this recipe pencils out, priced with non-sale prices at a mid-range grocery store:
- butter – $1.38 ($3.69/lb)
- brown sugar – $0.36
- eggs – $0.50 ($2.99/12)
- vanilla extract – $0.67 ($7.99/2 oz)
- flour – $0.30 ($2.69/5 lbs)
- oats – $0.50 ($3.50/42 oz)
- cocoa powder $0.64 ($1.93/8 oz)
- chocolate chips – $1.00
- salt – $0.02 ($2.99/26 oz)
- baking powder – $0.09 ($1.49/8.1 oz)
- spices – $0.05
So basically, if you weren’t really paying attention to the cost of ingredients, you can expect to spend about $5.51 for 3 dozen cookies, about 13 cents per cookie!
Save even more using the Good Cheap Eats System!
How to save even more on this recipe:
Here are some of the strategies you can use to make this recipe more economical:
- Shop your kitchen. What ingredients do you already have on hand? Chances are you can bake these cookies without even going to the store. Out of something? Consider all the pantry staples you can make yourself. You may be able to find a substitute with what’s on hand.
- Make a plan for leftovers. Eating up leftover cookies shouldn’t be a problem, but what about the rest of the ingredients in the package. Make sure you have a use for the brown sugar, flour, etc. so that you don’t waste what’s left.
- Compare prices. The quote above is for a mid-range grocery store. Shopping someplace like ALDI will likely provide lower price points for the ingredients needed.
- Stock up on ingredients when they are on sale. When I find regular kitchen staples on sale, I buy a lot. I’m currently using a price book to track prices and that’s saving me money. For this recipe, keeping an eye on the price of sugar, oats, flour, raisins, and butter can help keep the price down.
- Buying in bulk or on sale. It’s rare that I would buy just one bag of flour. Instead I stock up when I see a sale. I also have gotten into the habit of buying cases of flour from Bob’s Red Mill. I practice the same bulk buying for spices and other baking ingredients. Check for sales and stock up!
- Make your own. Did you know that you can make vanilla extract much more cheaply at home? It’s true!
Do you need any special equipment for this recipe?
This Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie recipe really couldn’t be easier than it is, but having the right kitchen tools can really make your time in the kitchen more enjoyable. Over time, I’ve honed my collection so that they are perfect for my needs.
Here are the tools that I use for this recipe:
- stainless steel mixing bowl – I’m not sure you have too many of these.
- hand mixer – My Hamilton Beach version is going on a decade and still kicking.
- stand mixer – You can also use a stand mixer if you prefer.
- silicone spatula/spoon – I have two or three of these—so convenient!
- parchment paper – I hate washing pans. Parchment paper makes clean up a breeze.
- sheet pans – These heavy-duty rimmed baking sheets have been a game-changer!
If you prepare this recipe, be sure to take a picture and hashtag it #GOODCHEAPEATS. I can't wait to see what you cook up!
Double Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks)
- 2 egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a large bowl cream together the brown sugar and butter. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until well combined. Stir in the flour, oats, chocolate chips, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cayenne.
- Form the dough into rounded tablespoons and place the dough balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Flatten each ball with the bottom of a wet glass.
- Bake until set, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on a rack.
Notes
Nutrition
Molly says
YUM. These are delicious. Very chocolatey, rich, and tasty.
Ann says
Wow!!! Fabulous cookies. Easy and yummy.
Jessica Fisher says
Yay! So glad to hear you enjoyed it. Thanks for leaving a review, Ann. I appreciate your feedback.