Description
These soft-baked loaded oatmeal cookies are positively packed with add-ins like butterscotch morsels, M&Ms, and chocolate chips. You can swap in your favorites, too, like dried cranberries and chopped nuts. This is a wonderful base recipe! Don’t forget to refrigerate the cookie dough for 30 minutes before shaping and baking.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar (I use dark)
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) unsulphured or dark molasses (do not use blackstrap; I prefer Grandma’s brand)
- 1 and 2/3 cups (142g) old-fashioned whole rolled oats
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 cups add-ins (I used butterscotch morsels, chopped peanut butter M&Ms, and chocolate chunks)
Instructions
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter and both sugars together on medium speed until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and beat on high until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla and molasses and beat on high until combined. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the oats, flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt together. Pour into the wet ingredients and beat on low speed until combined, then beat in the add-ins. Dough will be thick.
- Cover the cookie dough tightly and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Roll balls of dough (about 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons of dough per cookie) and place 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. I recommend using a cookie scoop since the dough can be sticky. I like to press a few extra chopped M&Ms into the tops of the cookies; this is optional, and only for looks.
- Bake for 10–11 minutes until very lightly browned on the sides. The centers will look soft and under-baked. Remove from the oven and let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will continue to “set” on the baking sheet during this time.
- Cover and store leftover cookies at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week. You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Allow to come to room temperature and continue with step 4. Baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Unbaked cookie dough balls also freeze well for up to 3 months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw. Read my tips and tricks on how to freeze cookie dough.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand Mixer) | Baking Sheet | Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper | Medium Cookie Scoop | Cooling Rack
- Molasses: Be sure to use unsulphured or dark molasses (do not use blackstrap; I prefer Grandma’s brand). If you don’t have molasses, you can leave it out. It’s used to add a little extra flavor, and won’t affect the texture if you skip it. You could also replace it with pure maple syrup.
- Be sure to check out my top 5 cookie baking success tips AND these are my 10 must-have cookie baking tools.