Soft-baked and ultra chewy magic 5 cookies are loaded with chocolate chips, butterscotch morsels, coconut, pecans, and cinnamon. They’re just like my oatmeal scotchies with even more flavor and texture to love in each bite.
Today we’re kicking it old-school with a classic favorite: oatmeal cookies! Not just any oatmeal cookies, but magic 5 oatmeal cookies—extra chunky, packed with flavor, and lots of texture. They’re a combination of oatmeal scotchies & oatmeal chocolate chip cookies with even more goodies packed inside.
What Are Magic 5 Cookies?
Magic 5 cookies get their name from 7 layer bars, aka magic bars or hello dollies. I typically call them 7 layer bars or magic bars, but what’s in a name? No matter what they’re called, you’ll get a bar piled high with any combination of sweet, crunchy, nutty, sticky, and chocolate-y that you can imagine. One of my favorite versions is my recipe for ultimate magic cookie bars. Today’s cookie variation has 5 add-ins, which is why I call them magic 5 cookies!
If you grew up on oatmeal scotchies, consider these cookies a wild upgrade. No no, a magical upgrade.
We’re Using My Favorite Oatmeal Cookie Base Recipe
Oatmeal cookies will always be my favorite. Between my family’s recipes, my cookbooks, and my website, I have about 30 oatmeal cookie recipes under my belt. Today we’re using my favorite oatmeal cookie base recipe and adding lots of goodies. Here are some of my other recipes that begin with the same oatmeal cookie base recipe: oatmeal raisin cookies, oatmeal creme pies, oatmeal scotchies, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, and iced oatmeal cookies. It’s the very best base oatmeal cookie recipe and here’s why:
- Ultra buttery
- Soft centers & crisp edges
- Unbelievable texture
- Sweetened with brown sugar
- Loaded with chewy oats
- Cinnamon spiced
- Flavored with molasses
- Taste just like grandma’s
- Pretty quick—only 30 minutes of chill time
Ingredients in Magic 5 Cookies
- Flour: All-purpose flour is the structure of the cookies.
- Baking Soda: Baking soda helps the cookies rise.
- Cinnamon: Can you even have oatmeal cookies without cinnamon? It pairs wonderfully with all of the add-ins, too!
- Salt & Pure Vanilla Extract: Both provide flavor. Try using homemade vanilla extract.
- Oats: Oats provide a fabulously chewy texture and we’re using 3 whopping cups here. Use thick old-fashioned whole rolled oats, not quick oats. Quick oats are thinner and more powdery, so you’ll miss out on a lot of texture.
- Butter: Make sure you’re using proper room temperature butter, which is cooler than most think. Warmer butter is actually the first mistake that bakers can make, which results in cookies that over-spread.
- Brown Sugar + Granulated Sugar: Sugar is not only used for sweetness, but also for providing structure and tenderness. I like to use more brown sugar than white sugar because (1) brown sugar has incredible flavor and (2) brown sugar contains more moisture than white. This promises a softer oatmeal cookie.
- Eggs: 2 eggs help bind everything together.
- Molasses: Molasses is my secret ingredient in oatmeal cookies. 1 scant Tablespoon enhances all the wonderful flavors—just like how Grandma used to make them.
- Chocolate Chips, Butterscotch Morsels, Coconut, & Pecans: These are what make today’s magic 5 cookies taste like traditional 7 layer bars/hello dollies. You can sub white or dark chocolate chips for the semi-sweet chocolate, peanut butter chips or another variation for the butterscotch, chopped walnuts for the pecans, and/or leave out the coconut if you’re not a fan. Stick to about 2 cups of total add-ins. All these add-ins work well in my loaded oatmeal cookies, too. And around the holidays, try my holiday magic 5 cookies!
Today’s cookies are slow bend cookies. These jam-packed magic 5 cookies have slightly crisp edges with soft centers and enough chew that they won’t immediately break when broken in half—aka a “slow bend cookie” as I like to call them. They’re super dense and hearty with that distinct nutty, toasty oatmeal cookie taste. I love these!
More Favorite Cookie Recipes
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Sugar Cookies (and Chocolate Sugar Cookies)
- Soft & Thick Monster Cookies
- White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
- Oatmeal M&M Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cookies
Magic 5 Cookies
- Prep Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 24 cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These soft and chewy magic 5 cookies have it all—chocolate chips, coconut, pecans, butterscotch, and oats! Don’t skip chilling the cookie dough. It’s my trick to prevent the cookies from spreading!
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups (255g) old-fashioned whole rolled oats
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) unsulphured or dark molasses (do not use blackstrap; I prefer Grandma’s brand)
- 1/2 cup each: semi-sweet chocolate chips (90g), butterscotch morsels (90g), sweetened shredded coconut (40g), chopped pecans (64g)*
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and oats together. Set aside.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the butter and both sugars together on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs 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 mix on high until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined. With the mixer running on low speed, add the chocolate chips, butterscotch morsels, coconut, and pecans. Dough will be thick, yet very sticky. Chill the dough for 1 hour in the refrigerator (and up to 2-3 days). If chilling for longer than a few hours, though, allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling and baking because the dough will be quite hard.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Roll balls of dough (about 1.5 tablespoons of dough per cookie; I like to use this medium cookie scoop) and place 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes until very lightly browned on the sides. The centers will look very soft.
- Remove from the oven and let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. While the cookies are still warm, I like to press a few more chocolate chips and/or butterscotch morsels into the tops—this is only for looks!
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 2-3 days. Allow to come to room temperature then continue with step 4. Baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw. If interested, here’s how to freeze cookie dough.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Medium Cookie Scoop | Cooling Rack
- Add Ins: About 1/2 cup of each is best, but I like to add a little more shredded coconut (maybe up to 2/3 cup!). If you don’t like any of the 4 add-ins listed, try subbing in another like dried cranberries, raisins, chopped walnuts, white chocolate chips, etc. Just make sure you don’t go over about 2 cups total.
- Check out my top 5 cookie baking success tips before beginning. It includes how to prevent cookies from spreading and why room temperature makes a difference.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Love these cookies. I thought they were a bit sweet with the butterscotch so the second time I made them, I used chocolate chips, coconut, and pecans. Is there a reason why you mix in the oats with the flour in this recipe and not the Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookie recipe. That recipe you add the oats at the end with the chocolate chips.. Thanks. All your cookie recipes are so excellent.
Hi Ruth, you can do it either way. There is no difference in results if you add the oats as an add-in, or with the dry ingredients. I add it with the dry ingredients here since there are so many other add-ins.
Going to make these this weekend…can I omit the pecans?
Absolutely.
Can I use something else to substitute the molasses?
Hi Carlee, You can leave it out.
These have become such a requirement for our road trips that we now call them “Road Trip Cookies” – I’ve probably made them a dozen times now. Thank you!
Hello.my question is when you refer to molasses in your recipes can i use promengrnate mollases …thats the one i have at home. Please clarify.
Hi Anita, Pomegranate molasses is reduced pomegranate juice and is very different from the unsulphured molasses used here. Unfortunately, the consistency of the dough and flavor (especially) will change without unsulphured molasses. For best results, we recommend using unsulphured molasses.
I LOVE all the different oatmeal cookies on your blog! Every variation I’ve made has been a hit with friends/family.
Quick question: this particular recipe seems almost identical to your classic oatmeal chocolate chip cookies recipe, but the Magic 5 Cookies recipe calls for 50g granulated sugar and Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe calls for 100g. Is halving the sugar to offset the sweetness of the coconut? Will it affect the taste/texture in any way?
Hi Aida, I’ve tested this recipe with both amounts of sugar and the extra 50g simply isn’t needed. There are so many sweet add-ins!
Mine did not flatten out. I actually had to press the down… What went wrong??
Hi Sally!
I just made these for the first time today for a family gathering tonight. I couldn’t help myself but I had to try one (maybe two..) after they were done baking and they are ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!!! What a wonderful recipe and an even better cookie.
Thanks!
Delicious. I used semi sweet chips, coconut, toasted pecans, and crasins for the 5. Nice change of pace from plain chocolate chip cookies. I love the texture and chew this one has.
I fell hard for your extra thick chewy chocolate chip cookie bars. Almost too dangerously quick to make and so delicious.
Can this cookie be backed in that method when I need a quick dessert?
The longest step for me is that I brown the butter to make them extra special, but then they are so quick to get in the oven. Would love to do that with this recipe, too. Sound possible to bake in a 9*9 pan and cut into bars?
Thank you for all your hard work! Love your recipes!
I’m so happy you enjoy those bars so much, Erika! This recipe should work as bars also – same baking instructions. Enjoy 🙂
What can I use for texture instead of pecans? I am allergic to peanuts and tree nuts.
Hi Angela, You can simply leave them out and increase the other add-ins. Or try subbing in something like dried cranberries, raisins, white chocolate chips, etc. Just make sure you don’t go over about 2 cups total. Enjoy!
I just baked off a few! DELICIOUS! The molasses taste definitely dissipated. My husband even loved them and he’s rather picky!
Ps – I’ve always made your chewy chocolate chip cookies; this holiday I’ve made 5 of your other cookies. All have been perfect! So good that I bought your book! Thank you for making all of my neighbors think I’m some amazing, rare baker!
Hi Sally! Do you use Blackstrap molasses in these? It’s all my grocery store sells. I just made these with it, the dough is chilling; I think the molasses taste is strong – after they bake will it be better? Thank you! Love your site!
Blackstrap is a VERY intense molasses. But there is so little used in this cookie dough that it should be ok. Let me know how you like it.
Just made your Magic 5 Cookies and they are wonderful. I only made 1 substitution; used Pillsbury Gluten Free flour mix for the a-p flour. Did add extra spice because I love spice, but it did not take over the basic flavor. Now I have a cookie that my gluten-sensitive daughter can eat. And, by the way, my husband asked if these were GF and I told him NO. He loved them and couldn’t tell there was anything different. Thank you for this great recipe.
Love these cookies – they remind me of “Kitchen Sink” cookies where you can throw just about anything in them. Amen to the use of brown sugar! And to letting the dough chill! Thanks to you, I do that with all my cookies now. My mandatory extra items are sweetened flake coconut, dark chocolate chips, pecans or walnuts, and dried tart cherries. Those cherries and the dark chocolate really pump up the flavor! If I don’t have that on hand, I use craisins – a little sweet and tart! Thank you so much for this recipe!
Yes, absolutely! 🙂
These are amazing, I made these with dried cranberries and mixed nuts instead of butterscotch chips and pecans, and then drizzled them in more chocolate, so they were like a mix between ANZAC biscuits and a muesli bar, and they were a massive hit!
10/10 would bake again
Hello Sally, can we use dessicated coconut as substitute for sweetened shredded coconut?
Absolutely!
Hi, can I omit the Molasses or can I sub it with something else? It’s a little tedious to find molasses in India. Thanks in advance !
You can leave it out. 🙂
Hi Sally these cookies sound so good. I’ve made oatmeal cookies many year s but never as good as these Sound. I’m going to make them tomorrow but wanting to make smaller ones. What do you suggest for the time baking. Again Thanks so much . Carm
I’m in the UK and substituted the butterscotch chips for shop bought fudge which I chopped into smaller pieces. Worked wonderfully. A little more melts than the butterscotch which my family & friends really liked.
Can I use whole wheat flour?
The cookies may turn out a little more dense, but it shouldn’t be a problem.
I make those cookies out of her cookbook ALL.THE. TIME. Highly recommend!
Ingredients added to my next shopping trip! Actually, all I need are butterscotch chips and walnuts (I prefer hose over pecans). I cannot WAIT to make these! I make your oatmeal raisin cookies ALL the time from your cookbook (the giant ones). I know these do not have raisins in them, but they’re going to be AAA-MAZING!
You’re going to love these too!
Sally,
You should be a baseball player because you really hit another home run with this one. I made these yesterday and the aroma from the cookies is still prominent in my apartment. I brought these to work for my co-workers and everyone absolutely loves them! This is definitely one recipe I will make again and again. 🙂
Not surprised they were a HIT!
Just tried your Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookie recipe-and it is absolutely one of the Best I’ve tried over the years!! Getting ready to bake your Peanut Butter Cookie recipe next—Thanks!
These are the best cookies ever. I made them yesterday and cant stop eating them. This recipe is a keeper
Hi Sally,
I don’t want to have to go out and buy a whole container of molasses as many of the recipes I bake don’t use it. What happens if I leave out the molasses, or any suggestions for a substitute?
Thank you.
Brenda
Hi Brenda, You can leave it out.
Made these cookies today and they are moving up the list of favorites! We added dried cranberries to them (became who doesn’t love them!). Decided to make them with a small cookie baller and we ended up with almost 6 dozes. Perfect little kid size. Thanks for sharing!
These come out pretty thick– though I have a recipe for giant (and thicker) oatmeal cookies available in one of my cookbooks if you’re interested.
Hi Sally! These look amazing, and I can always depend on your recipes to be big hits for whatever occasion I’m baking for. Can I use quick oats for these or is it important to use regular oats? Thank you!
Whole oats will give you a much better texture. You can use quick oats in a pinch though. They’re a little more powdery (which can dry out your dough) so the cookies may not spread as much.
So I made this last night– and my husband LOVED them! I also brought some to share at work and everyone LOVES <3…this might be the best oatmeal cookie I've ever tasted. So unique and very yummy!!! Thank you Sally!! ** (fistbump) ** PS- can’t really think of other ingredients to add to this cookie in place of the ones in the recipe…any ideas? I really just think it's perfect already…Dark chocolate chips maybe?