Home > Desserts > Small Batch Oatmeal Cookies Small Batch Oatmeal Cookies May 30, 2022 | 55 Comments SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Jump to Recipe This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy. This Small Batch Oatmeal Cookie delivers chewy, chocolatey cookies with crisp edges, satisfying your cookie cravings without leaving dozens of cookies leftover! Why A Small Batch Oatmeal Cookies? If you’re anything like me, there are days when you need an oatmeal cookie, but you don’t want a whole batch of them. Okay, so I guess I never actually need a whole batch of cookies, but I will eat them if they are there. That’s why small batches are perfect! They’re quicker to make too, without needing a stand mixer or long chilling times—I just mix everything in my cereal bowl like my favorite edible cookie dough! This recipe yields three large cookies that bake with crispy, sugary edges and soft, chewy centers filled with melty chocolate chips. QUICK TIP If you ever need a big batch, try these classic Oatmeal Cookies or these Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies. Those are my favorite recipes for larger batches. Ingredients Good Quality Chocolate Chips: I recommend using either Ghirardelli® or Guittard® chocolate chips for the best flavor in these cookies. Soft Brown Sugar: Make sure the brown sugar is fresh and soft to blend well into the dough. Avoid using dark brown sugar, as it has too much moisture and will cause the cookies to spread too much. Real Butter: Use real butter instead of margarine or substitutes. If you’re using salted butter, leave out any extra salt in the recipe. If using unsalted butter, add a heaping 1/8 teaspoon of salt to the dough. Fresh Baking Soda: It’s important to use fresh (and clump-free) baking soda to ensure proper rise. Here’s how to test the baking agents for freshness. Old-Fashioned Oats: Stick with old-fashioned oats. Avoid using steel-cut oats, which won’t soften right, or quick oats, which act like flour and will deliver drier, more cake-like cookies. Egg Yolk: This recipe requires one large egg yolk. Save the egg white for another use such as an omelet, adding to this egg skillet, or in an easy egg wrap. Small Batch Oatmeal Cookies FAQs What makes Oatmeal Cookies chewy? My number-one tip for keeping them that way is this: Do not over-bake. Over-baked cookies lose their texture, chewiness, and a lot of flavor. Can I use quick oats instead of old-fashioned oats? This recipe is created using old-fashioned oats. Quick oats absorb more moisture and can make the cookies too dry. Can I add nuts or dried fruit to the recipe? Yes, feel free to add up to 2 tablespoons of chopped nuts or dried fruits like raisins or cranberries. Why do my cookies spread too much or not enough? A few culprits for cookies spreading too much include butter that was too hot, butter not being properly whisked with the sugars, and under-measuring the flour. As for cookies that don’t spread enough, the likely reasons are using too much flour or having inactive baking soda. How can I tell when the cookie is done baking? The cookies are done when the edges are set and lightly browned, but the center is soft. They will continue to firm up as they cool. Tips For Small Batch Oatmeal Cookies: Whisk Well: Mix the butter and sugars thoroughly until the mixture is light and creamy. This helps make your cookies light and fluffy. Chill the Dough: Putting the dough in the freezer for 5-10 minutes helps the cookies keep their shape and enhances their flavor! Adjust for Your Oven: Since ovens can be different, start checking your cookies a little early to make sure they don’t overcook. Use Parchment Paper: Cover your baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat to keep cookies from sticking and to bake them evenly. Shape Your Cookies: After baking, if the edges spread out, gently push them in with a metal spatula (see process photo number 8). Cool Properly: Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for a few minutes after taking them out of the oven. They keep cooking a bit from the heat! Add More Chocolate Chips on Top: Adding extra chocolate chips on top is optional, but it makes the cookies look nicer and ensures you get chocolate in every bite! STORAGE These cookies are best when they’re warm, right out of the oven! For leftovers, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temp. If you have unbaked dough, keep it in an airtight container in the freezer and bake it directly from the freezer when you’re ready. More Cookie Recipes Snickerdoodle Cookies these soft and chewy cookies are a reader favorite Oatmeal Creme Pie with a creme filling inside Peanut Butter Cookies dipped in chocolate Funfetti Cookies with bright and colorful sprinkles DoubleTree Cookies hotel recipe copycat FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Small Batch Oatmeal Cookies 5 from 13 votes - Review this recipe This Small Batch Oatmeal Cookie delivers chewy, chocolatey cookies with crisp edges, satisfying your cookie cravings without leaving dozens of cookies leftover! SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Small Batch Oatmeal Cookies 5 from 13 votes - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe This Small Batch Oatmeal Cookie delivers chewy, chocolatey cookies with crisp edges, satisfying your cookie cravings without leaving dozens of cookies leftover! Course Dessert, Snack Cuisine American Keyword small batch oatmeal cookies Prep Time 5 minutes minutes Cook Time 10 minutes minutes Chilling Time 15 minutes minutes Total Time 30 minutes minutes Servings 4 cookies Chelsea Lords Calories 228kcal Author Chelsea Lords Cost $4.38 EquipmentSheet pan and parchment paper or linerFork, silicone spatula, and metal spatula Ingredients▢ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted & cooled (Note 1)▢ 2 tablespoons soft (fresh) light brown sugar, lightly packed▢ 1 tablespoon white sugar▢ 1 large egg yolk (no whites!) (Note 2)▢ 1/4 teaspoon baking soda▢ heaping 1/8 teaspoon salt▢ Optional: 1/4 teaspoon vanilla & 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon▢ 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons old-fashioned oats (Note 3)▢ 1/4 cup white, all-purpose flour▢ 1/4 cup chocolate chips (milk, semi-sweet, white, or dark)US - Metric USMetric InstructionsUse exact measurements and level off the tops of measuring cups/spoons for best results.PREP: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Add butter to a ceramic/porcelain bowl and microwave until just melted but not hot. Let butter & bowl fully cool to room temperature.ADD WET INGREDIENTS: To the cooled butter, add both brown and white sugars. Stir briskly with a fork until well combined. Add the egg yolk and, if using, vanilla. Continue to whisk with a fork until the mixture is emulsified and appears very creamy.ADD DRY: Add baking soda, salt, oats, and, if using, cinnamon. Mix thoroughly with a fork. Add in flour & chocolate chips. Continue stirring with a fork until it becomes difficult, then switch to a silicone spatula and fold until the dough is uniform without dry streaks.DOUGH BALLS: With the dough, fill up a 1/4 cup measuring cup and level off the top. Roll into a large ball. Repeat until you have three cookie dough balls. (Anything left over is your treat!)QUICK FREEZE: Place the balls on a parchment or silicone-lined baking sheet. Freeze for 5-10 minutes while the oven heats.BAKE: Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned and the tops are set but soft looking. Immediately after you pull the tray from the oven, use a flat metal spatula to press the edges of the cookies inwards if needed.OPTIONAL: Optionally, press additional chocolate chips into the tops and sprinkle with sea salt. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before enjoying. Recipe NotesNote 1: Butter: If using salted, leave out extra salt. Often the wrapping on butter isn't attached evenly so cut from the middle of the stick if possible to make sure you really only have 2 tablespoons. Note 2: Egg Yolk: Use ONLY the yolk and discard the whites. When separating the yolk from whites take your time to make sure no amount of white makes it in the dough. Also, get rid of the stringy part (chalaza) (I gently pull it off with my fingers). Note 3: Oats: Stick with old-fashioned oats. Avoid using steel-cut oats, which won’t soften right, or quick oats, which act like flour and will deliver drier, more cake-like cookies. Nutrition FactsServing: 4servings | Calories: 228kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 93mg | Potassium: 86mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 250IU | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 2mg We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
Now you’ve ruined me for the day, Chelsea! lol. I’m really not a fan of cookies except for great homemade ones and all of yours look absolutely scrumptious! Wow – I’m going to do some baking this week. Thanks for the inspiration! (for the cookies and the upcoming extra workouts!) lo Reply
Hahaha!! You are so sweet thank you Robyn! I hope you enjoy these cookies … And those extra workouts 😉 Reply
Chelsea, I have no words for this. I cannot wait to be back in my kitchen – I love single serve desserts, and I especially like oatmeal cookies. Pinning! It looks delicious ! Reply
I love the oatmeal chocolate chips because they have both the chocolate flavor and the amazing oat texture. These look amazing! Reply
These cookies look SO soft and chewy, and with the perfect amount of choc chips (which are totally superior to raisins so nice call :P)—it’s a good thing this recipe is a single serving or I would find myself eating 12! Reply
They are so soft I love them! Haha and glad we are on the same page about raisins! I don’t like them in cookies at all haha Reply
I love this, Chelsea! I have serious issues with portion control, so this is such a great idea for the nights I need a cookie, but can’t be trusted with a whole batch! Reply
Haha! That is the same with me! I can’t make a whole batch of I eat it all haha! Hope you’ve had a great weekend cate! Reply
I was just thinking to myself – I need more single serve things. I can eat a dozen cookies…but I shouldn’t. LOVE this recipe! Reply
You are the master of single serving! Or small batches!! Can’t wait to try your new cinnamon roll small batch 🙂 thanks Dorothy! Reply
Oh my gosh, I LOVE this, Chelsea! There are definitely times when I’m craving something sweet but don’t need a lot. This recipe is perfect! Plus it looks like you packed a whole lot of chocolate chips in these cookies, especially in that last picture! 🙂 Reply
Such a smart idea! I’m one that will eat whatever is lying around. Oh hey batch of 32 cookies I just made. Oh wow, 12 cupcakes, how you doin’?! I have no will power! This will definitely help my portion control! Reply
I love this idea! Portion control with cookies!! Its like the mug cake equivalent in cookie form…all the goodness with none of the temptation to over do. I love a puffy oatmeal cookie so these caught my eye, but it was your photo of the inside of the cookies, practically overflowing with chips, that sealed the deal. 🙂 Reply
Haha! It sounds like we like the same kinds of cookies – puffy and packed with chocolate 🙂 thank you! Reply
this is portion control at its finest!! pinning for later – my sweet tooth haunts my pretty much every hour on the hour, so I’ll prob whip this up by days end! 🙂 Reply
Brilliant concept!! I was planning on making some shortbread cookies tomorrow and freezing some – but let’s be honest, a frozen cookie is a great cookie!! Think I will turn to these instead. Reply
I am always craving cookies and something sweet and have no self control if a whole batch is staring at me so I love this single serving size. This looks perfectly soft and chewy – my favorite kind of cookies 🙂 Reply
Okay, so this recipe is pure genius. I just pulled these babies out of the oven and they are more than what I as expecting considering the calorie count is pretty much perfect(about 230 calories per cookie with modifications). They are huge and after a good tap on the counter they are my kind of cookie. Now I have a snack to last a few days. Thank you so much! Reply
my goodness , these are amazing . sometimes I triple the recipe even though its meant to be single serve , so I have some for all of my family . Reply
Okay these are SO good! Mine were super flat b/c I microwaved the butter for a quick sec. But seriously delicious! Some of the best choc chip oatmeal cookies I’ve had! Chewy on inside, crispy on the outside! Cooked for 9 min bc I like them a little underdone 🙂 Reply
Okay these are SO good! Mine were super flat b/c I microwaved the butter for a quick sec. But seriously delicious! Some of the best choc chip oatmeal cookies I’ve had! Chewy on inside, crispy on the outside! Cooked for 9 min bc I like them a little underdone 🙂 Reply
These are delicious!! Could be a little more oatmeal-y, mine turned out more like chocolate chip cookies, but they were fantastic nevertheless! Reply
So glad to hear! Thanks for the comment Jen! And I bet you could add in another tablespoon or so of oats for the next time you try them 🙂 Reply
These are the best oatmeal chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had! I’d actually love to have a full version of this recipe in addition to the single serving! Reply
Hey Gabrielle!! SO happy to hear that these are the best! They are certainly our favorite! 🙂 I actually have been working on one forever and finally published my favorite full version oatmeal cookie recipe. Here’s the link: https://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/oatmeal-pecan-cookies-video/ Feel free to leave out the pecans to be just like this recipe. Hope you LOVE them! 🙂 Reply
This was the perfect little dessert tonight! It was so filling I could only eat one! I subbed the butter for an equal amount of coconut butter since I can’t eat dairy and they still turned out wonderfully. Thanks for the inspiration, Chelsea 🙂 Reply
So happy to hear this was the perfect dessert for you! 🙂 You are so welcome, thank you for the comment!! Reply
It is delicious!!! I love the snickerdoodley taste with the cinnamon and this is just the best!💝💝 Reply
I made these last night and they were amazing! The absolute perfect small batch. I added some dried cranberries to mine and will try pecans or walnuts next time. This is a keeper!! Reply
I love these, soft and chewy when they’re warm, rich and break-aparty when they are cooled, just awesome!! Reply
These are the best cookies I’ve ever made. So incredibly delicious and the perfect serving size. Reply
Hey Chelsea, Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe with us. I will try this at my home soon. Reply
