Spiced Oatmeal Cookies
These oatmeal cookies are the best. They’re soft and fluffy in the middle, with crisper edges and lovely flavor, thanks to warming spices and oat flour.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on September 19, 2024
My grandmother Virginia makes the best cookies. When my cousins and I were growing up, she always kept homemade cookies stashed in old cookie tins in the freezer (I bet she has some in her freezer now, too). She’d open up a canister and unfold the waxed paper lining, and we’d start grabbing for one after another. I like her cookies straight from the freezer; they have a more satisfying chew that way. I like them at room temp and fresh from the oven, too.
The cookies that stand out most in my memory are her oatmeal, dried cranberry and macadamia nut cookies. Or does she use white chocolate chips, not macadamia nuts? Grandma will tell me. She’s eighty-four, operates a brand new iPhone, and receives my new blog posts by email. She reads your comments, too. :)
She’d tell you that I wanted to do things my way when I was little. Guess I’m still doing it, because I came up with my own oatmeal cookie recipe instead of asking for hers (I’ll get it later, for sure). I wanted oatmeal cookies with a soft, fluffy interior and crisper edges with more concentrated flavor. I wanted these cookies to be even more redeeming than most, but mostly to be the tastiest of oatmeal cookies.
Instead of adding dried cranberries and macadamia nuts (or white chocolate chips), I kept these simple with some cinnamon and nutmeg, which permeate the whole cookie with delicious warming spices. More specifically, I used Frontier Co-op’s Ceylon cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla extract, which are all organic. Frontier Co-op has generously filled my spice drawer with their products and the more I use them, the more I appreciate them. Take a whiff and you’ll know what I mean; they’re more potent and offer superior flavor than other brands. Plus, you can read where the spices came from on the bottle. I’m glad to be working with them again this winter.
These cookies are made with 100 percent whole grains—lots of old-fashioned oats, some oat flour (which you can easily yourself make out of oats, see notes) and some whole wheat flour (check the recipe notes for alternatives). Oat flour lends extra oat flavor and a light-as-air texture, and whole wheat flour offers enough structure to keep these cookies together. I know it’s a bit of a pain to use multiple flours, but this combination is really key to awesome oatmeal cookies.
Lastly, I used coconut sugar instead of brown sugar, which is less processed and contains some potassium. I’ve been able to find it at all of the grocery stores that I frequent lately, usually in the health food section but sometimes in the regular baking section. I had to use a couple of tablespoons of cane sugar to get the texture and sweetness level just right.
I hope these cookies make it to your holiday tables. Since they are on the softer/more delicate side, I wouldn’t recommend trying to pack these for shipping (these macaroons are perfect for that). Please let me know how they turn out for you!
Spiced Oatmeal Cookies
These oatmeal cookies are truly the best. They’re soft and fluffy in the middle, with crisper edges and lovely flavor, thanks to warming spices and oat flour. Recipe yields about 2 dozen cookies.
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick/8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened*
- ½ cup packed coconut sugar
- 2 tablespoons sugar (I used organic cane sugar)
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 ¾ cup old-fashioned oats
- ⅓ cup oat flour**
- ⅓ cup white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour***
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper, or lightly grease them.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the butter, coconut sugar and cane sugar. With a hand-held electric mixer or by hand, beat them together until they are fully incorporated and lighter in color.
- Add the egg and vanilla and beat well, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt, and blend until combined.
- Lastly, add the oats, oat flour and whole wheat flour. Blend on low speed until combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula, and mix briefly to be sure it’s evenly blended.
- With a cookie dough scoop or two spoons, scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough at a time onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving at least 2 inches of space around each cookie.
- Bake the cookies for 12 to 13 minutes, until they’re a light golden brown with slightly darker edges. Their middles may still look a tiny bit shiny; that’s OK, they’ll continue to bake as they cool on the pan.
- Remove the cookies from the oven, place the pan on a cooling rack, and let the cookies cool completely on the pan before handling (these cookies are delicate when warm). Repeat with any remaining cookies.
Notes
Recipe created with reference to The Kitchn’s chewy oatmeal cookies and Serious Eats’ ultimate chocolate chip cookie guide.
*How to soften butter: I just microwaved mine in a bowl for 20 to 30 seconds. Or, let it soften on your stovetop while you preheat the oven until it’s soft and slightly melty.
**How to make your own oat flour: In a blender or food processor, blend up about ½ cup old-fashioned oats until you have a fine flour. You will have some extra flour left over (it stores well, so I always make extra for future baking projects).
***Flour alternatives: You can also use gluten-free all-purpose flour or regular all-purpose flour.
Make it gluten free: Use gluten-free all-purpose flour instead of whole wheat. Be sure to use certified gluten-free oats and oat flour (or make your own out of certified gluten-free oats).
Make it dairy free: Replace the softened butter with room temperature coconut oil.
If you want to add mix-ins: You can fold in up to 1 ½ cups chocolate chips, dried cranberries, and/or chopped nuts at the end, just before you scoop the dough. You might need to bake the cookies a minute or two longer, given the increase in volume.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
This post is sponsored by Frontier Co-Op and I received compensation for my participation. Opinions are my own, always. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who support C+K!
Could this be made dairy free (substitute for butter)?
Hi Christine! I’ve been meaning to try these with coconut oil instead of butter, but haven’t had a chance to do so yet. Please let me know if you give that a shot.
I made them with coconut oil and they were perfect!
Kristin – how much coconut oil did you use?
Kate your muffins have kept us happy and served as weekly baking therapy for me since Covid started. But today, tired of oatmeal, I baked these cookies. AWESOME! I will include chocolate Chips tomorrow so will enjoy these for the AM and the choc chip for our evening snack. I and so many of my friends who have enjoyed your creations, thank you!PS Substituted butter with Olive oil and used raw sugar as well!
Hi Kate’s grandma! :) Your oatmeal cookie recipie sounds lovely!
Hi Kate! I am excited to try these! They look like the perfect Christmas cookie! I scrolled down and realized I had almost everything but the butter. Guess I’m going shopping today :) :) :)
Also I made your roasted red pepper soup for my little sister and husband last night and everyone raved about it and then my little sister was like “make sure you tell me when her cookbook comes out. I need a copy.” She lives in the dorms and doesn’t even have a kitchen but weirdly I was already planning on buying her a copy, hehe. And I was going to buy one for my mom. And my mother-in-law. And my sister-in-law. And one for my other sister. I hope we can push your book to the top of the charts when it comes out!
Sarah, thank you so much! I’m editing the book today and doing some final re-tests to make sure every tiny detail is correct. I’m thrilled to hear that you’ll be supporting the book. Thank you! Please do let me know how the cookies turn out for you. I really love them.
Hello Kate
I tried your cookies and they flopped badly – did not flatten out at all but stayed in a ball. I used my own gluten free all purpose flour blend so not sure if that may have contributed? Also not sure what packed coconut sugar is – not a product we get in my country. Thank you!
Hi Tracey, sorry to hear it! I’m surprised that they did not spread at all. I suspect it has to do with your GF flour. Coconut sugar is similar to brown sugar, and “packed” is how to measure it (pack it into dry measuring cups). Hope that helps.
I find with gf flour, I always wait 5 mins to see if they spread and if they don’t, I pull them out and squish them. I had to do this with this particular recipe. Also used coconut oil
What a sweet story. I had a similar childhood with my grandmother. Will be making these with gluten free flour, thanks xo
Thanks, Karlie! Hope they turn out great.
Thanks for posting this delicious looking cookie recipe. I appreciate that you made this oatmeal cookie using mostly oats and very little flour in the entire recipe. I can tolerate a small amount of wheat flour in a recipe when the majority are the oats, so thank you for this ratio of oats to flour! :)
Thanks, Jerilyn! I hope you enjoy these. They are a little delicate since they’re mostly oat-based, but the flavor is awesome.
Your writing makes you seem sweet and innocent. The more I read, the more I like you. :) Looking forward to trying your cookies too.
Heh, maybe more sweet than innocent. Glad you appreciated this one! :)
These look so good with all those warming spices and comforting oats. I think my kids would love them. Thanks grandma for recipe inspiration!
Thanks, Karen! Hope you all enjoy them.
Hi Kate! Can I substitute the butter with coconut oil? Thank you!
Hi Cecilia, I have been wanting to try that! I think it will work just fine. Please let me know if you try!
My 3 yr old daughter and I just made these delish cookies! Definitely a hit. We made them gluten free and still turned out :)
Oh yay, that sounds like such a fun project. Thank you for reporting back about GF flour, too!
These cookies must be perfect with a cup of tea ! ;)
Yes, I’d say!
Hi Kate (& Virginia!),
I made these cookies last night. I followed your recipe, but subbed brown sugar and white flour. I used a hand mixer and my sugar & egg mixture never reached “light & fluffy,” even after several minutes. I used a spatula to fold in the oat & flour mixture. I proceeded with the recipe and – sadly – the cookies came out super flat. They are still tasty, but I can’t figure out what I did wrong! Any ideas?
Thanks!
Amanda
Try beating the eggs alone first with the hand held mixer, then beat in the butter then add the sugar. I always use my KitchenAid stand mixer for oatmeal cookies… less of an arm workout but much faster :)
Oh no! I’m sorry to hear that, Amanda. I’ve made these multiple times with the finalized recipe and I’m not sure why your cookies came out flat. It sounds like a leavening issue, which leads me to ask—is there any chance you forgot to add the egg or baking powder or baking soda? I just added a note about the softened butter part, but I kind of doubt that’s the issue because I’ve made it with room temp butter and nearly melted butter, and the cookies always rose. If I weren’t mid-cookbook edits, I’d try your version right this minute and try to figure out what went wrong!
Kate, thank you for SnapChat texting me last night! I admit: I fangirled hard.
For other cooks: I took Rachel’s suggestion and beat the eggs first. They definitely looked fluffier after beating, but they still didn’t rise. I tried making the cookies smaller, then refrigerating the dough, all to no effect. Kate suspects is because I subbed brown sugar for the coconut sugar. Eh bien! Looks like I get to play with a new ingredient! :)
OMG These look so good!
Thanks Sara!
I’m studying abroad in Germany and keep seeing delicious cookies at the Christmas markets. I’ve been refraining from buying them because otherwise I’d be eating cookies every day (not that that would be so bad), but as soon as I saw this recipe, I finally caved and made them right away. They were perfectly fluffy on the inside and crisp at the edges, just as you mentioned!
I also wanted to say a *big* thank you. You and your blog have been a huge help since cheese, bread and meat abound here, but wholesome foods are a bit harder to find. Your recipes are on my exciting-meals-to-try list every week. :)
Thank you so much, Rana! I’m glad to know these turned out well for you in Germany. I spent a semester in Bordeaux, and I know exactly what you mean. The French and Germans are great cooks, but their cooking style can be pretty heavy. I think my first meal back in the States was a giant green salad. :) Hope you’re loving your time over there.
I mean this as a compliment, but I love how “oat-y” these look!! And soft – chewy cookies are the best! I best these made your house smell amazing, too.
Thank you, Maria! They really do make the house smell fantastic. :)
Hi :) I made your green bean casserole for thanksgiving and loved it.. I just made the oatmeal cookies and they didn’t quite bind correctly.. When I am looking at your picture it looks like you melted your butter, but in directions it calls for room temp.. wondering if this is the issue?
Thanks for all the beautiful and delicious recipes!
Hi Samantha! I’m so glad you enjoyed the green bean casserole, and I’m sorry you had trouble with this one. Did you make any substitutions to the recipe? When you say they didn’t bind properly, were they crumbly or was it something else? I have made this recipe with room temp and softened (borderline melted, I just added a note about that), and it’s worked for me both times, so I want to figure out what’s going on here! Thank you for your feedback. :)
Absolutely fabulous recipe! Best oatmeal cookies I’ve made by far. Thank you, Kate, for sharing. I added pecans as well, because I’m a nut freak! Love your recipes, and always wait in anticipation for your next posting.
Thank you, Sarah! Delighted to hear it. Love that you added pecans; they’re my favorite!
Sounds very yummy & like how I imagine that my grandma made hers! New to baking gluten free this year so the holiday treats have been getting adjusted – Thank you so much for the recipes & the side notes for gf or df!
Yummerz!!! Baked the first batch for 13 minutes, husband asked me to bake the second batch a little longer, he likes them a little crispier…..perfect, so nice to taste the spices instead of just sugar.
These look delicious! I have never cooked with coconut sugar before and not sure I feel like tracking it down. Would brown or white sugar work as a sub?
I made these last night! I substituted brown sugar and regular sugar, but other than that followed this exactly. Mine spread more than yours, and came out pretty flat, but they were still perfectly crisp on the outside and soft in the middle, and the taste was divine! No idea why mine spread so much – should I have refrigerated the dough before baking maybe?
These were really good. I made them with coconut oil to keep them dairy free and they turned out fantastic! All of my coworkers asked for the recipe.
This recipe sounds fab, I’m making these cookies today.
Hi. I did make these cookies to test before I brought them to a cookie exchange and they came out great. Everyone who tried loved. I did add a cream cheese frosting to them and I think I may throw on some sprinkles to add to the holiday spirit. Thanks so much.
My new go to Oatmeal Cookie! I followed the recipe except used gluten free sorghum flour instead of oat flour (in my pantry for some reason?) as I ran out of oats & added chocolate chips. No adjustment for 6,300 ft. & they came out flatter, but chewy & delicious.
Not good. Did not come out of oven as you described. I do not know hot to attach a pic. Sorry. They were very flat and gummy when warm Even after a couple minutes, difficult to transfer to cooking rack without breaking apart all over. FlAvor OK but would not make again.
Thank you for the recipe Kathyrne..Made 3 dozen of these to gift .They are light and not very sweet And wholesome ..I did have to make a few changes, the climate here is hot and humid so I chilled the dough prior to baking and also increased the flour by 1/4cup.The cookies were chewy in the center and crunchy on the outside..
Just made these with what I had on hand: white flour, regular sugar & one-minute oats. Very delicious! Thanks for the tip on making oat flour. The cookies came out beautifully.
Hi! I made these today using brown sugar instead of coconut sugar (the original recipe gave this option) and salted butter instead of unsalted because that’s what I had. I left out the 1/4 teaspoon salt. They turned out great, not flat at all and look just like the picture. Don’t know why others are getting flat cookies.
Kate, like Amanda, my cookies came out flatter than pancakes. It must be a rise issue and 1/4 tsp baking powder just does not seem like enough so I am going to add some more.
These look great! We are big C+K fans. Can I just use regular sugar instead of coconut sugar? Or what would be the best substitute? I have all of the other ingredients!
Hi Leslie, thank you for your note! I initially suggested brown sugar as a substitute for coconut sugar (which usually works in small amounts) but some people who were using brown sugar reported that their cookies were flat/spread too much. I deleted the brown sugar option and have been trying so hard to test them again with brown sugar but I’m drowning in cookbook edits/holidays/more recipe development! Coconut sugar is becoming widely available these days, it’s pretty inexpensive and it’s way less processed than other sugars, so I do recommend using it if you can find it. Sorry about that!
I made the oatmeal cookies and they are delicious. And as you wrote they are great base for additional mix-ins. The next batch will be made with orange zest and dried cranberries.
Thank you and your grandmother for the recipe and inspiration! illy
Is there a way to make this recipe vegan? I would love to try baking these gorgeous cookies!
I wasn’t able to make these with coconut sugar, and mine also came out completely flat. I also used coconut oil instead of butter, so that might’ve affected the structure and texture as well? I wish they were as soft and fluffy as yours look, but they still taste good. :) Thanks!
hi Kate
Yes I did make these over the weekend and they were just delicious. So easy to make too… I must confess I was naughty and added cranberries and chopped macadamia nuts :) my whole family loved them :) thanks Lakshmi
Sounds delicious! I’m so happy everyone enjoyed.
First of all, I LOVE your blog. It’s my go-to for new recipes. I can’t wait for your book to be released!!
Unfortunately, I had the same issue as many of the other reviewers. My cookies came out flat and gummy. I melted the butter just as you described and followed the recipe exactly. I even refrigerated the dough for 6 hours.
Lexi, soooo bummed to hear your cookies didn’t turn out well! Did you use coconut sugar?
I’m trying to eat less sugar, what could I use instead of sugar in this recipe? (Sugar alternatives? Emit sugar but add dried fruit?)
Hi, Sian! You could try using date paste–I haven’t tried it myself, but here are some substitution guidelines.
Hi Kate…. just tried out this recipe…. was absolutely delicious!!! Thanks for sharing it! I made this with salted butter but halved the quantity…. it came out just fine. Wanted to ask u if I cld make this in a sugar free version coz my mum in law is a diabetic?
I can definitely add that to my recipe suggestion list, Jyoti!
I made these with my daughter and they are our new fave cookies! We used gluten free flour, but only a 1/4 cup because the mixture seemed kind of dry. Instead of butter we used coconut oil, and instead of sugar we used maple syrup. So good! Thanks for including the gf/df alternatives!!
You are welcome! Thank you for letting me know how they worked out gluten free. Those sound like great alterations. Enjoy, Angie :)
Made these gluten-free and they were fabulous!
I am happy to hear that, Tina!
Followed the recipe exactly and was pleased with my “light and fluffy” look as instructed in step 3. In the end though, the flavor was just so, so…tasted a little too healthy. I looked back to be certain I followed each step and did not miss anything. Alas, I love your muffins so will stick with those.
I’m glad you tired them, though! Thanks for sharing your experience, Robin. Sorry these weren’t a hit for you.
Yum. Yum. Yum. We are on our second batch of these cookies this week. They are perfect for fall and with lower-guilt ingredients we (my kids and I) just couldn’t resist!!
The first time they did go flat, but I had subbed honey and maple syrup because I didn’t have coconut sugar. We loved them anyway though! This time we used coconut sugar and they are gorgeous as well as scrumptious. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Julie! I’m sorry your first batch went flat but glad you made them again.
They’ve just come out of the oven and the aroma is amazing. I added a teaspoon of ginger and half a cup of currants. Thanks will enjoy with a cuppa this afternoon with my sister ☺️
I wish I could enjoy the smell from Kansas City! What did you think?!
Thanks for another amazing recipe, Kate! I made these last night with some dark chocolate bits and dried cranberries, and they came out wonderful. I dare say not flat at all, though I didn’t have coconut sugar, only cane sugar. It may have helped that instead f scooping the dough with spoons, I formed little balls with my hands.
You’re welcome, Reka! Thanks for your review.
I made these today (my first time cooking with coconut sugar!) and I loved the flavor! Oatmeal cookies are my absolute favorite, and these were delicious! Like other readers though, I also had the issue of super flat cookies, and I followed the recipe exactly, and even refrigerated the dough first before baking. Any other suggestions to try? Also, my cookies came out really dark looking – how did you get yours so beautifully golden colored? Thanks! :)
Also, one more question! How long do they keep? Do you suggest keeping them in a sealed container room temperature or the fridge?
These cookies are as delicious as promised. I used brown sugar instead of coconut sugar (what I had on hand!) and 3/4 of a cup of whole wheat flour and 1/4 cup of wheat germ (a holdover from a Martha Stewart recipe I’ve used in the past) instead of the oat flour. I also added some chopped dried apricots at the end. They turned out really well and with all those grains and spices and the dried fruit, they are almost like a granola bar instead of an overly sweet cookie. Thanks for all of your lovely recipes!
I’m glad they met your expectations, Rose! I appreciate you sharing your changes.
Hi Kate, could I brown the butter before making? I’m thinking that might further enhance the flavours.
You could try it, although that can change the overall result sometimes. Let me know what you think!
Just be aware that your multiplier option doesn’t adjust the “1 stick” of butter amount, but does adjust the TBSP amount.
I’m totally stoked to try this recipe today! Thanks!
These cookies are AMAZING! I was looking for an easy treat to make with oats, and I knew your website would be the best place to go. My family loves these, and they’re healthy too!
Made these with gf AP flour and added in some chocolate chips. They are divine!!! Cookie perfection!
I was looking for a healthy raisin oatmeal cookie with coconut sugar and started making this. When I got to the last step I realized this wasn’t a raisin oatmeal cookie recipe. Since everything was mixed already I just added a handful of raisins and they came out AMAZING! I have a toddler and infant and am extremely sleep-deprived so I’m going to blame that on the fact that I wasn’t even aware of what kind of cookie recipe I was following. lol
Thank you so much! Going to be my new go-to. As always, your recipes don’t disappoint. ❤️
I’m glad they still turned out so well for you, Sophia. Thanks for sharing!
Can I use all oat flour and no wheat flour? I can’t find wheat flour. If not can you refer me to a cookie recipe sans wheat flour?
Hi Lindsey! Try these peanut butter oatmeal cookies
They’re cookies are delicious. Love that they are just slightly sweet so you really taste the oats and spices. Great texture too! ( I used smart balance so they’d be okay for my daughter who is dairy free). Thank you Kate!