I’m trying to step outside of my kitchen box. On my cooking to-do list I have things like faux ‘meat’balls made with lentils and ricotta (bear with me), an easy cassoulet (is that possible?), pad thai (at home, from scratch, not in a takeout container), and fresh spring rolls (can we put bacon in them, too?).
These cookies, with old-fashioned oats and loads of brown sugar are decidedly inside my kitchen box. They’re a classic… and I don’t have to buy a brand new jar fish sauce to make them. With new kitchen adventures, I need some classic comforts of the chewy and chocolate-studded variety.
The cookie dance is something we’ve done before. We know the steps.
Softened butter meets brown sugar. Egg for binding. Flour, spices, and old-fashioned oats for comfort and bulk.
The butter is beaten with the brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. We want to incorporate a bit of air and fluff into the mixture.
Egg and vanilla extract into the butter mixture. We’re cool.
Flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
I’m aggressive with the cinnamon and salt because oats can sometimes be a blackhole to flavors, absorbing them without a trace. Is that what blackholes do? Don’t answer that.
Dark chocolate chunks and chopped candied ginger for bitter chocolate and spicy cookie enhancements.
This is the hard part where you start to negotiate with yourself.
I don’t reaaaallllyyyy neeeeeedddd to bake this cookie dough. I could just eat it as-is and really I’d be saving money on my gas bill and mostly saving the planet in a really important way, so I’ll just eat all this dough, like… right now… hiding in the pantry.
But if you do decide to bake them, which you should , because that’s the point of most cookies… the reuse is a thick, soft and chewy, chocolate-studded and slightly spiced cookie of supreme comfort and success.
Strong and true words.
This recipe is adapted slightly from Deb of Smitten Kitchen. I like that it’s a small batch recipe that makes about 2 dozen small cookies and 1 dozen larger cookies. According to your cookie thickness preferences the dough can be refrigerated for different lengths of time, all detailed in the recipe. A classic recipe, with a twist, and they’re all yours.
PrintClassic Chewy Oatmeal Cookies with dark chocolate and ginger
- Prep Time: 50
- Cook Time: 12
- Total Time: 1 hour 2 minutes
- Yield: 18 1x
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2/3 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- heaping 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- heaping 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- scant 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
- 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
- 2 ounces coarsely chopped bittersweet chocolate
- heaping 1/2 cup coarsely chopped candied ginger
Instructions
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or in large bowl using electric hand beaters) cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg and beat for 1 minute, until well incorporated.
- In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Add the dry ingredients all at once to the butter mixture and beat until just incorporated. Use a spatula to incorporate the pats, chocolate, and ginger until thoroughly combined.
- Now you can do what you’d like with the dough. Scoop immediately onto a parchment lined baking sheet and baking right away (this will create a more flat cookie). Scoop onto a parchment lined baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes before baking (this will create a slightly thicker cookie). Scoop all of the dough onto a piece of waxed paper and refrigerate overnight and scoop and bake the following day. Lastly, dough balls can be scooped onto a parchment lined baking sheet, frozen solid, and kept stored in a freezer-safe bake. Bake from frozen (adding 2 or 3 minutes to the baking time) for thick cookies.
- Place racks in the center and upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake cookies for 12-14 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Place on a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for as long as they’ll last. It won’t be long.
Jann
I had some candied ginger in my pantry which I forgot I had and made these. These cookies were so good! There’s a small error in the instructions. In step 2 you forgot to mention to add the vanilla extract with the egg. I hence forgot to add it but it still turned out great. Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Erin
A delicious oatmeal cookie with the surprise addition of ginger pieces. We really enjoyed these.
Annie
These were awesome. A big hit with husband and kids. I echo the small note to fix the directions as to when the vanilla should be added and correct the spelling of oats. Thanks for the terrific recipe!
Lindsay
Oooer. Thanks, I’ll be making these this fall for sure :)
By the way, if you’d like a very good meatless meatball recipe, I love ‘Fantasy Meatballs’ from the Company’s Coming series, Meatless Cooking (Jean Pare).
I was a vegetarian for 8 years and I found that 95% of meatless sausage, hamburgers & meatball recipes SUCKED big time! I’ve been eating meat again for the past 10 years and I still occasionally make those meatless meatballs from that cookbook. Even my parents love them and they are so filling that you can’t eat as many as the meaty ones!
Here’s the recipe written out:
http://erinskitchen.blogspot.ca/2007/08/best-vegetarian-burgers-on-planet.html
Daniela
these were aaahhhmazing
Anita
What’s the best way to cook these so they will be chewy? My cookies always turn out hard!
joythebaker
try baking them for less time on an upper oven rack.
Rachel Korman
Hi Joy! I am baking these right now and I couldn’t find where you put the vanilla in. I decided to throw it in after the egg, but it made the batter look weird, so I hope they are ok. Also, you should correct your spelling for “oats.” You accidentally have “pats.” I totally read the entire recipe like you said, but i put the dry ingredients, including oats because I scanned and didn’t see “oats” in the next step, so I ended up beating the oats in. I know, I know, it sounds dumb, but I get really intense when I’m following your instructions and it just happened. I’m only pointing this stuff out so somebody else doesn’t make this mistake. I hope mine turn out! If not, I will make more. These WILL be on my counter this weekend, damnit <3
Esther
Could you use quick oats instead of old fashioned?
joythebaker
sure! though my preference os old fashioned
Courtney
I just made these cookies over the weekend, they’re amazing! I’m thinking of adding a little ground ginger next time for even more ginger explosion, because why not? Thanks for making my life more enjoyable through these wonderful recipes. You’re amazing.
Robyn
Ohhhhh these are amazing- worked so well. I refrigerated the dough for about 30 mins- yum!
Ps- left a comment prior to tasting them and it’s not showing…funny.
Robyn
These are just in the oven- if the dough is anything to go by they will be my favourite cookies! Yuuuummmy! Well done Joy!
Jenn
Oh yum. These look delicious! How can you not LOVE an oatmeal cookie!
sarah smith
When I read this recipe, I feel such a real and perfect taste for the Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk in this dish. I decided to make it for my family soon . yummy
My Little Chequered Kitchen
I made these last a couple of days ago and they are gone already! They are seriously delicious!!!! I used my New Zealand cup measurements (i.e. where the recipe called for 3/4 cup I simple used my NZ 3/4 cup measurement) and they turned out perfect. This recipe will definitely become a firm family favourite. Although the combination of dark chocolate and ginger probably can’t be beaten, I’m also looking forward to trying other combinations. Thanks for the recipe!!!
Emily
These are in the oven now! Smelling sooo good. I think you forgot to put the vanilla addition into the instructions…I had to add it at the very end.
Anna
Heads up that I accidentally reduced the flour to 3 3/8 oz (I converted to weight to sub in GF flours–King Arthur’s AP and Cup4cup) … and they came out super, at least for GF! Probably more buttery, but still chewy!
Sharon
Made these yesterday. Delicious. But your recipe only calls for 2oz of chocolate???? Really???? I put in a whole lot more than 2 oz. I get my candied ginger at Trader Joes. I doubled recipe and it came out perfect.
Cake Delivery in Hyderabad
Amazing Oatmeal cookies! Am in search of this recipe since few days. Thanks for sharing the best one. Keep Updating…
Maureen smith
Please can we have English conversions
Dani
Oh I love oatmeal cookies and these sound amazing!! YUM :)
Malou
They look amazing!
Mrs b
Hello Joy- I don’t suppose you know the UK conversions for this recipe? I tried to make a batch last night, but think I mis-converted as they ended up super-oaty/almost solid!
Thanks so much,
Mrs B
Nancy K
These cookies will be on my agenda to make today. I have to say, I am looking forward to you tying those “out of the box” recipes you mentioned. I am always on the lookout for new spins on old ideas Lentils and ricotta in meatball form …yum and spring rolls with the possibility of bacon…double yum.
Jess Carey
They looks so nice and thick and chunky! I have everything I need already, except the ginger :( guess I’m waiting a little longer to make these!
Kristin
Never ever in my life did I think I’d divert from my grandmother’s ginger spice cookies but you might have broken a 44 year streak. These look delicious!
Channing C
This sounds like heaven! I’m going to make it now!
Jordan
Looking forward to a pad thai recipe. I’ve tried it twice, both with pretty awful results. I think the secret might be tamarind paste, but I don’t have easy access to that.
dessertfortwo
I’m a ginger freak, so I know I’ll love these!
Also, the lentil + ricotta ‘meat’ball thing is SO good. Make sure you’re using the recipe from Jennifer Perillo, though. I made them for a dinner party and not a single dude thought they were vegetarian!!! Her book is ‘In Jennie’s Kitchen,’ and I love love love it. xo
Mrs B
Off to bake this right now- thank you!!
http://Www.mrandmrsblogs.co.uk
Lyndsee
I love it when you step outside your kitchen box! Your savory recipes are some of my favorites. I also love it when you come up with something really unexpected and run with it. One of my favorites is your Israeli couscous, blueberry, pecan salad.
Chrissy
Comfort cookies are the best cookies. And in case you’re looking to cheat on cassoulet, I made this version adapted from Thomas Keller’s. I am the first to admit to any true Frenchman that it’s not the real thing- not labor intensive, and made in the slow cooker- but it is absolutely one of my favorites: http://thehungarybuddha.com/2012/11/cassoulet-sil-vous-plait-thanksgiving-leftover-cassoulet/
joythebaker
oohh thank you for sharing this!
pblevitt
They look amazing, love the ginger.
Rena
Yes to your classy cookies… Although already the dough would be enough for me:)
xx from Bavaria/Germany, Rena
http://www.dressedwithsoul.com
cheeseandchinese
This looks delicious! I love ginger and I think in the very near future I will have to add it to my the cookies I bake..