• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Joy the Baker
Joy the Baker
  • Cookies
  • Bread
  • Cakes
  • Pies
  • Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • Cookies
    • Birthday Cake Recipes
    • Biscuits
    • Muffins
    • Cupcakes
    • Drinks
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Fruit
    • Nuts
    • Buttermilk
    • Chocolate
    • Vanilla
    • Holiday
    • Healthy
    • Gluten-Free
    • Vegan
  • Blog
    • Baking 101
    • Tips
    • Beyond the Kitchen
    • Let It Be Sunday!
    • New Orleans
  • Shop

Classic Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk and Ginger Cookies

January 16, 2016 by Joy the Baker 37 Comments

Jump to Recipe

Classic Oatmeal Cookies with dark chocolate and ginger

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.  

Classic Oatmeal Cookies with dark chocolate and ginger

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.  

Classic Oatmeal Cookies with dark chocolate and ginger

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.  

Classic Oatmeal Cookies with dark chocolate and ginger

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.  

Classic Oatmeal Cookies with dark chocolate and ginger

Dark chocolate chunks and chopped candied ginger for bitter chocolate and spicy cookie enhancements. 

Classic Oatmeal Cookies with dark chocolate and ginger

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.  

Classic Oatmeal Cookies with dark chocolate and ginger (5)

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.  

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

Classic Chewy Oatmeal Cookies with dark chocolate and ginger

  • Author: Joy the Baker
  • Prep Time: 50
  • Cook Time: 12
  • Total Time: 1 hour 2 minutes
  • Yield: 18 1x
Pin Recipe
Print Recipe

Ingredients

Scale
  • 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

  1. 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.
  2. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg and beat for 1 minute, until well incorporated.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

Previous PostNext Post

Filed Under: Chocolate, Cookies, Recipes, Snacks

Previous Post: « Turmeric Tonic
Next Post: Let It Be Sunday! »

Reader Interactions

All Comments
I Made This
Questions
  1. Jann

    August 28, 2020 at 6:39 am

    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!

    Reply
  2. Erin

    November 15, 2016 at 1:40 pm

    A delicious oatmeal cookie with the surprise addition of ginger pieces. We really enjoyed these.

    Reply
  3. Annie

    September 8, 2016 at 7:39 pm

    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!

    Reply
  4. Lindsay

    September 6, 2016 at 12:30 pm

    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:
    https://erinskitchen.blogspot.ca/2007/08/best-vegetarian-burgers-on-planet.html

    Reply
« Older Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

RELATED POSTS IN Chocolate

Chocolate basque cheesecake topped with fruit.
Mini Burnt Chocolate Basque Cheesecake

This refined recipe for chocolate Basque cheesecake is SO SIMPLE with the most impressive results.  Find a detailed step-by-step with tips and tricks below or skip right to the recipe and get baking! This cheesecake does not miss. I’ve always felt like making a cheesecake, at home, from scratch was rather unreasonable.  You mean to…

Read More

Baked Taylor Swift cookies on parchment paper.
Taylor Swift’s Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are the Taylor Swift cookies you’ll want to bake for your Midnights listening party. Chewy, chocolate centers with crisp edges and a salty, bejeweled top.  They’re the perfect Taylor-inspired bake and midnight snack. This very afternoon, in the year of our lord 2022, I found myself on a Zoom meeting with the uber cool…

Read More

Stack of chocolate brownie cookies with sprinkles.
The Easiest Chewy Chocolate Brownie Cookies

These perfectly gooey and chewy brownie cookies make for the perfect after school snack or last minute housewarming offering.  Grab a box of brownie mix – the road to these delightful chocolate cookies couldn’t be easier. If I were to smack a theme on my kitchen this year it would be this: OK But Can…

Read More

Primary Sidebar

Fresh baked emails, delivered to your inbox

Jump to Recipe

Receive recipes from Joy the Baker and updates on events at The Bakehouse.

HI! I’M JOY!

Jump to Recipe

Welcome! This has been my little corner of the internet since 2008!

I’m a baker, photographer, cookbook author and teacher.  I live laugh love in New Orleans. 

MORE ABOUT JOY AND THE TEAM

BOOKS + Magazines

Jump to Recipe

JOY THE BAKER 2022 SUMMER MAGAZINE

JOY THE BAKER 2021 HOLIDAY MAGAZINE

JOY THE BAKER 2020 HOLIDAY MAGAZINE

HOMEMADE DECADENCE

OVER EASY: SWEET AND SAVORY RECIPES FOR LEISURELY DAYS COOKBOOK

JOY THE BAKER COOKBOOK

Jump to Recipe
joy the baker on facebook joy the baker on twitter pinterest-social instagram-socialbloglovin-social

JOY @ WILLIAMS SONOMA

Jump to Recipe

SHOP THE CAKE LINE OF CAKE MIXES!

DRAKE ON CAKE

Jump to Recipe

Passionate from miles away since 2015.

Check it out on Instagram

Drake on cake instagram.

 

BREADS YOU’LL LOVE

inside of warm cinnamon roll on plate

How To Make The Best Single Serve Cinnamon Roll

Orange roll on a plate with a fork.

Christmas Morning Orange Rolls

Baked pull apart garlic bread baked in a loaf pan.

Erin’s Roasted Garlic Herb Pull-Apart Bread

LET’S MAKE COOKIES!

Raspberry linzer cookie recipe stacked on baking sheet.

Raspberry Lemon Linzer Cookies

Iced Oatmeal Cookies layered on a cooling rack.

Eggnog Iced Oatmeal Cookies

My 12 Best Christmas Cookie Recipes

Footer

Instagram

joythebaker

📚Baker and author of books and magazines
🎂Creator @drakeoncake
💁🏻‍♀️Classes with me @thebakehousenola
🍰 Products with @williamssonoma

joythebaker
Just tryna get the most cheese on my most simple s Just tryna get the most cheese on my most simple small-batch bagel recipe. Get in on this with me: ⁣
⁣
2 Easy No Yeast Bagels⁣
1/2 cup self-rising flour⁣
4 tablespoons greek yogurt (plus a teaspoon or two more if needed)
1 large egg, beaten for egg wash⁣
1/3 - 1/2 cup grated gouda or gruyere⁣
Everything bagel seasoning⁣
3 tablespoons baking soda with 2 cups of boiling water. ⁣
⁣
Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray the paper lightly with nonstick spray. ⁣
⁣
In a small bowl, use a firm spatula to work together the flour and yogurt. Add a few teaspoons of yogurt if it feels dry and knead into a cohesive ball for 5 minutes or so. Sprinkle with a bit more flour if it gets overly sticky. Cover with a damp paper towel and gather your toppings. ⁣
⁣
Divide dough in two and roll each piece into a roughly 8-inch rope. Bring the ends around and pinch into a circle. ⁣
⁣
Sprinkle the bottom of the prepared pan with grated cheese in two spots.  Pour boiling water over the baking soda and float each bagel in the water for 20 or so seconds.  Use a slotted spot or spatula to transfer the bagels on top of the cheese.  Brush lightly with egg. Sprinkle with more cheese and everything bagel seasoning. ⁣
⁣
Bake for 20 - 22 minutes until deeply golden and bubbling.  Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and smearing with cream cheese.
Here to remind you that you can mix a few ingredie Here to remind you that you can mix a few ingredients together tonight and have a hot little loaf of bread in the morning. ⁣
⁣
This easy, nearly no-knead Rye Bread is essentially a magic trick. I’ll leave the recipe linked and big love to my friends @lecreuset for the most elite bread pot!
Cinnamon Rolls but make ‘em Mardi Gras. 💜💛 Cinnamon Rolls but make ‘em Mardi Gras. 💜💛💚⁣⁣
⁣⁣
For the rolls: ⁣⁣
• 3/4 cup lukewarm milk⁣⁣⁣
• 1 large egg⁣⁣⁣
• 1 large egg yolk⁣⁣⁣
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened⁣⁣⁣
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting⁣⁣⁣
• 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast⁣⁣⁣
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar⁣⁣⁣
• ¾ teaspoon salt⁣⁣⁣
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
For the filling:⁣⁣
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened⁣⁣⁣
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed⁣⁣⁣
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
For the icing:⁣⁣
• 4 ounces softened cream cheese⁣⁣⁣
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar or glazing sugar⁣⁣⁣
• 1 tablespoon milk⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
1. To make the dough, place all of the dough ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low until the dough begins to come together. You may want to speed up the process by first mixing all of the ingredients together by hand with a spatula before putting the bowl on the stand mixer. This will help the dough hook work. The dough will come together into a soft, though not too sticky dough ball after several minutes of hand mixing and stand mixer mixing.⁣⁣⁣
2. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and lightly dust the top of the dough with flour. Let rise for 60 minutes while you prepare the filling and icing.⁣⁣⁣
3. To make the filling: Combine the butter, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon into a paste. Set aside.⁣⁣⁣
4. To make icing, whisk together cream cheese and sugar. Add the milk and whisk until smooth.  Place in a small bowl and refrigerate. ⁣⁣⁣
5. Roll the dough into a 18 x 12 inch rectangle.⁣⁣⁣
6. Spread the cinnamon filling evenly over the dough.⁣⁣⁣
7. Beginning with one long edge, roll the dough into a log. Cut the log into 8 or 10 equal slices. Place the slices in a greased 9×13-inch baking pan, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise for 30 minutes. ⁣⁣⁣
8. Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F.  Bake the rolls for 30 to 35 minutes, until they’re golden brown and bubbling. Remove the rolls from the oven.⁣⁣⁣
9.  Drizzle icing over the warm buns and enjoy! ⁣
I’ve taken these Little Banana Pancakes on as a I’ve taken these Little Banana Pancakes on as a personality trait. ⁣
⁣
Full recipe linked in the bio or just take the concept and a box of pancake mix and I’ll see you at the kitchen table. Xo
This recipe is an essential life skill. Not an und This recipe is an essential life skill. Not an understatement. Two Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe linked in the bio, babes. Xo 🍪
What’s your Fallback Meal? ⁣ ⁣ Mine is a can What’s your Fallback Meal? ⁣
⁣
Mine is a can of chickpeas, all the veggies languishing in the fridge, and a ton of olive oil. Serve with bread or rice and there’s usually enough for leftover, too! ⁣
⁣
Recipe for Olive Oil Braised Chickpeas linked in the bio not you can also just wing it!
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2023 · Joy the Baker
All rights reserved. Violators will be whupped and sent to bed with no dessert · Privacy Policy

Scroll Up