Quaker Oats Oatmeal Cookie Recipe
Don’t skip this classic Quaker oatmeal cookie recipe with chewy centers that make you want to eat the whole batch in one sitting. The crowd-pleasing cookies are made with Quaker Oats, brown sugar, and vegetable shortening, for a soft-centered cookie with a golden brown exterior.
I’ve made this recipe countless times over the years, and it delivers consistently perfect results every single time.
| Prep Time | Cook Time | Servings | Prep Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 minutes | 9 minutes | 5 dozen | Beginner + |
Ingredients for The Best Oatmeal Cookies
These are the simple, pantry-staple ingredients that make these cookies so special—nothing fancy, just the stuff that gives you that classic Quaker cookie flavor with soft centers and those lightly crisp edges.
- Packed light brown sugar – This is where that cozy, caramely chewiness comes from. Option: swap in dark brown sugar for a deeper molasses flavor.
- Trans-fat-free vegetable shortening – Keeps the cookies nice and soft and helps them stay thick instead of spreading all over the pan. Option: using butter will give you more spread and a thinner cookie.
- White granulated sugar – Helps with those slightly crisp edges and balances out the brown sugar.
- Water – Just a splash keeps the dough from feeling dry and helps the oats soften up while the cookies bake.
- Vanilla extract – Adds that warm, homemade flavor that makes these taste like “real” oatmeal cookies.
- Quaker® Oats (quick or old-fashioned, uncooked) – The main event—these give you that classic oat chew. Option: quick oats make them a little more uniform and soft; old-fashioned gives more texture.
- All-purpose flour – Holds everything together so the cookies bake up sturdy but still tender.
- Salt – Doesn’t make them salty—just makes all the sweet, cozy flavors taste bigger.
- Baking soda – Gives the cookies a little lift and helps them bake up soft instead of dense.
- Egg – Binds the dough and gives you that soft center with golden edges.
Full printable recipe card with measurements and instructions listed at the bottom of the post.
How to Make Classic Quaker Oatmeal Cookies
Before you get started, be sure to preheat your oven to 375° degrees. While that warms up, grab a large bowl for your electric mixer and beat the brown sugar together with the shortening and granulated sugar at medium speed until it’s nice and creamy.
Once you’ve achieved that creamy texture, add egg, water, and vanilla extract, beating it well. Next, you can add the oats, flour, salt, and baking soda. If you are using any chocolate chips or other added ingredients, you should fold them in at this point.
After you’ve formed your cookie dough, drop a little bit by rounded teaspoonfuls right onto your ungreased cookie sheets. You’ll bake these for 9 to 11 minutes. I like to check at nine minutes so they don’t get overdone. You’re looking for golden brown edges as the sign to know these are just perfect if you love chewy cookies.
Let the cookies sit on the cookie sheet for a few minutes, and then place them on a wire rack and let them cool completely.
More Delicious Cookie Recipes
If oatmeal cookies are your thing, these belong in your recipe box, too.
- If you like the chewy edges on the oatmeal cookies, you’ll love these peanut butter cookies with just three ingredients. They are soft and chewy on the inside and a little crunchy on the edges.
Storage And Freezing Instructions
Keep the cookies in an airtight container. They do not need to be refrigerated. The cookies can be frozen, just make sure they are in a sealed container or wrapped well in plastic wrap and a freezer bag. They will keep up to four months in the freezer.
Alternative Ingredients
Some people love the original 1950s Quaker Oats Cookie recipe, also known as the “Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.” For that, you will add raisins, substitute the vegetable shortening with butter (add 3/4 cup) and omit the water.
Quaker Oats Oatmeal Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 3/4 cup trans-fat free vegetable shortening
- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups Quaker® Oats quick or old fashioned, uncooked
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees.
- Add the brown sugar, white sugar, and shortening to a large mixing bowl and mix well with an electric mixer.
- Next, add the egg, vanilla extract, and water and mix well.
- Pour in the oatmeal, salt, baking soda, and flour and mix well.
- Scoop out a cookie and roll it in your hand. Place it on the ungreased cookie sheet and press it down a little.
- Bake for about 9 to 11 minutes. The edges of the cookies should be golden brown.
- Let the cookies cool on the sheet for a few minutes, and then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
– Add 2 tbsp flour
– Reduce each sugar by 1 tbsp
– Slightly reduce baking soda (use just under ½ tsp)
– Bake at 365–375°F
– Start checking oven 2–3 minutes early Some people like using old-fashioned oats instead of quick oats because they’re bigger and give the cookies a chewier bite. Nutrition is approximate.
Yum! I love a good chewy oatmeal cookie.
Thanks, Carlee!
Can I use butter or vegetable oil instead of shortening?
Hi Ida,
You can use either, although I think vegetable oil will be closer to shortening. Hope you love them!
If I want to add raisins & nuts to this recipe, how much of each would I add?
Hi Connie,
I would add about 1/4 cup of each to the recipe. Hope you love it!