These Steel Cut Oat Cookies are a new type of oatmeal cookie that's extra chewy and delicious. Made with 10 ingredients or less that are found in your pantry, these treats are easy to whip up in just 30 minutes! With no dough chilling required, you can customize this oatmeal cookie dough with your favorite mix-ins.
If you're looking for a wonderfully chewy and perfectly sweet cookie, you've come to the right place. These steel cut oatmeal cookies are a delicious twist on traditional oatmeal cookies. And with their slightly crunchy and chewy combination, plus a buttery soft center, these cookies are arguably even more delicious than the rolled oat version.
Using a handful of pantry staples, these cookies are beyond easy to make yet still tasty enough to be an indulgent treat. Their slightly nutty flavor and crispy edges make them a standout cookie. Don't be surprised if they quickly become your new baked good obsession!
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If you like these cookies, you'll really love some of our other easy desserts. Some of our favorites are our White Chocolate Raspberry Blondies, these Lucky Charms Cookies, and our decadent Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies.
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Irresistible Texture and Flavor: Steel cut oats give these cookies their signature chewy texture. And paired with the flavor notes from brown sugar and vanilla, these cookies are simply irresistible.
- Easy To Make With a handful of pantry ingredients and no fancy equipment required, this is a beginner-friendly recipe that's simple to make.
- Customization: Get creative with these cookies. Easily add in dried fruit, like cranberries, raisins or cherries for an extra sweet and chewy bite. Or stir in chocolate chips or white chocolate chunks for a note of extra sweetness.
What are Steel Cut Oats?
Steel cut oats, also known as Irish oats or coarse oats, start out as whole oats that are then cut down into smaller pieces. They're nutty in flavor, take longer to cook than other oats, and have a nice coarse, chewy texture.
They differ from commonly used rolled oats, which have been steamed and flattened. Rolled oats also have a milder, toasted oat flavor. When it comes to cooking old fashioned oats, they cook quicker, and have a creamier, softer texture plus a smoother consistency than steel cut oats. Both are delicious and can be used in a variety of ways.
Ingredients
Scroll Down for Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Recipe Card Below
- Steel Cut Oats: The key ingredient to give these cookies their signature chewy texture and nutty flavor.
- All-Purpose Flour: The main dry ingredient to give these cookies their structure and shape.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: The leavening ingredients here - these help the cookies to rise just the right amount.
- Salt: Every baked good needs a pinch of salt to help balance out the sweet flavors
- Salted Butter: Provides richness and flavor to the cookies.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps with browning during baking. It also contributes to the texture by retaining moisture.
- Brown Sugar: Adds caramel notes and a nice deep flavor to the cookies.
- Eggs: The binding ingredient to hold everything together.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds aroma and flavor to these cookies and pairs perfectly with the brown sugar.
How to Make Steel Cut Oat Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Meanwhile, lightly grease or line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Fold in the chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, chopped nuts, and/or dried fruit, if using, until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Drop rounded 3 tablespoon scoops of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. The centers may still look slightly soft, but they will continue to set as they cool. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Optional: For garnish, melt chocolate chips and/or peanut butter chips and drizzle on top of the baked cookies.
Pro Tips for Recipe Success
- Use a dough scoop. For uniform cookies, a perfectly rounded shape and an even bake, use a dough scoop to form cookies the same size.
- Space cookies evenly. When scooping dough onto the baking sheet, space your cookies evenly apart so they've got plenty of room to spread as they bake.
- Undercook dough for an extra chewy cookie. Bake the cookies for slightly under the called for bake time so the dough is just undercooked, but of course safe to eat, with a wonderfully chewy texture.
- Tap the baking sheet. If your cookies come out slightly too puffy or thick, give the baking sheet a gentle tap on the counter. This will help them flatten to a more desirable thickness.
Storage and Freezing Instructions
You can store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, but the sooner you eat them, the fresher they'll taste. Or you can freeze cookies the same way, for up to three months.
You can also freeze unbaked cookie dough in an airtight container, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, or in a food storage bag. Freeze it whole, or portioned out into individual cookies. When you're ready to enjoy, thaw dough in the fridge and bake according to the recipe.
Flavor Variations
The best part about these cookies if you can customize the flavor by adding your favorite mix-in ingredients!
- Chocolate chips: semi-sweet, milk, or dark chocolate chips would be an extra sweet addition to these cookies. White chocolate chips or chunks would also be a great flavor addition.
- Dried fruit: dried fruit like cranberries, tart cherries, or juicy raisins add even more chewy texture and a nice added sweetness to the cookies.
- Nuts: stirring in nuts adds a nice crunchy texture to the cookies, plus a toasted, nutty flavor. Chopped almonds, pecans, walnuts or macadamia nuts would pair perfectly here.
FAQs
Definitely. Rolled oats work nicely - but they'll have a slightly different texture and flavor. They'll give the cookies a smoother, softer texture, and more of a traditional oatmeal cookie flavor.
Soaking the oats is a great idea. It'll soften the steel cut oats, making them easier to chew after they're baked, and will improve the overall texture of the cookies.
They actually have similar nutritional content, but steel cut oats do have slightly more fiber in them. They also take a bit longer to digest, so they'll leave you feeling full, longer!
Aside from stirring in dried fruit, toasted nuts or chocolate chips, you can add in browned butter for an even nuttier, rich flavor, or a pinch of cinnamon will add a nice spiced flavor to the cookies.
More Easy Dessert Recipes
Steel Cut Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup steel-cut oats
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup salted butter room-temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup cookie add-ins (chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, nuts, chopped dried fruit)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease or line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Fold in the chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, chopped nuts, and/or dried fruit, if using, until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Drop rounded 3 tablespoon scoops of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. The centers may still look slightly soft, but they will continue to set as they cool. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Optional: For garnish, melt chocolate chips and/or peanut butter chips and drizzle on top of the baked cookies.
Jan
Can self rising flour be used instead of all purpose flour?
Laura Ashley
Self rising flour already has leaving agents and salt, so if you substitute, you'll need to omit the baking powder and salt. I'm not sure the exact outcome if exchanging as well as I haven't tried. It might still need the soda, I can't say for sure.
Kath
I baked one batch for 15 minutes and one for 25 - I like the browned cookies better.
Laura Ashley
Another great way! It's funny how some folks like them super chewy and some like them crispy 🙂