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These small batch oatmeal cookies are soft, chewy, and full of comforting flavors. Quick to make with simple ingredients, they’re the perfect treat for any occasion.
Featured Comment
“Have now made this recipe multiple times. It’s always delicious and the perfect size for two people.”
– Anise
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to Make: No special tools needed – just mix, scoop, and bake.
- Small Batch: Makes just enough without extra leftovers.
- Ready Fast: Fresh cookies in under 30 minutes.
- Chewy & Flavorful: Soft, rich, and packed with classic oatmeal cookie flavor.
Oatmeal cookies have always been a go-to for me. They’re soft, chewy, and full of that classic oat flavor. This small batch version is perfect when I’m craving something sweet but don’t need a full tray of cookies. They’re quick to make and always satisfy.
Looking for more small batch cookie recipes? Try my small batch ginger cookies, small batch peanut butter cookies, small batch butter Cookies, or small batch hermit cookies, each one just as easy and delicious.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small batch oatmeal cookie recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Butter: Adds richness and flavor to the cookies. For a dairy-free option, substitute with coconut oil or vegan butter.
- Sugar: A mix of granulated sugar and brown sugar provides sweetness, structure, and tenderness. If you’re out of brown sugar, try our easy small batch brown sugar recipe.
- Egg Yolk: This recipe uses just one egg yolk to bind the ingredients together. Save the egg white to use in recipes like small batch meringues, a mini Texas sheet cake, or our two vanilla cupcakes recipe.
- Oats: Rolled oats are ideal for these cookies, giving them the perfect chewy texture. Quick oats can be used, but the texture will be softer, and the baking time may need to be adjusted. Leftover oats? Try them in recipes like blackberry crisp for one, small batch butter pecan granola, or small batch Texas Governor’s Mansion cookies.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Recipe Variations
Here are a few ways to customize this oatmeal cookie recipe:
- Small Batch Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies: Mix in chocolate chips.
- Tropical Version: Add shredded coconut and dried pineapple.
- Oatmeal Walnut Cookies: Stir in chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds.
- Spiced Oatmeal Cookies: Add a pinch of cardamom or cloves for a warm, spiced touch.
How To Make Oatmeal Cookies
These photos and instructions help you visualize how to make a small batch of oatmeal cookies. See the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. In a medium bowl, stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until well blended.
- Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla extract until the mixture is creamy. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a large spoon until fully combined.
- Stir in the oats until evenly distributed in the dough.
- Use a medium cookie scoop or a heaping tablespoon to portion the dough. Place the scoops about 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Expert Tips
- Measure Flour Correctly: Spoon the flour into a measuring cup and level it off. Scooping directly can pack the flour and lead to dry cookies.
- Avoid Overbaking: Take the cookies out when the edges are just lightly browned—they’ll continue to set as they cool.
- Use Parchment or a Baking Mat: This helps prevent sticking and gives the cookies a better texture.
Serving Suggestions
These oatmeal cookies are delicious on their own, but here are a few ways to enjoy them even more:
- Ice Cream Sandwich: Add a single serving of vanilla ice cream between two cookies for an easy dessert.
- Caramel Drizzle: Warm homemade caramel sauce takes these cookies up a notch.
- Crumbled Topping: Sprinkle over two baked apples for added texture and flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cookies may spread if the flour wasn’t measured accurately, resulting in too little flour to hold the structure. Also, ensure the baking soda is fresh, as expired baking soda can affect how the cookies hold their shape. Using a non-lined or greased baking sheet can also contribute to spreading—be sure to line the baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
While these soft oatmeal cookies are delicious as is, you can add a simple icing if you’d like. Combine 1/3 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon milk or cream in a small bowl. Stir until smooth, adding a little more milk if needed to reach your desired consistency. Drizzle the icing over cooled cookies and let it set for 15-20 minutes before serving.
Yes, simply double all the ingredients.
More Small Batch Cookie Recipes
If you’re looking for more cookie recipes, here are some favorites to try:
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this small batch oatmeal cookies recipe or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
If you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Small Batch Oatmeal Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons salted butter -melted
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar -packed
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup old fashioned oats
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until well blended. Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract, stirring until the mixture is creamy. Set aside.
- Combine the dry ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Mix the dough: Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until fully combined, then fold in the oats until evenly distributed.
- Portion the dough: Use a medium cookie scoop or a heaping tablespoon to scoop the dough, placing each portion about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake: Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden.
- Cool: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Measure Flour Correctly: Spoon the flour into a measuring cup and level it off. Scooping directly can pack the flour and lead to dry cookies.
- Avoid Overbaking: Take the cookies out when the edges are just lightly browned—they’ll continue to set as they cool.
- Use Parchment or a Baking Mat: This helps prevent sticking and gives the cookies a better texture.
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.
I made the cookies exactly as stated, but included 1/4 c walnuts. They were delicious! I did cook them longer—probably 15 minutes in all. They were crispy on the outside, chewy in the middle—puffier than my go-to recipe, but perfect taste and texture. They may be my new favorite!
Hi Lori,
I’m so glad you enjoyed the cookies, thank you for your feedback!
Joanie
These cookies are delishhh i left out the raisins because i don’t like them but they are still sooo good, better than store bought 😋🙌
Experienced home baker here. Had every listed ingredient and followed the recipe to the letter; only got five 1-inch dough balls out of it that refused to bake in an oven that is fairly new and used often with no problem.
After being baked for the suggested maximum of ten minutes, they had not even begun to flatten out and resemble cookies. Left in for an additional five minutes, they had only just barely begun to flatten. After being left in for five more minutes, the dough balls had turned rock hard and burned. Ended up having to throw them away.
Hi Rose,
They didn’t flatten at all? I’m not sure what could have happened – were any ingredients substituted? Was the butter melted? We recently added a recipe video for these cookies which is now on the recipe post, maybe that can help to pinpoint what might have gone wrong.
Joanie
I only have Quick Oats. Will this work in the recipe. Thank you.
Hi Mabel,
Yes, quick oats will work.
Rolled oats will give the cookies a more chewy texture but either kind will work.
Joanie
Your recipe does not indicate when to add the egg mixture. I added mine to the sugar mixture then added the dry ingredients and baked them at 350F for 10 minutes. My yield was ten 2 inch cookies. The cookies came out fine and were pretty tasty!
Hi,
It’s in step 3, “Beat in the egg yolk and the vanilla extract until creamy…” – sounds like you added it at the right time 🙂
Glad you enjoyed the cookies.
Made these today. Super simple and tasty.
Looking foreword to making more small batch recipes. Thank you!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the cookies!
I don’t know what I did wrong. I followed the recipe and my cookies didn’t come out right. At the 10 minute mark they were still dough, they hadn’t baked, at the 15 minute mark I took them out and they still fell apart.
Hi Irene,
I’m so sorry to hear that the cookies didn’t turn out. These cookies have been made by many readers with success, in fact I made them just the other day, so I’d love to see if we can figure out what went wrong. It sounds as if your oven temperature might be a little off, have you checked your oven temperature recently? To do this, use an oven-safe thermometer. Place the thermometer on a rack in the center of your oven. Pre-heat your oven to the temperature you’d like to test (350° F, or 177° C) is generally a good recommendation). Once the oven is preheated, check the temperature on the thermometer inside.
Another question, were any substitutions made? Did you use all purpose flour and did you use butter, not margarine?
these cookies are amazing. They are amazing for when i crave cookies but don’t want to make too much. oatmeal raisin cookies are my favorite and these are the best tasting!
Hi should i melt the butter until it becomes a liquid?
Vicky, Yes. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter either in the microwave or in a small saucepan.
Simply delicious! I just made these oatmeal cookies for Christmas. I have to be gluten free so used gf flour. I made a double batch and used quick oats and golden raisins. Using a small cookie scoop I got 1-1/2 dozen cookies. Just perfect for my Christmas. Tomorrow I’m baking a double batch of coconut macaroons! ❤️
Thank you so much for letting me know you enjoyed the oatmeal cookies and I’m so happy you shared that the gluten free flour worked for you. Our readers will appreciate that information. Hope you enjoy the coconut macaroons!
Joanie
These cookies are amazing!! Found myself looking through the kitchen for a sweet treat and having nothing on hand that was ready to eat. I usually keep a brownie mix or something stashed in the cupboard, but on this day I had nothing. Decided to check here before going to the store. So glad I found this recipe. It’s perfect in every way. So full of flavor. Buttery. Not loaded with sugar or overly sweet. Just right. I almost doubled it, but so glad I didn’t. I would have eaten them all!!
Shannon,
I’m so happy you enjoyed the cookies! They’re so easy to make and are perfect when a sweet craving hits. Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know you loved the recipe.
Have a wonderful week!
Joanie