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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 these oatmeal cookies yesterday and oh my goodness, they are delicious!!! 😋 Using the size cookie scoop that I have it made 10 cookies, yay!!! Thank you for sharing your recipes!!👏🏻♥️
Perfect, even I can make them. Just the right number of cookies for the two of us.
Phil 79 y/o
Joanie, u did an excellent job with this recipe!! I ended up using almond flour instead of AP flour and added raisins and chopped walnuts! So GOOD! I also followed the advice to not overbake them! Wonderful, thank u again:)
I’m so happy you enjoyed them. Thank you so much for your feedback.
Hello! I love oaty cookies and can’t wait to try this recipe! I saw you said in a comment somewhere that there can be frozen after baking – how long do you think they could be kept in the freezer for? Also, do you reckon the dough could be frozen before baking? I usually do this with my other cookie dough recipes and just bake the cookies straight from the freezer as I need them! Thanks ☺️
Thank you for your comment! Yes, these cookies can be frozen after baking and will keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can also freeze the dough before baking—just scoop it into portions, freeze them on a tray until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag or container. When you’re ready to bake, you can bake them straight from the freezer. I hope you enjoy the cookies!
That’s perfect, thank you so much! I can’t wait to try them!
Just finished making a batch and they are perfect and delicious! I will make them again and again! I am so looking forward to making more of the small batch cookies as we go through the holiday season! I love this site! You absolutely rock Joanie! Thank You!
Thank you!
These are always absolutely delicious! Simple, healthy (as cookies can be), and easy. I can whip up a batch of these so fast. Love that they aren’t overly sweet. Once they’re ready to be put on the pan – I grab a tablespoon size measuring spoon to scoop – give it a squeeze in my hand, and then softly roll it into a ball in my hands before placing on a nonstick cookie sheet. I bake for about 10-11 minutes.
Fantastic! So excited to find your small batch recipes as an empty nester; full batches just pointless now. Thanks so much!!
I’m so glad you found us and hope you find many new recipes you love.
Have now made this recipe multiple times. It’s always delicious and the perfect size for two people. Planning to make several for a family gathering this time. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Although they tasted good, for me they baked up super flat and very oily. Didn’t do any substitutions or adjustments to the recipe. Maybe I overmixed the wet ingredients? The recipe said “until creamy” so I mixed until the batter was slightly lighter in color. Not sure what I did wrong, many great reviews on these cookies!
Hi there! Thanks for trying the oatmeal cookies and for your feedback. It sounds like the butter might have been overmixed with the sugar, which may cause the cookies to spread and turn out flat. Next time, try mixing just until combined and the mixture is smooth. Also, if your oven runs hotter, that could be another reason for the flat and oily texture. You might want to check your oven temperature with a thermometer to see. I hope this helps, and I’m glad you enjoyed the taste! Let me know if you have any other questions.
These cookies were quick, easy to make and delicious! I made two small changes by browning the butter and adding half vanilla and half maple flavoring. Like a few other posters, my dough was a bit dry, probably from using KerryGold butter and browning, so I added a scant tablespoon of water. Thanks, Joanie for a great recipe!
Substituted in homeade canabutter……..AMAZING!
Pro-tip…..Make a regular batch as well. You WILL eat TOO MANY!!
🌿always🌿
Absolutely perfect. I’ve needed this for years. I used Stevia brown sugar and next time might omit the white sugar because I think they’d be sweet enough without it. I would also NOT press them down like I did as they would’ve cooked evenly without me interfering 🤣
Delicious! Hit the spot!
These are amazing!! Made 10 medium sized cookies total and within 20 minutes they were all gone. Next time I’ll have to double it. Thanks for sharing.
These cookies turned out great! I added some chocolate chips to a few and raisins in the others
I used Maple Brown Sugar Instant Oatmeal to make these cookies. They were delicious.
I made these but I added more flour as the dough was too wet. I also added chopped toasted almonds, pumpkin seeds, chocolate chips and walnuts. Everyone went crazy for these, thank you for sharing.
Wow, these were great! I didn’t have brown sugar on hand so I used half white sugar and half maple syrup in its place and it worked perfectly! Nice yummy little treat that was super easy to make!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed the oatmeal cookies and that the substitution worked well – great to know!
Perfect for me!
Single, 64 years old. I don’t want a whole batch of cookies, or I’ll eat ’em!
very good
I had only 1/3 cup of oatmeal left and I was scrolling through to see how would I use it. I found this website and your recipe saved me. Thank you.
Hi Joanie,
I recently discovered your website. I think it is great for empty nesters like myself and my wife. The dishes are delicious without having tons of leftovers. Although that’s not always a bad thing. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes.
Thanks, Lou
Can one double or triple these measurements to make a bigger batch without issues?
We have doubled this recipe with success but have not tripled the ingredient amounts.
These were delicious. My batch made three cookies, which is just right. I’m not a fan of baking cookies because I live alone and unless I freeze them, many go to waste. This recipe is just perfect. Note: Where I live, I had to bake them a couple of minutes longer.
Don’t be a smart a…leck like me. I just went ahead and used the whole egg. Wrong! I had no idea egg whites would make such a difference. Learn from my mistake — yolk only!!!
Crunch in edges and chewy in the middle. Scrumptious! I used 1 tablespoon sized to scoop dough and made a dozen. Baked for same amount of time. Next time, if using salted butter I would omit the 1/8 tsp. of salt or add only a pinch as I thought they seemed a bit on salty side for my taste. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much for your feedback, Cynthia. I’m so glad you enjoyed the cookies.
Very good!
The dough seems a little on the dry side. I added honey to soften it.
The oatmeal cookies are just wonderful and so very easy to make. I iced mine and they are delicious with coffee!!!
Best oatmeal cookie recipe ever!,
Cookies tasted very good, but I was surprised that they came like oatmeal lace cookies. Mine liiked nothing like those pictured.
Thank you once again. It is just hubby and I these days and while I love to bake I do t like having lots of sweets leftover. These recipes are perfect. Hubby loves oatmeal cookies and he LOVED these. I reduced the oats and put in mini chocolate chips. Delish!
I used 1/4 cup of applesauce (that I made from scratch) instead of the egg. I used 1/2 tsp. of vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp.of baking POWDER (instead of soda). I baked it for 15 minutes. It tasted pretty good, but next time I’m gonna use 1 more tablespoon of white granulated sugar. Thanks for the recipe. Now I know what I’Ill have for breakfast from now on…
Perfect amount
My favourite cookie recipe!
For me, this recipe made 5 cookies which I thought would be the perfect amount for 3 people. However immediately after tasting the first cookie, I began making a second batch because, well, let’s just say you’re going to want more than one of these!
Brown sugar- packed tablespoons?
Yes.
I had for dessert tonight. Delicious 😋. Warm and 😋 tasty.
Making now, very easy! I put scotchies in and left out cinnamon. I love your recipes so much! My children are grown and it’s just me and my husband so these are much appreciated!
These cookies are delicious!!
I added chopped pecans & craisins because that’s what I like in my oatmeal cookies.
They were a little too sweet. When I make this again, because I know I will, I will use less sugar.
This made just enough to have a few servings.
Thank you for this recipe.
I just tried these cookies and I love the recipe. I did change up a bit by adding a tablespoon peanut butter and 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter. I did it before I read the peanut butter recipe! Also added chopped cranberries. Very tasty! Could I grind the oatmeal? Is there a trick to make them soft before adding to the recipe?
I’m glad you enjoyed the cookies, Angela. Ground oats would need to take the place of the flour in the recipe, so if you want to grind the oats, reduce the amount of flour.
It’s triple digits outside and I didn’t want to heat up the house, so I made these in the air fryer as one giant cookie. It was delicious, personally, I thought it was a bit too sweet, but I will make it again. Thank you for your small recipes. I will be trying out others soon; my husband requested peanut butter!
I loved the taste but I also had the issue of the first step (sugars and melted butters) being on the liquidy side. Should the brown sugar tablespoons be “packed”? Also do you cool the melted butter for a certain amount of time before mixing? Lastly do you refrigerate the dough at any point before scooping and baking? Thanks so much – this was my first time making your recipe and I will surely make it again.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the cookies! The sugar and melted butter mixed together will be liquidy. Our process photos show how the batter should look at each stage, which may be helpful. When the flour, oats, etc. are added, the batter thickens up.
We do not cool down the melted butter before mixing it with the sugar and we do not refrigerate the cookie dough before baking.
I just made the small batch oatmeal cookies in SUGAR FREE. I ate one warm and they are delicious!!!! Thank you for all your single serve recipes. I made 5 cookies from this recipe.
I just wrote the oatmeal cookie recipe down. I will be making them with sugar free substitute sugars SOON! I’ll also add a few pecans to mine. Thanks for outstanding recipes for one!
My favorite cookie and being a single retiree, this is the perfect amount for answering my cookie monster call. Thank you so very much. As always your recipes hit the spot and are perfect when “you’re home alone and fixing for just one person!”
Terrific recipe.
Phenomenal cookies! So delish. I followed the recipe exactly but didn’t have salted butter so added a teensy bit more salt to these
Not sure what I’m doing wrong but the first steps with the butter sugar and brown sugar is not the Consistency of hers mine is more liquidy anything I’m doing wrong or recommendations?
Jennifer, it sounds like either more butter or not enough of the sugars were used.
Followed the recipe exactly as written and the cookies were great and exactly what I was hoping for.
TFS such a great recipe
I just made these this morning and they are delicious! Thank you for the recipe. This is my husband’s favorite cookie. I will be trying lots more of your recipes.