Oatmeal Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies
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These soft and chewy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are fully loaded with creamy chocolate chips and toasted walnuts in every bite.
TESTED & PERFECTED: START WITH MY BELOVED OATMEAL COOKIE BASE
In 2014, I shared the very first version of my chewy oatmeal raisin cookie. Out of all of the classic cookies in the world, and all of their fun versions and endless add-ins for any cookie base you can think of, oatmeal raisin cookies are the one I will reach for every single time.
Since then, I have adapted that oatmeal cookie base to be absolutely perfect. I’ve tweaked and tested the recipe to produce cookies that are jam packed with texture, full of warm spices, and ready for any add-ins you desire.
When done exactly right, my oatmeal cookies will leave you with that eyes-rolling-to-the-back-of-your-head, can’t help but “mmmm” feeling.
WHY I LOVE THIS OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE RECIPE
A really fabulous oatmeal cookie really does rely on that solid oatmeal cookie base, and lucky for you, I have that base down pat.
Over the years of perfecting my oatmeal cookie, I’ve also worked to bring this recipe, which was originally shared in 2015, more flavor, better texture, and overall, make it a more enticing cookie.
In recent years, I’ve toasted the walnuts, which makes all the difference in the world. It may feel like a useless, wasted step, but I promise that the few extra minutes it takes to toast your walnuts will take these cookies from wow to woahhhh.
OATMEAL WALNUT COOKIES INGREDIENTS
You’ll see a very familiar list of ingredients for this walnut chocolate chip oatmeal cookies recipe. You probably have everything on hand except maybe the molasses. But don’t worry, all of my oatmeal cookie recipes use molasses, so you have more than a few more recipes you can make using the rest of the jar!
SHELLED WALNUTS: we’ll be toasting and chopping them for maximum flavor. You can buy pre-chopped walnuts if you prefer, but those tend to toast a little more quickly than I like and I wind up burning them more often than not.
ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR: be sure to measure properly so your cookies bake up perfectly.
BAKING SODA: an important ingredient in helping these cookies rise.
GROUND CINNAMON: don’t leave it out! Warm cinnamon is the perfect complement to the oats, chocolate, and toasted walnuts.
SALT & VANILLA EXTRACT: for balance of flavor.
LIGHT BROWN AND GRANULATED SUGAR: we use a combination of sugars in these cookies to bring sweetness, notes of caramel, and moisture.
EGG: to bind everything together.
MOLASSES: this is my absolute favorite ingredient to add to oatmeal cookies. It brings such a unique flavor to the cookies as well as helps to bind the cookie dough and bring moisture to the final baked cookie. Do not use black strap molasses in this recipe.
OLD FASHIONED OATS: do not use quick oats or steel cut oats for these cookies.
SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS: you can change up the chips to be whatever type of chocolate you want. Semi-sweet tend to be the sweetest that I like in these cookies, but milk or white chocolate would be fine if you prefer them.
How to make Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies with Walnuts
Bringing this batter together is really simple. Toasting the nuts will take about 15-20 minutes, so you can do that well ahead of time if you’d like to save time from batter to oven.
STEP #1
Toast the nuts: in a medium size saucepan over medium heat, heat the shelled walnuts to toast them. Keep them moving with a spatula until they start to lightly brown and smell fragrant. Allow to cool until you can touch them (about 10 minutes), then coarsely chop all of the toasted nuts.
STEP #2
Remove ¼ cup of the toasted chopped walnuts to use in the recipe. I like to reserve the rest for pressing into the tops of the hot cookies when they come out of the oven.
STEP #3
Preheat the oven and prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
STEP #4
Next, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt ant set this mixture aside.
STEP #5
Next, cream together the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and beat on high until combined. Add the vanilla extract and molasses and beat on high again until completely combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
STEP #6
Reduce the mixer speed to low, then slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat until combined. With the mixer still on low, add the oats, chocolate chips, and reserved ¼ cup of toasted walnuts.
STEP #7
Using a cookie scoop, drop scoops of dough onto the baking sheet, then bake.
HOW TO BAKE OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES WITH WALNUTS
I prefer to use one scoop of dough to make standard size cookies, but I also like to make extra large cookies by using two scoops of dough, which is my favorite way to make my oatmeal raisin cookies.
If you want to make larger cookies, combine two scoops of dough (carefully– this dough is sticky) and bake for 12-14 minutes instead of the 10-12 minutes for standard size.
DO NOT OVER BAKE THIS OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES RECIPE
In order to keep these cookies soft and chewy, you’ll need to be sure to bake them just for the time suggested. Err on the side of fewer minutes until you find out exactly how your oven will treat these oatmeal cookies.
After the 10-12 minutes, your cookies will look very underdone. You may see some bubbles on the tops of the cookies from the reaction with the leavener and the molasses. This is what you want!
The result, once cool, should be chewy oatmeal chocolate walnut cookies with just a hint of crispness on the outside.
HOW TO STORE THESE CHEWY OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Store leftover oatmeal cookies covered tightly at room temperature. They will soften as they sit, so use that as a guide for how long you’d like them to last (they never last long in our house!). Use 10 or so seconds in the microwave to bring them back to warm and gooey.
Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies with Oatmeal FAQs
Be sure to check out all of my other oatmeal cookies so you can get in on all the oatmeal cookie fun that I so adore in my own kitchen.
More Favorites from Fresh April Flours
Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Walnut Cookies
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup (30g) shelled walnuts
- ¾ cup + 1 and ½ Tablespoons (102g) all-purpose flour be sure to measure properly
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ½ cup (100g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons (30mL) unsulphured molasses
- 1 and ½ cups (120g) old fashioned oats do not use quick oats
- ½ cup (85g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a medium size saucepan over medium heat, heat the shelled walnuts to toast them. Keep them moving with a spatula until they start to lightly brown and smell fragrant. Allow to cool until you can touch them (about 10 minutes), then coarsely chop.⅓ cup (30g) shelled walnuts
- Remove ¼ cup (22g) of the toasted chopped walnuts to use in the recipe. I like to reserve the rest for pressing into the tops of the hot cookies1 when they come out of the oven.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside.
- In a medium size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.¾ cup + 1 and ½ Tablespoons (102g) all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon salt
- In a large bowl with a hand mixer, or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and beat on high until combined. Add the vanilla extract and molasses and beat on high again until completely combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, ½ cup (100g) firmly packed light brown sugar, 2 Tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar, 1 large egg, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 2 Tablespoons (30mL) unsulphured molasses
- Reduce the mixer speed to low, then slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat until combined. With the mixer still on low, add the oats, chocolate chips, and reserved ¼ cup of toasted walnuts.1 and ½ cups (120g) old fashioned oats, ½ cup (85g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Using a cookie scoop (I use this #50 cookie scoop for all of my standard size cookies), drop scoops of dough onto the baking sheet. Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes2 or until edges are just set. Remove from oven and allow to rest on baking sheet for at least 10 minutes. Cookies will look underdone, and will "set" as they cool on baking sheets. Store cookies covered tightly at room temperature up to 5 days. Baked cookies freeze well, as does unbaked rolled dough (up to 2 months). Do not thaw and add an extra minute to baking time.
Video
Notes
- Hot cookies: I like to press a few chocolate chips and walnut pieces into the tops of the cookies right out of the oven to give them more texture and make them look pretty.
- Bake time: it is imperative you don’t overbake these cookies, which will dry them out. They will look very underdone and you may see some bubbles on the tops of the cookies from the reaction with the leavener and the molasses. This is what you want!
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
I’ll take anything in my cookies! Chocolate, nuts, oats – I am so there!
Equal opportunity cookie lovers unite!
I followed your recipe. Our cookies are a while lot darker than yours. Not surprising considering the dark molasses in the cookies. Why are yours so light? I considerably lighter. I Delicious cookie btw.
There’s no way for me to know– but if they turned out delicious, then they were done right!
what brand of molasses did you use?
I like Grandma’s!
You know I’m all about that chocolate chip! Or raisin! Or nuts! Or anything! So glad we have kicked off your birthday month too! I can’t wait to see what else makes the list of #lynnsfavs 🙂
And um, totally jealous (and happy for you) about your holiday. Honduras looks amazing! You two totally deserve a break!
Thank you, Amy! We thoroughly enjoyed our vacation, but now it’s time to detox a bit and get back into the kitchen! I’m looking forward to sharing lots of my favs this month!
Oliver and I just attempted these cookies (our first FAF recipe!) The dough is chilling in the refrigerator and Oliver just went to sleep with the promise that he can taste his work when he wakes up!! Can’t wait to see how they turn out ????????
Oh, excellent!! Let me know how you like them, Alex! I’m sure Oliver was a great helper 🙂
Easy peasy. Smelled delicious. Glad slightly undercooked them as advised. Chewy in middle and slightly crunchy on outside. Loved the touch of the cinnamon – added a slight spice. Now about to onsume some with a coffee. Rolled rest into balls, put in plastic container and froze. Fabulous recipe. My. 11-year-old helped prep them. Thank you cookie lady 💖💖💖💖
I’m so glad you enjoyed my cookies, Velda!
Lynn, If I add raisins ( let’s say 1 cup) will I need to change baking time?
Hey, Vicky! My suggestion is to reduce the amount of chocolate chips to 2/3 cup, the walnuts to 1/3 cup, and then add about 1/2 to 3/4 cup raisins. The bake time will probably be pretty similar, but take a tip from my oatmeal raisin cookies and soak those raisins before you add them! Also, can you invite me over to taste test? 🙂
I would definitely classify myself as a cookie addict. I found this recipe and thought I would give it a try. Needless to say, it’s been added to my recipe box, and I only add recipes I know will become a staple! And they freeze well -I roll into a log and slice when when needing a treat. I decreased the molasses by a 1 tbs and cinnamon by 1/4 tsp. I thank you as does my husband.
Thanks so much for this comment, Erin! I appreciate it! I hope it serves your recipe box well for a veryyy long time 🙂
Love love this amazing cookie has all my favorite things in it and so easy to make today is a happy cookie day
Just made these yesterday and loved them. I will take a minute or two off the baking time next time. Also I used quick oats (all I had and I didn’t want to hit the store) and they were just fine, besides being slightly over cooked. So yummy and a new favorite. Thank you!
So glad you liked them, Lu!
Tried this and they were so amazing.
Thank you, Shunda!
Can I use Black Walnuts in this recipe? I will be making these later this week.
That should be fine, Nancy! Enjoy!
Thank you!
These cookies are SO good. I overbaked a batch (got distracted and missed my timer) and they were still delish, but the ones baked for 10 minutes were perfection. THanks for a great recipe!
I do this all the time, haha! But I’m glad you still enjoyed them– thanks, Ashley!
Ummm, SO good. I went looking for an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe and found this one and it did not disappoint!
Thanks so much, Jess!
Best
Hey, thanks!
This has turned into my “go to” cookie recipe! I almost can never make something without tweaking it somewhere. This recipe, IMO, calls for maple extract in lieu of vanilla, and then I typically up the fiber and lower the sugar…is it still your recipe???😊
Haha, the sentiment is still there 😉 thanks so much, Elese!
These turned out amazing!! I made this dough 3 times for a cookie exchange and it made so many cookies! Around 10 dozen 😮 I followed the recipe exactly with my kitchenaid stand mixer and then refrigerated overnight for about 5-6 batches and closer to 3 days for the last 2-3. Not only did my husband eat these for breakfast, lunch and dinner til they were gone, but my coworkers devoured them before lunch! I would maybe add a little more walnuts if you’d like them more prominent. This is a great recipe! I’ve already sent it to friends and plan on making them again someday.
Thank you so much, Cynthia! I appreciate you 🙂
One word, INCREDIBLE!!! The BEST cookies my wife and I’ve ever made! We both grew up with our mom’s making oatmeal chocolate chip pecan cookies, missed them terribly, and somehow, in moves from state-to-state for both of us, LOST our recipes!! We were devastated. We set about looking for a new similar recipe and knew each of the old recipes resembled the Nestles chocolate chip cookie recipe. But that wasn’t it and we had both tried that separately in years past. This sounded much closer despite the molasses and walnuts. In fact, we didn’t have molasses anyway so we substituted (Mrs. Butterworth’s) original, thick and rich, maple syrup – what we had on hand, and of course pecans target than walnuts (although I’m sure the walnuts are delicious too). They turned out incredible and are now our go-to cookie – well, they will be (I’m in the middle of making them for the 2nd time in three weeks). The first time I tripled the ingredients and shared with the”other” grandparents (loved them), and two young men who live next door, that do favors for us on occasion. They loved them as well! Now, the grandkids did not care for them – too much stuff in them according to the six year old, and because the two year old goes along with whatever her brother does, she only liked them when he wasn’t present!! Lol!! You definitely have winners here, thank you Lynn! I will say when I tripled the recipe, it seemed almost too many oats, which produced a drier, but still wonderful, cookie. In fact the finished product is extremely reminiscent of a cookie that Jason’s Deli serves. That cookie has cranberries rather than chocolate chips and is (was – won’t be getting them anymore), very good. Doesn’t compare to homemade. We love these cookies warmed with vanilla bean ice cream (TRY IT!!). I’ve recently found a “sort-of” love for cooking again after many years of being too ill to be able to (my wife is extremely grateful for that), I’m trying several recipes from your site after this success!! I’ll rate those as we go.
Thank you so much, Janice! I loved reading this review 🙂 I’m so happy you gave my recipe a try and enjoyed it so much! I can’t wait to hear how you like the rest of the recipes you try.
I snub store bought cookies because of the processed ingredients.
This recipe came out perfect.
I toasted the walnuts for an additional rustic flavor.
12 minute bake time for crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside.
Thank you so much for your review! I’m so happy you liked them 🙂