Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
I'm posting this recipe not because these are the best oatmeal chocolate chip cookies ever of all time. They're good, but...I'm posting the recipe, because they make amazing ice cream sandwich cookies. And it's prime ice cream sandwich season.
I'm pretty sure the last thing anyone needs is another oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe. I mean, the sense I get is that most people have their OMG favorite recipe, and tend to stick with it. Except, perhaps, for those times when you're lured away by an off-beat recipe incorporating something like corn flakes, or, I don't know - toffee. But those are just flings, right?
Anyhow, I wasn't planning on posting this recipe, I was just playing around with a bag of Massa Whole Wheat Flour, and the last of the oats in my refrigerator. This was the result. I'm posting the recipe not because they're the best oatmeal chocolate chip cookies ever of all time. They're really good (promise!), but...I'm mainly posting the recipe, because they make amazing ice cream sandwich cookies. And it's prime ice cream sandwich season.
Cook these cookies long enough, then let them cool, and you'll have thin, snappy, super-oaty cookies. They'll be structured enough to embrace a smear of your favorite vanilla, or coffee, or mint chip ice cream.
More Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes
- David Lebovitz's Great Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
- Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Itsy Bitsy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Mesquite Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Itsy Bitsy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Or explore more favorite cookie recipes - I especially love the classics like these shortbread cookies, these limoncello macaroons, these ginger cookies, or these special snickerdoodles. Have fun baking!
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Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
As with most cookies, I bake these to order. The dough freezes well. Bake off as many as you want, then portion off any leftover dough into appropriately sized balls. Double-bag, then freeze. You can bake these straight out of the freezer, you'll just need to tack on a few minutes of extra baking time (because the dough will be colder). Your cookies won't be quite as flat or snappy, but they are delicious just the same, and will still work for ice-cream sandwiches.
- 2 3/4 cup / 9 oz / 255 rolled oats (not instant)
- 1 cup / 4.5 oz / 125 g whole wheat flour
- 2/3 cup / 1 1/2 oz / 45 g wheat bran (or germ)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- 1 cup / 8 oz / 225 g unsalted butter
- 1 cup / 6.5 oz / 185 g natural cane sugar or light brown sugar
- 1 cup / 6 oz / 170 g firmly packed Muscovado or dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 10 oz / 285 g semi-sweet chocolate bar, chopped and shaved into chunks and splinters
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Preheat the oven to 350F / 180 C, with racks placed in the middle. Line two baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper and set aside.
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In a medium bowl combine the oats, flour, wheat bran, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
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Either by hand, or using an electric mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in sugar for 3+ minutes, scraping down sides a few times along the way. Incorporate the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla - scraping the sides of the bowl another time or two. Add the dry mixture, and stir until everything barely comes together. Then stir in the chocolate, mixing until it is evenly distributed throughout the dough.
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Use a small ice-cream scoop, spoon, or 1/4 cup measuring cup, to make uniform dough balls. I used a metal 1/4-cup measuring cup, filling it about 3/4 full. Arrange each cookie at least 3-inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. They'll flatten out quite a bit. For extra crisp cookies, bake until deeply, deeply golden on the bottom, about 15+ minutes. Rotate the pans once about 2/3 the way through baking - back to front, top to bottom. Like your cookies a little chewier? Bake for less time. Cool on a rack.
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Comments
Hi Heidi! I make these all the time and they have become a household favorite. I double the recipe (add toasted pecans), shape them, flash freeze them and then bake them off when we need a hostess gift, or just a simple treat! Thanks for a truly fabulous recipe!
I made these a few nights ago (and just cooked the second half of the batch that I had frozen). They were great!
I made some changes though. I cut the sugar in half (and used half agave syrup instead of sugar). Also, instead of flour and wheat bran, I used 1 and 2/3 cup of spent beer grains.
What’s that, you ask? Well, I brew beer, which means that I periodically have 10-15lbs of malt (whole grain sprouted barley and wheat) on my hands that has been soaked (to extract most of the sugars). Instead of throwing these in the garbage/compost, I’ve taken to drying/roasting these in the oven, then grinding them up into flour. They make great pancakes, waffles and… cookies!
These are really good! I baked them all three days ago and they are still holding up. Instead of butter I used 3oz of applesauce and I think they are the best dairy-free cookies I’ve ever made!
So I just made a batch, and they’re cooling… the whole house smells so good. I thought if I sat down to leave a comment, I’d be able to wait till they cooled, but…. hold on, I’ll be right back.
Oh my, these are good. The mint ice cream awaits, no more time to write.
Hi! I just made these for company and sent them to an army friend of mine stationed far away. They are unanimously good! I photographed the outcome and posted your recipe and a link on my blog. Thank you so much for this recipe! Your recipes have never failed me. 🙂
HS: Love your pics Johanna!
Great. I put carrots and pumpkin seeds in instead, didn’t use wheat bran. And they were just lovely. Very good
Heidi:
These cookies are my husbands favorite cookies as well as mine. This recipe is FABULOUS!!!
These were a HUGE hit with the kids I nanny for, especially when I told them we chef up some ice cream sandwiches. Thanks for all your wonderful recipes!
I just made these awesome cookies and loved them! They have the right balance so they don’t “taste” healthy, yet they are! I threw in a hand full of hemp hearts and it added a lovely nutty flavour!
made these for my husband..he loves oatmeal cookies and i am trying to get more fiber in his diet. i used the bran and replaced the choc with chopped dates. they are great! thanks
I’m so pleased to have found your site. It is recommended in the The Sunday Times as one of the top 50 blogs. You are a class act. Congratulations.
As a mother of 2 little ones and a chocolate blogger who is constantly baking, I always double the recipe and make half of the recipe using organic ingredients and whole grain flours, etcetera, so I don’t feel guilty letting my little guys enjoy some of mommy’s special baked treats.
D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S is the only word to describe this brilliant recipe. I myself didn’t make them, but had the pleasure of tasting this oustanding mouth watering cookie concoction. Who knew
that healthy could be mixed with delicious. It’s yet another baking suprise.
I have to agree with you Suhada. My youngest even told me that how come it is only now that a tried this kind of recipe. I used to make cookies but not from oatmeal. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I must say I am picking a lot from your blog posts.
My family love this recipe so much. It’s now an official family snack! I am grateful that I don’t have to buy cookies outside anymore.
Love this recipe! My new favorite chocolate chip cookie! I have tried many whole wheat flour cookie recipes but none this good! Thanks
not vegan recipe calls for eggs
Oh, these oatmeal chocolate chip cooks look wonderful, and I like the whole wheat twist and that the dough is freezer friendly. I am going to have to make this recipe!
Would have never thought to use the whole wheat flour and wheat bran. I can totally see these “snappy” cookies with a big scoop of vanilla bean ice cream between them. Great summer dessert alternative – the kids love anything even resembling an ice cream sandwich.
These are so, so yummy. I made them for a small dinner party and we slathered luna & larry’s vanilla coconut milk ice cream in the middle. It was outrageously good. Everyone said it was the best ice cream sandwich they had ever had! Thanks Heidi!
Great cookies. I made them with natural applesauce for half the butter; Splenda brown sugar mix for the dark brown sugar and 10 oz. each white chocolate chips and chopped macadamia nuts. My wife raved about their flavor. They will be my go to cookie for sure.
I made these this afternoon and they were super easy. I thought I could cut down on the sugar (I only used 1 cup dark sugar and a 1/4 cup cane) but it wasn’t really enough. It did bring out the salt a little which was a nice contrast to the choc. I guess if you are going to bake cookies like this you have go the whole hog 🙂 They are still delicious though. I might try Nikki’s banana cookie recipe for a lower sugar fix next time.
I like to replace about 1/2 the butter in chocolate chip cookie recipes (oatmeal or otherwise) with peanut butter. For the dairy-free, perhaps 1/2 peanut butter and 1/2 coconut oil
My grandma used to make oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and bring them to me warm when she picked me up from soccer practice. Today she moved into an assisted living home, and it seemed only fitting to make these to honor her as she moves into this next phase…I didn’t have wheat bran, but used flax meal instead. They are great. Thanks for the late night baking therapy inspiration! 🙂
So good…i almost ate half the batter before getting the cookies in the oven. Yum!
The words “whole wheat” and “chocolate chip” just don’t belong in teh same sentence. Neither do the words “whole wheat” and “cookie”.
These cookies are inspiring. I just made my first carob chip cookies withwhole wheat flour. Now I’ going to add the oatmeal too!
Thankf for the recipe!
I’ll definitely be giving the spelt flour and oat bran a go (could I just grind some oats, or do I need germ?). These look fab!
I like to replace about 1/2 the butter in chocolate chip cookie recipes (oatmeal or otherwise) with peanut butter. For the dairy-free, perhaps 1/2 peanut butter and 1/2 coconut oil?
These are really great with pecans and chocolate chips in them. I know that it is rich but, it is worth it.
I’m always on the lookout for another great oatmeal cookie recipe. I am a firm believer in reinventing the wheel. Do we update our phones? Yes. Do we update our computers? Yes. Cars? Of course. Did I update from my rollersaktes to rollerblades? Well, no (I will forever be rollerdisco girl), but I’ve updated about everything else. Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies? I’m in!!
Heidi~ I’ll be making these delicious looking cookies this weekend, and I can’t wait!!! Lisa @ bakedinmaine.com
I made these last night but I did not have any chocolate so I put in dutch-processed coca powder. They came out so chocolate and amazing! Especially with the ice cream 🙂
Heidi~ I’ll be making these delicious looking cookies this weekend, and I can’t wait!!! Lisa @ bakedinmaine.com
i made these tonight for friends and smashed some vanilla ice cream in between them. a-mazing! thank you so much for the brilliant idea! if i were to do it again, i’d cut the sugar or up the flour a tiny bit. i like my cookies on the less sweet side, but that’s just me. i didn’t hear any complaints from my friends who scarfed them. thanks!
i made these tonight for friends and smashed some vanilla ice cream in between them. a-mazing! thank you so much for the brilliant idea! if i were to do it again, i’d cut the sugar or up the flour a tiny bit. i like my cookies on the less sweet side, but that’s just me. i didn’t hear any complaints from my friends who scarfed them. thanks!
I’d like to do more cooking with whole wheat but most times I can taste a difference. This recipe looks really good though, and I can imagine coffee Häagen-Dazs smushed between two cookies. Yum!
I love how almost everything out here is so healthy! It makes me feel good about baking from your website because then I can boast to momma that I took that extra step to be a little health conscious.
Just want to say, you’re right on about that maple grilled tempeh – I’ve used that, pre-grilled and cooled, as my go-to sandwich item our last three camping trips. With pickled red onions, mayo, sliced cucumber and yard lettuce? Uh huh.
I love ice cream sandwiches, I love oatmeal cookies and now I love this!
These are as good as they look…Thank you!
oh you sold me at oatmeal. but the ice cream sandwich combo is very enticing :). plus, i’ve never tried massa whole wheat flour, which sounds interesting, even if it isn’t!
Once again you have turned my mouth into a faucet. You are my idol. Thanks again!!!
Mmm, cookies. will there ever be a flavour I don’t love? I certainly hope not 🙂 gooey bitesized goodness!
http://dessert–rose.blogspot.com/
Even before you mentioned the ice cream, I was already there with these awesome flat cookies. Perfect for the sandwich of the ice cream variety!
Do you think these could be made with spelt flour and oat bran? Or would they fall apart? Cause you’re right, the ice cream sandwich-ability is KEY
HS: You know, I think those would make good substitutions. Let me know if you give them a try.
I love the idea of using the “healthy” oatmeal cookies to sandwich some sinful ice cream!!
These have just come out of the oven- they are great although a little too sweet for me so next time I will reduce the sugar. Apart from that yum!
Ok. Thanks, I think, for reminding me it is definitely time to try another oatmeal cookie recipe. Thanks, because you gave the idea, and thanks, because you gave me the recipe.
I just tried this recipe today. These cookies are delicious! Mine came out crispy and gooey. SOOOO GOOD.
Of course we need another chocolate chip cookie recipe! These would be perfect for ice cream sandwiches, especially if they’re soft. These would go great with your frozen yogurt recipe.
I love any recipe that involves using up some leftovers and a little inspiration.
Wow I’ve been craving an ice cream sandwich lately and looking for a good soft & chewy cookie recipe to make them with. You can never have too many cookie recipes!
mmmmm ice cream sandwiches!!!! I love soft and chewy cookies if I’m eating them by themselves but a crisper cookie is a must when you want to pair them with cookies! These cookies look amazing!!!
This is going to sound weird, but years ago I had a vivid dream that I was eating the best ever ice cream sandwich the world could offer. It was two thin, snappy, oaty spice cookies,with a thick layer of peach sherbet in between. It was so good, I was sad to wake up, and ever since, I’ve thought about making it. I bet your recipe, with spice instead of chocolate chips, would be It. I’m going to try it out and let you know.
i tend to like a thicker, chewier cookie. are these crispy?
I don’t have a favorite oatmeal chocolate cookie recipe. I admit it. I’m still on the lookout. So I’ll give yours a try and I’ll definitely serve them with lots of ice cream!
Magda
While I do have a favorite oatmeal cookie recipe, that doesn’t mean it can’t be upgraded. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
omg! coffee ice cream would be the BEST with those cookies! great idea!
These cookies look so wonderful! I looked for an oatmeal cookie recipe today but this one looks wonderful. I think I might use it 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Hey while we are talking about cookies… I made ‘nikki’s healthy cookies’ awhile back and wow! So nice and the kids just loved that I kept saying yes when they asked for one after another, after another, after another………..
So nice to have a ‘treat’ that is just as good for you as a bowl of muesli and fruit! 😉
Cookies & Ice Cream….is there really anything any better?
I love how one recipe usually sparks something else, like ice cream sandwiches. That’s the best part of cooking.
Yes! The chocolate in splinters and slivers means many melty mouthfuls of yumminess! I also like using my processor to slightly pulverize the oats into smaller bits (and some walnuts) which gives the cookie a truly nutty flavor. Thanks for the idea of the ice cream sandwiches–that would be a great dessert for my in-laws tomorrow evening! Any other ideas for chocolate chip cookies? Thanks very much Heidi!
I’ve never used wholemeal flour to bake cookies before – does that mean I get to eat more of them ‘cos they’re good for me??
Mmmmmmmmmm milk and cookies, I need to make these for an after work treat!
Yum! I love that these cookies have wheat germ…makes you not feel so guilty for indulging 🙂
I have never made chocolate chip cookie at home, this sounds like my OMG recipe… I have one doubt, I see that you have added 2 cups of brown sugar (light and dark), won’t that make this cookie really sweet or it is just perfect. Thanks.
You can never have too many cookie recipes. Especially when they are even better paired with ice cream 🙂
These cookies look so good! I actually don’t have a staple one, and I’ve been searching for an oatmeal chocolate chip recipe to veganize and then use to make ice cream sandwiches with some of my homemade pure vegetarian (vegan) ice cream for my blog — before summer is suddenly over. I just might try using this recipe!
Alyssa
Heidi – you know how to tempt me. I prefer thicker and chewier cookies (using primarily the same recipe for 15 years) so I almost snubbed these when I saw they were flat. Then I read your post about using them for ice cream sandwich cookies – brilliant, again. Thanks!
I’m going to make these for my meat/sugar eating man and I can’t wait until he tries the double broccoli quinoa. It makes my tummy happy!
Is it weird that I don’t have a favorite oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe? I don’t even think I’ve eaten that flavor combination before, haha. I will be saving this recipe for future use, though, because oatmeal + chocolate sounds heavenly. And you’re right! It is primetime for ice cream sandwiches.
I love whole wheat, I love oats, and I love chocolate. Here is a recipe that puts my three of my favorites all together.
I recently made cookies with coarse sea salt, which proved to be a hit, as we could bite into a piece of salt, for an extra flavor pop.
These look fantastic. I think that possibly subbing out the chocolate for raisans would be a nice little variation on them as well.
My favorite oatmeal cookie recipe hails from The Cook’s Bible by Christopher Kimball. He adds just a bit extra salt to his cookie. We don’t make them that often now that we are trying to stay away from white flour and white sugar. Your version, with the more whole ingredients, is going to have to be tested out in our kitchen. I will let you know, Heidi, if we can stop at just one cookie or not – your photos make it look like stopping at just one cookie would be near impossible. Carolina
Well of course we have an OMG favorite recipe but of course we make any other recipe that might tempt us…like this one. Love flat and crunchy – definitely on the make asap list!
I love it ^_^
Always love the whole grain baked good recipes. Thanks.
I have no qualms about the sweet posts! . . . I’ve realized that I have a disproportionate amount of desserts on my own recipe page. 🙂 You are so good a tempting me with recipes!
Oh my gosh, they really do sound like they would be perfect for an ice cream sandwich! yum!
It is interesting how snack foods are very different between countries. In Australia I have never heard of oatmeal with chocolate chips. I think I might need to give it a go.
Oats, Chaocolateare and Whole wheat are health, tasty and stomach full respectively. Recips are nice.
These must taste SO good with coffee ice cream! Mmm thanks for posting this, I was just looking for a good, simple cookie recipe.
You can never have enough chocolate cookies (or biscuits, as we say here in the UK) recipes! These are making me hungry.
I love cookie recipes that call for whole wheat/grains. These sound delish!
I’ve actually never made oatmeal cookies with whole wheat flour, so thank you for posting this! 🙂
These look lovely. They look textural and chewy – kind of like a chocolate Anzac.
When I read thin and snappy as descriptions of this cookie, I thought they would be perfect for ice cream. Indeed these cookies would be a good vessel to hold vanilla ice cream.
These cookies look perfect and flat and crisp – and just right for thoce ice cream sandwich cookies. I love ice cream sandwihes and these will be perfect.
Do you think it would work to use part oil instead of all butter? Husband has high cholesterol issues!
These look like some cookies, and anything with chocolate really makes me want to try the recipe, regardless of me sticking to a certain recipe or not. Great post, Heidi! And lovely photos!
I think you might be on to something. We do have a favorite CCC, but I do believe a separate, crisp and snappy item might be better suited to the (over-the-top) ice cream sandwich. To the head of the class…
Wow, these look great! Now you’re making me want an It’s-It, and I haven’t had one in years . . .
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