There’s something about oatmeal cookies that feels predictable, like you already know how they’re going to turn out, but in a good way. They’re not exciting, and certainly not trendy…they’re just reliable.

These old-fashioned oatmeal walnut cookies are the kind of cookie you make when you want something simple, but not boring.

I made these cookies on a day when I didn’t feel like digging through a dozen mix-ins in the pantry or testing anything new. I just wanted a cookie that would work. And these did exactly that.

They’re soft in the middle, a little golden around the edges, and have enough texture from the oats and walnuts to make them feel like more than just a basic cookie.

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Ingredient Notes

• Old-fashioned oats give the cookies the best texture. They hold their shape and give the cookies that classic chew. Quick oats will work too, but the cookies will be softer and a little less textured.
• Light or dark brown sugar will both work for these cookies. I usually use dark brown sugar, since it’s doing most of the heavy lifting for moisture and chew. Plus it adds a slightly deeper flavor, which I love in an oatmeal cookie.
• Unsalted, room temperature butter is the best option. If you use salted butter, you may want to pull back just slightly on the added salt, so the cookies aren’t too salty.
• You can use up to 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon (if you’re a big cinnamon fan) in these cookies, but I try to keep it light. This isn’t a spice cookie, we just want a little something in the background.
• Chop the walnuts small enough to distribute evenly, but not so fine that they disappear into the dough.

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, and sugar together using an electric mixer on medium speed for 1–2 minutes, until smooth and light in color.
3. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix for another minute, just until combined.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and sea salt.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until the dough looks crumbly but not fully combined.
6. Switch to a spatula or wooden spoon and fold in the oats and chopped walnuts until the dough comes together.
7. Using a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop, portion the dough onto your prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
8. Bake for 10–11 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden. The centers will still look soft, and that’s exactly what you want.
9. If you like, sprinkle a little flaky salt over the tops while they’re still warm.
10. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

My Baking Sheets

They heat evenly, don’t warp, and give you that golden finish every time. Simple, sturdy, and really good at what they do.

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Recipe Tips & Notes

• Once the flour goes in, mix just until the dough comes together. Overmixing can take these from soft and chewy to a little tougher than you want.
• The dough will be soft. That’s normal. Between the butter and oats, it shouldn’t feel stiff. If it looks slightly loose, it’s still right on track.
• If you have a few extra minutes, let the dough sit for 5–10 minutes before scooping. It helps the oats absorb some moisture and gives you thicker, more even cookies.
• A cookie scoop makes a difference here. Keeping the dough portions consistent helps everything bake evenly and gives that classic bakery look.
• Pull them from the oven when the tops look set and the edges are lightly golden. The centers will still be soft, they’ll finish setting as they cool.

Storage Recommendations

Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days. They stay soft and hold up well. For longer storage, freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months.

You can also freeze the dough. Scoop into balls, freeze on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag. Bake straight from frozen, adding an extra minute or two to the bake time.

Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Walnut Cookies

By: Kristine Underwood

Classic oatmeal walnut cookies with soft centers, lightly crisp edges, and a hearty texture from rolled oats and chopped walnuts. Simple, reliable, and easy to make with pantry staples.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Sweets & Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 16 cookies

Calories 188 kcal

Equipment

• Baking sheets
• 3 tablespoon cookie scoop

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (light or brown, packed)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup flour (all-purpose, spooned and leveled)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon (up to 1 teaspoon, to taste)
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 1/2 cup rolled oats (old-fashioned)
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl cream butter, brown sugar, and sugar together for 1-2 minutes with an electric mixer on medium speed until light colored and smooth.
  1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup sugar
• Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix for an additional minute, just until combined.
  1 egg, 2 tsp vanilla extract
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and sea salt.
  1 cup flour, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp sea salt
• Add dry ingredients to the wet and mix until crumbly, but not fully incorporated.
• Using a rubber spatula or large wooden spoon, fold in oats and raisins until the dough comes together.
  1 1/2 cup rolled oats, 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
• Using a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop dough and place on baking sheets 2 inches apart.
• Bake for 10-11 minutes until golden brown on the edges. The center of the cookies will look soft and underdone, but they’ll firm up as they cool.
• When cookies are done baking, remove from oven and lightly sprinkle the tops of each cookie with flaky salt, if using.
• Allow cookies to sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Store cookies in an airtight container for up 3-4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

• Once the flour goes in, mix just until the dough comes together. Overmixing can make the cookies tougher instead of soft and chewy.
• The dough will be soft. That’s what you want. Between the butter and oats, it shouldn’t feel stiff. If it looks a little loose, don’t panic, it bakes up just right I promise.
• Let the dough sit for 5–10 minutes (if you have time). This isn’t required, but it gives the oats a chance to absorb a little moisture, which helps the cookies bake up thicker and more even.
• Use a cookie scoop. A 3 tablespoon scoop works well here. Keeping them the same size helps them bake evenly and gives you that classic, bakery-style look.
• Don’t overbake these cookies. Pull them when the tops look set and the edges are lightly golden. The centers will still look soft, that’s exactly what you want. They’ll finish setting as they cool.
• If your cookies spread too much, your butter may have been too soft, or the dough got too warm. Next time, let the dough sit for a few minutes or add a tablespoon of flour.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 cookieCalories: 188kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 3gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 78mgPotassium: 76mgFiber: 1gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 194IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 1mg