Small Batch Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

This Small Batch Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe makes 8 cookies that are chewy, chocolatey, and full of rolled oats. They are more filling than a regular cookie, and easy to make. The recipe takes only 20 minutes from start to finish.

This cookie dough makes only one baking sheet worth of cookies. You’re saving time by not doing multiple batches, and you’re not left with too many to nibble on throughout the day, or to eventually toss out. Just enough for everyone to have one or two.

Making a small batch is a great way to go if you just need a little something sweet, or a quick afternoon treat for yourself or your kids after school. But if you're craving traditional chocolate chip cookies, here's a recipe for a small batch of chocolate chip cookies or for crispy chocolate chip cookies a recipe for a small batch of crispy chocolate chip cookies.

In addition to small-batch cookie recipes, I have also developed a number of bakery-style oversized cookies. These are large chewy cookies, sometimes with an extra crunch, like these White Chocolate Pretzel Cookies, or these White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies. But I also love these classic Chocolate Chip Cafe Cookies.

What to Know About Small Batch Ingredient Proportions

Small batch: The trick with making a small batch of cookies is that because the total volume of dough is so little, any small measurement difference in any of the ingredients can make a big difference in how the cookie tastes.

Evenly distribute ingredients: It is very important to evenly distribute the ingredients when mixing the cookie dough, which also means scraping down the bowl as you go. I mix this dough by hand (as I do most cookie doughs – personal preference), but in this case, because there’s so little dough it may be hard to mix this with a hand held mixer or stand mixer as the dough might just get all caught up in the beaters.

Egg yolk: Another very important note: use only the egg yolk. Do NOT include the egg white. There is so little cookie dough to incorporate the egg into. If you were to add the egg white the cookie would be 100% different. It would be cakey and not have that satisfying chewy oat texture.

Ingredients

Below you'll find a photo of the ingredients needed to make these cookies as well as some helpful information about the ingredients.

• Butter: ensure the butter is softened to room temperature. Melted butter will create flat cookies.
• Brown sugar: sweetness plus molasses flavor.
• Granulated sugar: sweetness.
• Egg yolk: using just 1 egg yolk (and not an egg with the egg white) is the best way to use eggs in a small batch of cookies like this. Adding the egg white would make these cookies too cakey.
• Vanilla extract: use real vanilla extract. The most economical way to purchase vanilla extract is at Costco (only if you bake somewhat regularly). One bottle lasts over a year for an avid baker.
• Salt: enhances flavor.
• Baking soda: for leavening.
• Flour: just a small amount to help bring the ingredients together. Use all-purpose unbleached.
• Rolled oats: Be sure to use rolled oats, not steel cut.
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips: any brand will do. Semi-sweet is best, but can easily be substituted for milk chocolate or dark chocolate depending on your preference.

Oatmeal Cookie vs. Chocolate Chip Cookie

This Small Batch Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe is designed to be heavy on the “oatmeal cookie” and lighter on the “chocolate chip cookie”. I have included a lot more oats than flour so that the cookie more closely resembles an oatmeal raisin cookie in consistency and less so resembles a traditional chocolate chip cookie.

However, I have added plenty of chocolate chips so that you get lots of melty chocolate throughout each cookie. There is ¾ cup of rolled oats and only ⅓ cup of flour, which makes for a nice chewy oatmeal cookie.

To Add Cinnamon or Not to Add Cinnamon

This recipe does not include cinnamon. I have made these cookies both ways, with and without cinnamon, and my preference is to leave out the cinnamon. Because these cookies do not have raisins or cranberries that you would normally have in an oatmeal raisin cookie (the fruitiness pairs well with cinnamon), the cinnamon just tastes a bit out of place to me.

Everyone has their preferences, and if you like cinnamon in your oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, feel free to add it here. Somewhere along the lines of ¼ teaspoon would do the trick.

How to Make a Small Batch of Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've outlined the steps for making a small batch of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies below along with accompanying photos of each step of the process.

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, add the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar and mix to combine. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and mix until incorporated.

Step 2. Add the salt and baking soda and stir to combine. Add the flour and combine.

Step 3. Add the rolled oats and combine, and lastly add the chocolate chips and stir to combine.

Adding the ingredients one at a time will help to ensure that they are evenly incorporated which is important with such a small batter. Be sure to scrape down the sides of your bowl with your spoon as you are mixing.

Step 4. Scoop about 2 tbsps worth of dough per cookie onto a baking sheet. I will often use my hands to help shape each ball of dough because the dough can be crumbly with all of the oats. Once on the baking sheet, flatten each cookie slightly.

Step 5. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes.

Expert Tips and Tricks

• Mix by hand: Mix the dough by hand with a large spoon. Because it is a small batch using a stand mixer or a handheld mixer is not helpful. There is so little dough that it would all get caught up in the beaters and not mix properly.
• Add ingredients one at a time: Mix the ingredients one at a time to ensure that they are fully incorporated. This is extra important in a small batch of dough.
• Shaping the cookies: When shaping the cookie dough into balls use your fingers to press the dough gently but firmly together. When the dough comes out of the oven, if you want perfectly circular cookies (totally not necessary, uneven cookies have more character!) you can turn a glass upside down around the cookie and gently circle it around the cookie to give it an even circular shape.
• Flatten the cookies: Using your hands or the back of the spoons, flatten the cookies slightly so that they are not poofy.

Small Batch Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie FAQs

Interested in other cookie recipes? You may enjoy these:

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