Easy, sugar-topped whole grain oatmeal cookies – with or without cranberries, nuts, or chocolate chips – are both crisp and chewy- a perfect combination! For more great recipes, check out the Simple Cookie Recipes page.
I hope you’re looking for a good oatmeal cookie – one with a crisp bite outside and a chewy inside – because do I have one for you. I know there are a lot of oatmeal cookie recipes out there – and I’ve tried a few – but I always come back to this favorite that I’ve made since high school (a long time, trust me!). Why? Because like my other cookie favs, whole grain chocolate chip cookies, they turn out great every time!
I’ve adapted them over the years to use all whole wheat and brown sugar and they still turn out so good you have to be careful and eat only one (or give them away or freeze them quickly – one of my tricks for eating in moderation).
My favorite version of this cookie is made with dried cranberries and walnuts as additions. Since Brian always thinks he’s been cheated if there aren’t chocolate chips in a cookie, I do make them with chocolate chips occasionally – but mostly they’re cranberry and walnut whole grain oatmeal cookies – because the baker usually gets her way, right?
If you like raisins and pecans or no nuts or only nuts, go for it! The basic recipe is perfect no matter what additions you use.
Whole Grain Oatmeal Cookies
I think one of the reasons these cookies consistently turn out great is because there are three things that I always do to make sure that they come out with that wonderful combination of crunchy top and chewy center:
1. Always use a cookie scoop.
I actually use a scoop with all the cookies I make – I love how easy this makes dropping the dough onto the baking sheet and how it helps the cookies to have a uniform shape.
2. Coat the tops of the cookies with sugar.
In the last few years I’ve started coating them with raw sugar and, oh my, does it elevate these cookies to a higher level.
3. Don’t overcook them.
They crisp up as they cool and it’s important to take them out of the oven when they still look a bit undone on top in order to achieve a center that stays soft.
It’s definitely the contrast between the crisp outside and soft inside that makes these so hard to resist. Go ahead, see for yourself.
Click the arrow for the full whole grain oatmeal cookies recipe (with print options)!
Subscribe to Organize, Plan, Cook & Beautify Your Home with Free Printables
Subscribe to AOC's popular weekly Newsletter full of useful information, behind-the-scenes updates, and occasional offers AND get access to this printable in the VIP Subscriber Library that also includes eBooks, checklists, organizing helps, and recipes - with more added regularly. We'll never send spam - read our Privacy Policy here.
Sue says
September 13 at 12:22 pmThank you so much for sharing! My picky eaters are loving so many of your recipes.
Jami says
September 13 at 1:55 pmSo happy to hear that, Sue!
Carol says
August 19 at 7:03 pmThis is the best oatmeal cookie ever! I used what was on hand, so mine had pecans instead of walnuts. I followed the rest of the recipie as written. Even the results were on point—YUM. I might have to replace my chocalate chip cookie recipie with this one!
Jami says
August 19 at 9:06 pmYeah – we think so, too! It is good with any nut or anything, really. Adding white chocolate with cranberries is another of my favorite combos. 🙂
Crystal says
June 30 at 8:19 pmYummy!! Can’t wait to make these, but I’ll have to wait til fall. It was 111 degrees here in Texas today. So, I don’t use my oven in the summer unless absolutely necessary. I will definitely be making these!! Thanks for the recipe!!
Suzanne says
June 27 at 4:56 pmI have been on the hunt for a good oatmeal cookie recipe. I have pinned this and intend to give it a try. Sounds amazing!
Thanks for sharing,
Suzanne
Pieced Pastimes
angi says
June 27 at 2:03 pmoh, my…. today I’ve made a quadrupal batch of waffles, pancake mix and biscuit mix for the freezer, banana muffins, zucchini muffins, chewy granola bars and processed tomatoes for the dehydrator. I sit down for just a minute to enjoy a muffin and cup of tea before cleaning the kitchen and I see this. I guess I need to make one more thing before cleaning up….
Jami says
June 27 at 3:35 pmWhoa, Angi, you’re making me feel like a sluggard! 🙂
angi says
June 27 at 6:23 pmSince everything but the butter was already on the counter I made these for dessert tonight. They are amazing. Oatmeal cookies are usually either very hard or very cakey, I really don’t like either. My kids are in the kitchen right now counting the cookies and dividing them up so that they each know how many is “theirs”.
No need to feel like a sluggard, we have a crazy family life right now and I need some easy freezer food and snacks. I have one teenage son who leaves at 7am for work. One who works until midnight and is hungry when he gets home . And a huband and third teenage son who are going to a conference and staying in a hotel for week. I really wanted to make some healthy snacks for them to take with them. This kind of cooking is not what I normally do each week. 🙂
Jami says
June 27 at 8:34 pmThanks for making me feel better, ha! 🙂
Charlotte Moore says
June 27 at 11:19 amNow this is my kind of cookie. I hated making cookies until I started using a cookie scoop. No way I am going to drop them by a spoonful anymore. I grind my own wheat and use sucanat too. I will be making these. I might even add a mixture of dried fruit. I do not care for chocolate chips but my husband does. I can take some of the cookie dough and add chocolate to his.
Thanks!!
Jami says
June 27 at 3:36 pmWhy have I not thought of splitting the dough in half and making us both happy instead of either/or – you’re genius! 😉
Charlotte Moore says
June 27 at 6:18 pmI do this alot. I may have 3-4 kinds from one dough. I think I might try a little orange zest withe the cranberry too. Yum!!!