I perfected Vanilla Oatmeal Cookies that fold honey and quick oats into a batter with a secret step for a crisp edge and tender center to pique your curiosity.
I never meant to obsess over a cookie, but these Delicious Honey Oatmeal Cookies kept pulling me back until I had to write about them. Honey folded into old-fashioned rolled oats gives a chewy, slightly caramel note that surprised me in a good way.
I cant help tinkering, so the flavor ended up sitting somewhere between Vanilla Oatmeal Cookies and Unique Oatmeal Cookies, which felt kind of rebellious for such a plain name. People always react, some love it right away and others ask what that twist is, and that curiosity is what keeps me coming back.
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter: adds richness and tender texture, its mostly fat with little protein.
- Light brown sugar: gives caramel sweetness, mostly carbs, makes cookies chewy.
- Honey: liquid sweetener, floral flavor, makes dough sticky sometimes, mostly sugars.
- Old fashioned oats: high in fibre and complex carbs, add chew and nutty flavor.
- Egg: gives structure, protein and moisture, helps cookies hold together and brown.
- All purpose flour: provides starch and gluten for structure, mostly carbs not much fibre.
- Walnuts: add crunch, omega-3 fats and protein, boost satiety and nutty flavor.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup (114 g) honey
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
- 2 cups (180 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup raisins or chopped walnuts optional
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
2. In a large bowl cream 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter and 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar until light and a little fluffy — okay wait, dont use that character. Use a spoon or hand mixer, either works.
3. Beat in 1/3 cup honey, 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth; if your honey is thick warm it a few seconds in the microwave so it mixes easier.
4. In another bowl whisk together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon if using.
5. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet just until combined, dont overmix or the cookies get tough.
6. Fold in 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats and 1/2 cup raisins or chopped walnuts if you want them; if dough seems too wet add a tablespoon more oats, if too dry add a teaspoon of honey or a splash of milk.
7. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough (or use a small cookie scoop) onto the prepared sheet about 2 inches apart, then gently press each mound down so they spread evenly while baking.
8. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until edges are golden and centers look set; for chewier cookies pull them out a bit earlier, for crisper let them go a minute longer.
9. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 4 to 5 minutes so they firm up, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Store in an airtight container at room temp up to 4 days or freeze for longer; to freshen refrigerated or frozen cookies pop them in a warm oven for a few minutes.
Equipment Needed
1. Baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
2. Two mixing bowls, one big for the wet stuff one small for the dry
3. Hand mixer or a sturdy wooden spoon (either works)
4. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
5. Whisk for the dry ingredients
6. Rubber spatula for folding and scraping the bowl
7. Small cookie scoop or a tablespoon to portion the dough
8. Wire cooling rack to cool the cookies
9. Oven mitts or potholders
10. Microwave safe bowl to warm thick honey if needed
FAQ
Delicious Honey Oatmeal Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Butter (1/2 cup): swap with 1/2 cup solid coconut oil or vegan margarine, same volume; it’ll bake the same, but might give a faint coconut-y taste so chill the dough if your kitchen is warm.
- Honey (1/3 cup): use 1/3 cup maple syrup or agave nectar 1:1; slightly thinner than honey so cookies can brown a bit faster, keep an eye on them while baking.
- Egg (1 large): use a flax egg made from 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water, let sit 5 minutes; gives good binding for a vegan version.
- All-purpose flour (1 cup): substitute with 1 cup white whole wheat or a 1:1 gluten free flour blend; if the GF blend has no xanthan gum add 1/4 teaspoon for structure.
Pro Tips
1. Toast the oats and any nuts first, it wakes up their flavor and gives the cookies a toasty depth. Let them cool completely before mixing so they dont make the dough greasy.
2. Weigh your flour and oats when you can. Cups lie, a kitchen scale does not. If you have only cups, spoon the flour into the cup then level it off instead of scooping.
3. If you want thicker, chewier cookies chill the dough for 20 to 30 minutes. It firms the butter a bit so the cookies dont spread as much and the flavors meld together better.
4. Try browning the butter for a nutty, caramel note, or briefly soak raisins in hot water, tea, or a splash of rum to plump them up. Add a tiny pinch of flaky salt on top before baking for contrast, people love that combo.
Delicious Honey Oatmeal Cookies Recipe
I perfected Vanilla Oatmeal Cookies that fold honey and quick oats into a batter with a secret step for a crisp edge and tender center to pique your curiosity.
12
servings
254
kcal
Equipment: 1. Baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
2. Two mixing bowls, one big for the wet stuff one small for the dry
3. Hand mixer or a sturdy wooden spoon (either works)
4. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
5. Whisk for the dry ingredients
6. Rubber spatula for folding and scraping the bowl
7. Small cookie scoop or a tablespoon to portion the dough
8. Wire cooling rack to cool the cookies
9. Oven mitts or potholders
10. Microwave safe bowl to warm thick honey if needed
Ingredients
-
1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter softened
-
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
-
1/3 cup (114 g) honey
-
1 large egg
-
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-
1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
-
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
-
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
-
1/2 teaspoon salt
-
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
-
2 cups (180 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
-
1/2 cup raisins or chopped walnuts optional
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- In a large bowl cream 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter and 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar until light and a little fluffy — okay wait, dont use that character. Use a spoon or hand mixer, either works.
- Beat in 1/3 cup honey, 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth; if your honey is thick warm it a few seconds in the microwave so it mixes easier.
- In another bowl whisk together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon if using.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the wet just until combined, dont overmix or the cookies get tough.
- Fold in 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats and 1/2 cup raisins or chopped walnuts if you want them; if dough seems too wet add a tablespoon more oats, if too dry add a teaspoon of honey or a splash of milk.
- Drop rounded tablespoons of dough (or use a small cookie scoop) onto the prepared sheet about 2 inches apart, then gently press each mound down so they spread evenly while baking.
- Bake 10 to 12 minutes until edges are golden and centers look set; for chewier cookies pull them out a bit earlier, for crisper let them go a minute longer.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 4 to 5 minutes so they firm up, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container at room temp up to 4 days or freeze for longer; to freshen refrigerated or frozen cookies pop them in a warm oven for a few minutes.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 72g
- Total number of serves: 12
- Calories: 254kcal
- Fat: 9.3g
- Saturated Fat: 5.1g
- Trans Fat: 0.05g
- Polyunsaturated: 0.5g
- Monounsaturated: 2.1g
- Cholesterol: 35.8mg
- Sodium: 171mg
- Potassium: 120mg
- Carbohydrates: 39.5g
- Fiber: 2.3g
- Sugar: 22.2g
- Protein: 3.8g
- Vitamin A: 260IU
- Vitamin C: 0.2mg
- Calcium: 16.5mg
- Iron: 0.88mg
