Ina Garten Salty Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Ina Garten salty oatmeal chocolate chunk cookies are an easy bake made with oats, bittersweet chocolate and dried cranberries, ready in 30 minutes. It's an easy make ahead dessert for fall, summer or friends coming over, and it's a big batch recipe you can portion, freeze and bake fresh later.

Decide before you mix if you want thin and crisp or chewy, because the dough handling is what controls the texture. Bake the scoops straight from the bowl for crisp cookies, and chill them first for chewy centers.

Ina Garten couldn't pick between oatmeal cookies and chocolate chunk cookies for her friends, so she combined them in Make It Ahead (2014). Dried cranberries add tartness and a sprinkle of fleur de sel finishes them, which is why she calls them her all-time favorite.

Source: Make It Ahead (2014)

Ina Garten Salty Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

28

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

12

minutes

Calories

230

kcal

Oats and chopped bittersweet chocolate make a cookie that is buttery, chewy and crisp at the edges. Tart cranberries and flaky salt on top keep every bite from tasting too sweet.

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  

• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
  

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  

• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
  

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  

• 1 teaspoon baking soda
  

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  

• 1 1/4 cups old-fashioned oats, such as Quaker
  

• 3/4 pound bittersweet chocolate, such as Lindt, chopped in chunks
  

• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
  

• Fleur de sel
  

Directions

• Prep the oven: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 3 sheet pans with parchment paper so the cookies lift off easily.
• Cream the butter: Beat 1/2 pound butter, 3/4 cup light brown sugar and 3/4 cup granulated sugar on medium-high speed for 3 minutes. It's ready when the mixture looks light and fluffy, so scrape down the bowl.
• Add vanilla and eggs: Turn the mixer to low and add the vanilla, then the 2 eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the bowl again so everything is evenly mixed.
• Mix the dry ingredients: While the mixer runs, sift 1 3/4 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon kosher salt into a medium bowl. Then stir in the 1 1/4 cups oats.
• Combine the dough: With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stop as soon as it comes together. Then stir in the chocolate and cranberries by hand until the dough is well mixed.
• Scoop the cookies: Use a 1 3/4-inch ice cream scoop, or two spoons, to drop round balls of dough onto the sheet pans. Sprinkle each one lightly with fleur de sel.
• Bake and serve: Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until nicely browned. Serve them warm or at room temperature.

Tools for this recipe

• Nordic Ware half sheet pan, Reynolds unbleached parchment paper, OXO medium cookie scoop, Le Saunier de Camargue fleur de sel. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

How do I make these cookies thin and crisp or chewy?

It all comes down to whether the dough is chilled. Bake scoops straight from the mixing bowl for thin, crisp cookies. Chill the balls of dough first if you want chewy centers with crisp edges.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes, that's what makes this recipe so handy. Scoop the dough into balls, seal them in containers and refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost and bake whenever you need them.

How do I store and reheat baked cookies?

Keep the baked cookies in plastic bags. To bring back that fresh-baked feel, reheat them for 5 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Can I swap the dried cranberries?

Dried cherries or raisins would work in a pinch, since they also add a chewy, tart-sweet bite. The cranberries cut through the rich chocolate, so keep something tart in the mix.

What's the most common mistake with these cookies?

Overmixing the dough once the flour goes in is the big one. It makes the cookies tough instead of tender, so mix on low and stop as soon as it comes together.