Salted Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies Recipe — Chewy & Crispy

These Salted Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies strike the perfect balance of salty and sweet with a comforting oatmeal texture, generous chunks of dark chocolate, chewy raisins, plenty of vanilla, and a finishing sprinkle of flaky sea salt.

This version is inspired by Ina Garten’s Salty Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies from her book Make It Ahead. I’ve made a few small tweaks, but full credit goes to the Barefoot Contessa for the inspiration.

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter – Room temperature for proper creaming.
• Dark brown sugar – Lightly packed when measuring.
• Granulated sugar
• Vanilla extract – Pure vanilla gives deeper flavor.
• Eggs – Large, at room temperature.
• All-purpose flour – Unbleached. Substitute a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour if needed.
• Baking soda – For a soft, slightly risen texture and nice browning.
• Salt – Table salt is fine for the dough; finish with flaky sea salt.
• Old-fashioned rolled oats – Regular or quick-cooking oats work; choose Certified GF oats if making gluten-free cookies.
• Bittersweet chocolate – Roughly chopped into chunks for the best texture; chips can be used as a substitute.
• Raisins – Or swap for dried cranberries for a tangy contrast.
• Flaky sea salt – To finish the cookies with crunchy bursts of salt.
• Pecan halves – Optional; press into the center for a decorative touch.

Preheat the oven to 375°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

• In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium-high for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
• Scrape down the bowl, then on low speed add the vanilla and the eggs one at a time. Scrape the bowl again.

• Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl.
• With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar mixture, taking care not to overmix.

Gluten-free option

Swap the all-purpose flour for a dependable 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend. Ensure oats and chocolate are certified gluten-free if needed.

• Add the oats to the batter and mix by hand with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to preserve the oat texture.
• Fold in the chopped chocolate chunks and the raisins until evenly distributed.

Chopping chocolate into uneven chunks yields the best bakery-style texture and appearance, but chocolate chips work when short on time. Reserve a few extra chunks to press on top of each cookie before baking if desired.

• Scoop dough in roughly 1½-tablespoon portions (a small cookie scoop or two spoons works well) onto the prepared pans.
• Lightly sprinkle each mound with flaky sea salt.
• Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned. Remove for chewier cookies right when the edges show slight color; bake a minute or two longer for crispier cookies.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.

Finishing touch (optional)

• Use a 1-tablespoon scoop for smaller cookies. After placing each ball on the tray, press a small indentation and nestle a pecan half if you like.
• Top with a few extra chocolate chunks and a final sprinkle of flaky sea salt before baking.

Helpful tips

• For chewy centers, chill dough balls for 30 minutes before baking.
• To make ahead, scoop dough, store in sealed containers in the refrigerator up to one week or freeze up to three months.
• Swap bittersweet for semisweet or milk chocolate, or mix varieties for different flavor profiles.
• Use regular or quick-cooking oats interchangeably without a significant texture change.
• Omit the flaky salt topping for a lower-sodium option.

Recipe overview

• Yield: about 48 cookies (using 1½-tablespoon scoops)
• Bake: 10–12 minutes at 375°F

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