Easy Oatmeal Cookies Recipe with Few Ingredients

You know that feeling: the sudden, desperate craving for a warm, spiced, and chewy cookie. But who has the time—or the patience—to pull out a dozen ingredients, softening butter and measuring flour? You shouldn’t have to. That’s why I’m thrilled to share my go-to easy oatmeal cookies recipe with few ingredients. This is the ultimate minimal-effort treat, proving you don’t need much to make a truly delicious, satisfying oatmeal cookie recipe.\

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This simple oatmeal cookie recipe comes together in one mixing bowl in under five minutes of prep time, making it perfect for a weeknight fix or when the kids need a quick, wholesome snack. We use simple oat staples like quick oats and pantry items you likely already have on hand. It’s fast, forgiving, and delivers that classic, warm oatmeal cookies flavor every single time.

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In this post, you’ll learn how to master the best cookie recipe using just 3, 4, or 5 simple ingredients.

What You’ll Need: The 5-Ingredient Easy Oatmeal Cookie Recipe

This simple oatmeal cookie recipe relies on common pantry ingredients and is naturally gluten-free and flourless, making it one of the simplest cookies you’ll ever bake!

Ingredients List (The Core Five)

US Measurement	Metric Equivalent	Ingredient	Keyword Integration
1 cup	(240g)	Creamy Nut Butter (Peanut, Almond Butter, or Cashew Butter)	Nut butter, made nut-free
1/2 cup	(100g)	Light Brown Sugar (packed) or Granulated Sugar	Light brown sugar, granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups	(135g)	Quick Oats (instant oat flakes)	Quick oats, oat
1 tsp	(5ml)	Vanilla Extract (optional, but highly recommended for the butter and vanilla flavor profile)	Butter and vanilla
1/2 tsp	(2g)	Baking Soda (or Baking Powder for a denser cookie)	Baking soda, baking powder

Few-Ingredient Swaps & Dietary Customizations

One of the best parts about this easy oatmeal cookie approach is how simple it is to customize, even for dietary needs!

• For Sugar Reduction: To create a less sugar version, replace the sugar entirely with 1/4 cup (60ml) of butter and maple syrup (pure maple syrup) or honey. Note that the resulting cookies will be slightly softer and more delicate.
• For a Nut-Free Version: Use Sunflower Seed Butter or tahini in place of almond butter to ensure the recipe made is truly made nut-free.
• For Extra Chewy Texture: If you prefer a more traditional flavor, you can swap out the quick oats for the same amount of old-fashioned oats—just let the cookie dough rest for 10 minutes before scooping.

Before You Start…

Always ensure your oven is preheated and you have lined your baking sheet or cookie sheet with parchment paper. This prevents sticking and helps the cookies cool cleanly. If using room temperature butter in a different variation, ensure it’s truly soft for easy mixing!

Core Instructions: How to Bake Your 5-Ingredient Easy Oatmeal Cookies

This easy oatmeal cookies approach is fast—you won’t even need an electric mixer, though you can use one if you prefer. We’ll be using the nut butter as our fat and binder, which speeds up the whole process!

Part 1: Prep and Mix the Dough

1. Preheat and Prep: Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet or cookie sheet with parchment paper—this is key, as this low-fat cookie recipe can be sticky, and we want to avoid using an ungreased pan.
2. Cream the Base: In a large mixing bowl, combine the nut butter, granulated sugar (or light brown sugar), and baking soda. Mix vigorously with a spoon or rubber spatula until the mixture is completely uniform and creamy.
3. Add the Oats: Pour in the vanilla extract (if using) and then add the quick oats. Stir until the oat flakes are fully incorporated into the mixture; the cookie dough will be thick and slightly crumbly, but should hold together when pressed.

Part 2: Scoop and Bake Cookies

4. Scoop the Dough Balls: Use a 1-inch cookie scoop (or a standard spoon) to portion the dough into even dough balls. Place them about two inches apart on your prepared baking sheet. Since these are low-fat, these cookies will not spread much.
5. Flatten (Optional): Gently press down on each dough ball with the back of a fork to create a slight crosshatch pattern. This helps the cookies bake cookies evenly and look more traditional.
6. Bake: Place the sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. The oatmeal cookies are done when the edges are set and the tops are a beautiful light golden brown.
7. Cool Completely: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. They are very delicate while warm, but will firm up as they cool!

Recipe Summary

Prep Time	Cook Time	Total Time	Servings	Difficulty
5 minutes	12-15 minutes	~20 minutes	12 cookies	Easy

Pro Tips for Achieving the Best Cookie Texture

Even with a few ingredients, a great oatmeal cookie recipe requires a few expert tricks to guarantee that perfect soft and chewy texture.

1. Don’t Substitute Quick Oats for Rolled Oats (Initially): If you want speed, stick to quick oats. They absorb moisture faster, which prevents the low-ingredient cookie dough from being too dry. If you must use old-fashioned oats, let the dough rest for 15 minutes to fully hydrate the oat flakes before baking.
2. Troubleshooting Spreading: In low-fat recipes, the cookies will not spread much. If you notice your cookies spread too much or look greasy, the most common culprit is warm ingredients. Try chilling the dough for just 10 minutes before scooping. Also, double-check that your nut butter wasn’t too oily.
3. Use a Cookie Scoop for Consistency: For perfectly shaped, uniform dough balls that bake cookies evenly, a 1-inch cookie scoop is your secret weapon. This ensures all your cookies are done at the same time and helps them achieve that beautiful light golden brown color.
4. Know When They’re Done: The center of the cookie may look slightly underdone when you pull them out—that’s okay! They should be set around the edges and golden brown. The residual heat on the baking sheet will finish the baking process. If they look pale after 15 minutes, you can bake them a little longer (1-2 minutes).
5. Butter Temperature (The Key to Creaming): While our core recipe doesn’t use standard butter, if you attempt a variation that calls for it, always ensure it’s true room temperature butter—soft enough to easily dent, but not melted. This helps give the cookies structure.

3, 4, and 5-Ingredient Oatmeal Cookies: Customization and Add-Ins

This simple base is just begging for customization! These easy oatmeal cookies are perfect on their own, but if you’re ready to add a few more ingredients, here are some ideas for amazing add-ins:

Flavor Boosters (Optional Add-Ins)

• The Classic Chewy Treat: Add 1/4 cup of raisin and 1/4 tsp of cinnamon to the dough to transform them into classic oatmeal raisin cookies.
• Decadent Delight: Stir in a few chocolate chip morsels. My family prefers the butterscotch chips, but semi-sweet is always a winner!
• Texture & Spice: For a holiday feel, add a pinch of molasses (if using the sugar variation) along with a tablespoon of shredded coconut or finely chopped pecans.

Simple Recipe Variations

1. 3-Ingredient Cookies (Sweetener + Nut Butter + Oats): Eliminate the baking soda and vanilla. The cookies will be denser, flatter, and more like a chewy oat bar, but they are a fantastic easy oatmeal cookies recipe with few ingredients no egg option.
2. No-Sugar Added: As mentioned in the ingredients, replace all processed sugar with butter and maple syrup (or honey). These are naturally sweet and make a delicious, less sugar treat.
3. No-Flour/No-Egg Base: If you’re using the core 5-ingredient recipe, you’ve already mastered the easy oatmeal cookies recipe with few ingredients no egg and no flour! The nut butter and oats are all you need for binding.

Storing Your Best Cookie

Since these cookies are perfect for meal prepping, knowing how to store them is important.

• Fresh Storage: Once the oatmeal cookies are fully transferred to a wire rack and have cool completely, place them in an airtight container. They can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
• Freezing Baked Cookies: Flash freeze the completely cooled cookies on a baking pan for an hour, then transfer them to a heavy-duty freezer bag. They will keep for up to 3 months.
• Freezing Dough: Scoop the cookie dough into dough balls and freeze them on the cookie sheet until solid. Transfer them to a bag and simply bake for 12 to 15 minutes from frozen when you want to bake a fresh batch!

Nutritional Information

When you’re enjoying oatmeal cookies, it’s helpful to know what you’re putting into your body! Because this is a few ingredients cookie recipe that relies heavily on nutrient-dense ingredients like nut butter and oats, it tends to be higher in protein and healthy fats than a traditional flour-based cookie.

Estimated Values (Per Cookie)

Based on the core 5-ingredient recipe using creamy peanut butter and light brown sugar (approx. 12 servings):

Nutrient	Approximate Value
Calories	200 kcal
Protein	6 grams
Total Fat	11 grams
Carbohydrates	21 grams

A Note on Accuracy and Transparency

Disclaimer: Please remember that these values are estimates and will vary significantly based on the specific brands, substitutes (like using maple syrup instead of sugar), and nut butter used.

For the most accurate calculation, we recommend entering your exact ingredients and measurements into a free online nutritional calculator. This is the best way to get precise data for your oatmeal cookies!

Conclusion: Your New Favorite Cookie Recipe

This easy oatmeal cookies recipe proves that sometimes, the simplest things are truly the best cookie experience. When you want to bake something warm, fast, and satisfying, these cookies are perfect because they come together using so few ingredients you can almost always make oatmeal magic happen right now.

Forget long prep times and complicated steps. This is the ultimate minimal-effort, maximum-reward cookie recipe you’ll turn to again and again.

Serving Suggestion: Enjoy these warm with a huge glass of cold milk, or crumble one over your morning yogurt for a tasty texture boost!

Ready to Bake?

It’s time to give the cookies a try! If you make this recipe, be sure to share a photo in the comments below and let us know which variation (3, 4, or 5-ingredient) became your new favorite!

FAQs About Few-Ingredient Oatmeal Cookies

We’ve gathered a few common questions related to baking and storing these fast, low-ingredient oatmeal cookies.

How to Store These Easy Oatmeal Cookies?

Once your easy oatmeal cookies are done, let them cool completely on a wire rack. Transfer them to an airtight container where they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days. You can also scoop the cookie dough into balls and freeze them raw to bake them a little longer later!

Can I use old-fashioned oats instead of quick oats?

Yes, you can! However, since old-fashioned oats are thicker, they need more time to hydrate. For the best result, let your cookie dough rest for 15 minutes after mixing. This ensures the oat flakes soften up, giving you a delicious, chewy texture without needing additional ingredients.

Why are my cookies spreading too much or not enough?

Since this is a low-fat quick oats oatmeal cookie recipe, the cookies will not spread as much as traditional butter-based recipes. If they don’t spread at all, try pressing them flat slightly before baking. If they do spread too much, the most likely culprit is oily nut butter; try chilling the dough for 10 minutes before scooping.

What should I use instead of parchment paper?

We highly recommend parchment paper because this low-fat recipe can stick easily to an ungreased pan. If you don’t have parchment, you can use a silicone baking mat. If you only have cooking spray, use it sparingly, as too much grease can actually cause the cookies spread more than intended.

Have a question we didn’t cover about this easy oatmeal cookies recipe? Drop it in the comments below!