Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

This is a no-nonsense oatmeal cookie. It’s not an oatmeal raisin cookie. There are no cranberries or chocolate chips, no pecans, peanut butter, coconut, or any other mix-ins either (not even dates)—nothing that could divert attention from the buttery golden brown comfort of this classic chewy cookie. Old-fashioned oats—not quick oats—give them just the right texture, while vanilla extract and ground cinnamon lend them the warmth and spice that’ll keep you coming back to the cookie platter for more.

This easy oatmeal cookie recipe is so simple, in fact, that you might be tempted to make a new batch every day. The one hiccup: It’s imperative to let your butter and egg come to room temperature so that they blend seamlessly into the dough. (Doing some last-minute baking? Here’s how to soften butter quickly.) The dough comes together in no time with the help of an electric mixer, but you could easily make these cookies with a large bowl, a wooden spoon, and a little elbow grease. Portion the cookie dough into tablespoon-size balls (or use a #70 cookie scoop if you want to be precise) and place the dough balls at least 2 inches apart on parchment paper–lined cookie sheets, since they’ll spread as they bake.