Cocoa Oatmeal Cookies

These cocoa oatmeal cookies are soft, chewy, and lightly chocolaty, with a flavor that’s more like hot cocoa than dark chocolate. They're also easy to make gluten-free, whole wheat or vegan!

Course Cookie

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword chocolate cookies, cocoa powder, dairy-free cookies, dairy-free desserts, gluten-free cookies, gluten-free desserts, oatmeal cookies, vegan cookies, vegan desserts, whole wheat cookies, whole wheat desserts, whole wheat recipes

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Total Time 3 30

Servings

Calories 392kcal

Author Erin Dooner

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups whole wheat, all-purpose or gluten-free 1:1 flour see notes
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup oil see notes
1 1/3 cups brown sugar
2 large eggs or 2 chia eggs for vegan - see notes
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups quick oats gluten-free oats if you're gluten-free
1/2 cup natural cocoa powder like Hershey’s - not Dutch-process
1 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips divided - use dairy-free/vegan chocolate, if needed

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C) and line a cookie sheet with a piece of parchment paper.
Stir together the dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
1 1/2 cups whole wheat, all-purpose or gluten-free 1:1 flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup natural cocoa powder
In a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer, beat together the oil and brown sugar at medium speed until well combined.
1 cup oil, 1 1/3 cups brown sugar
Mix in the eggs and vanilla.
2 large eggs, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Add the dry mix to the wet mix and beat just until combined. Stir in the oats and just 1 cup (170 grams) chocolate chips (ignore that it says 1 1/4 cups below - it's a technical thing I can't fix), again stirring just until combined.
2 cups quick oats, 1 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Form the dough into fifteen 75-gram balls, about two inches or slightly over 1/4 cup in size, and place 4" apart on the prepared baking sheet.
Press the balls down slightly with the palm of your hand. Stick the remaining chocolate chips into the tops of the cookies.
Bake for 10 minutes or until the middle appears to be set. They will be incredibly soft. Let cool completely on the baking sheet. They take hours to firm up. It was about 3 hours before I could even pick them up. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Notes

If you want to make these gluten-free, they've been tested (and photographed!) with King Arthur Flour Gluten-free Measure for Measure Flour. I can't say how any other brands would work in these cookies since I haven't tried it out.
You can use vegetable, canola, grapeseed, or any other neutral oil. I always make these with refined coconut oil, which has no coconut flavor. It should be firm, not melted or soft, as this helps the cookies hold their shape and prevents excessive spreading. Butter also works, but the cookies will be more cakey and less chewy. Make sure to use oil (and plant-based chocolate) if you're vegan or dairy-free.
The nutrition information provided is calculated as a courtesy and is only an estimate. I am not a licensed nutritionist or dietitian. For the most accurate nutritional data, consult a professional or use your preferred calculator.

Nutrition