Irresistible Oatmeal Marshmallow Chocolate Chip Cookies: Your New Favorite Chewy, Gooey Treat
Prepare to fall in love with these **Oatmeal Marshmallow Chocolate Chip Cookies** – a delightful and unique twist on classic homemade oatmeal cookies. Imagine buttery, perfectly textured oatmeal cookies generously studded with two kinds of rich chocolate chips, all while encasing a secret, gooey center of melted miniature marshmallows. These cookies are not just a dessert; they’re an experience, offering a harmonious blend of crisp edges, soft, chewy middles, and pockets of pure, sweet bliss. They truly elevate the traditional cookie to an extraordinary level of indulgence and fun.
These **homemade oatmeal cookies** capture everything you adore about the classic comfort food, but with an exciting upgrade. The addition of both **semisweet chocolate chips** and **mini chocolate chips** ensures a deep, consistent chocolate flavor in every bite, while the **miniature marshmallows** transform into pockets of warm, stretchy goodness when baked. This recipe promises a cookie that is both familiar and wonderfully surprising, making it an instant hit for any occasion, from casual family desserts to impressive party treats.
Why You’ll Adore These Marshmallow-Stuffed Oatmeal Cookies
There’s a reason these aren’t just any oatmeal cookies. They stand out from the crowd, and here’s what makes them truly special and why they’re destined to become a staple in your baking repertoire:
- Dual Chocolate Delight: We don’t settle for just one type of chocolate! By incorporating both **semisweet chocolate chips** and **mini chocolate chips**, these cookies deliver an unparalleled depth of chocolate flavor and varying textures. The larger chips offer a satisfying chunk, while the smaller ones melt seamlessly throughout the dough, ensuring a chocolatey presence in every single bite.
- Gooey Marshmallow Core: The ultimate surprise! Each cookie is thoughtfully stuffed with soft, miniature marshmallows. As they bake, these marshmallows melt into irresistibly gooey, sweet pockets, adding a unique texture and a delightful pop of sweetness that perfectly complements the rich oatmeal and chocolate. It’s like a s’more reimagined into a cookie!
- Unmatched Texture Perfection: Achieving the ideal cookie texture is an art, and this recipe masters it. By cleverly combining both butter and shortening, we create cookies with beautifully crisp, golden edges and wonderfully soft, remarkably chewy centers. This balanced approach ensures a cookie that holds its shape while offering an incredibly satisfying mouthfeel.
- Simple Yet Impressive: Despite their sophisticated taste and unique filling, these **oatmeal marshmallow cookies** are surprisingly straightforward to prepare. The instructions are clear, making them accessible for bakers of all skill levels, yet the end result looks and tastes like something from a gourmet bakery.
- A Fun Twist on a Classic: If you love traditional oatmeal chocolate chip cookies but crave something new and exciting, this recipe is for you. It takes a beloved classic and introduces an unexpected element that makes baking and eating them a truly fun and memorable experience.
Marshmallow Oatmeal Cookie Ingredients: The Building Blocks of Deliciousness
Crafting the perfect **oatmeal marshmallow chocolate chip cookie** starts with a careful selection of ingredients. Each component plays a vital role in achieving the desired flavor, texture, and overall gooey goodness. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need and why each ingredient is essential:
Fats and Moisture (Butter & Shortening): We utilize a blend of ½ cup of butter and ½ cup of shortening in this **oatmeal cookie recipe**. This combination is key to the cookie’s superior texture. Butter contributes rich, unparalleled flavor and helps with browning, while shortening provides structure, ensures minimal spreading, and creates a wonderfully tender crumb, resulting in those coveted soft, chewy middles and slightly crisp edges.
Sweeteners (Brown Sugar & Granulated Sugar): A mix of 1 cup of brown sugar and ½ cup of granulated sugar gives these cookies a magnificent depth of flavor and contributes significantly to their texture. Brown sugar, with its molasses content, adds moisture and chewiness, while granulated sugar helps with spread, provides sweetness, and promotes those desirable crisp edges.
Eggs: Two large eggs are crucial for binding all the ingredients together, providing essential moisture, and adding richness to the cookie dough. Eggs help create a cohesive dough that bakes beautifully and contributes to the overall structure and tenderness of the finished cookie.
Vanilla Extract: 1 ½ teaspoons of pure vanilla extract are a must for enhancing all the other flavors in the cookie dough. Vanilla acts as a flavor amplifier, bringing out the sweetness of the sugars and the richness of the chocolate, adding a warm, aromatic depth that makes these cookies irresistible.
Flour: The structural base of this cookie dough is 2 ¼ cups of all-purpose flour. Flour provides the necessary framework for the cookies, giving them shape and stability. Ensure you measure it correctly (preferably by weighing or using the spoon-and-level method) to avoid dense or dry cookies.
Baking Soda: 1 teaspoon of baking soda serves as the primary leavening agent in this recipe. When combined with the acidic brown sugar, it reacts to produce carbon dioxide, which gives the cookies their lift, helps them spread, and contributes to their characteristic chewy texture.
Salt: A ¼ teaspoon of salt is vital for balancing the sweetness of the sugars and chocolate. It enhances all the other flavors, preventing the cookies from tasting overly sweet and bringing a subtle savory note that makes them more complex and satisfying.
Oats: For that quintessential oatmeal cookie texture and taste, you’ll need 1 cup of old-fashioned oats. Old-fashioned oats (rolled oats) provide a wonderful chewy texture and a hearty, wholesome flavor that is distinct from quick oats. They maintain their structure during baking, contributing to the substantial feel of these cookies.
Chocolate Chips: This recipe calls for a dynamic duo: 1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips and ½ cup of mini chocolate chips. Using two types ensures a varied chocolate experience. Semisweet offers a classic, rich chocolate taste, while the mini chips melt more readily and distribute more evenly, guaranteeing chocolate in every bite. This combination delivers maximum chocolate impact.
Marshmallows: The star of the show! 1 cup of miniature marshmallows is what creates those incredible gooey, sweet pockets within each cookie. It’s essential to use miniature marshmallows, as larger ones might be difficult to fully enclose or could melt out too quickly during baking.
Quick Tips for the Best Oatmeal Marshmallow Chocolate Chip Cookies
While the full step-by-step instructions are provided in the recipe card below, here are some crucial tips to ensure your **oatmeal cookies** turn out perfectly, guaranteeing delicious results every time:
- Embrace Parchment Paper: This is arguably the most important tip for marshmallow-stuffed cookies! Marshmallows become incredibly sticky when they melt, and directly baking them on a greased sheet can lead to a messy situation and cookies that are difficult to remove. Lining your baking sheets with parchment paper creates a non-stick surface, ensuring easy removal and a much simpler clean-up process. Silicone baking mats also work wonderfully.
- Choose Your Oats Wisely (But Be Flexible): For the best texture in these **chewy oatmeal cookies**, old-fashioned oats (also known as rolled oats) are highly recommended. They retain their shape and provide a satisfying chew. However, if quick oats are all you have on hand, they can be used. Just be aware that the resulting cookies will have a softer texture and might spread a bit more during baking. Avoid instant oats, as their texture is too fine for this recipe.
- Master the Art of Shaping & Stuffing: The key to those irresistible gooey marshmallow centers is proper encapsulation. When scooping your dough, take a heaping tablespoon, flatten it slightly into a disk, then place 2-3 miniature marshmallows in the center. Carefully fold the dough around the marshmallows, ensuring they are completely enclosed. Any exposed marshmallow can burn or leak out, creating a sticky mess on your baking sheet. A well-sealed dough ball will bake beautifully, creating perfect pockets of melted goodness.
- Don’t Overbake: For truly soft and chewy cookies, resist the urge to overbake. The cookies should be golden brown around the edges but may still look slightly soft in the center when you remove them from the oven. They will continue to set as they cool on the hot baking sheet. Overbaking is the quickest way to end up with hard or dry cookies instead of the perfectly gooey ones you desire.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure your butter and eggs are at room temperature before you start mixing. Room temperature butter creams more smoothly with sugar, incorporating more air, which results in a lighter, more tender cookie. Room temperature eggs emulsify better with the fat, creating a more uniform dough.
- Chill if Needed: If your dough feels too sticky or soft to handle, especially if your kitchen is warm, don’t hesitate to chill it for 15-30 minutes. This can help prevent excessive spreading during baking and make the stuffing process easier.
Oatmeal Cookie Storage & Freezing: Keep Them Fresh and Delicious
Ensuring your **oatmeal marshmallow chocolate chip cookies** remain as fresh and delightful as the day they were baked is simple with proper storage techniques. Whether you plan to enjoy them over a few days or save them for a future craving, here’s how to keep them at their best:
These delicious **oatmeal chocolate chip cookies** will maintain their freshness and soft, chewy texture for up to 5 days when stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Make sure the container is truly airtight to prevent them from drying out. A cool, dry pantry or countertop is ideal.
For longer storage, these cookies freeze exceptionally well. Once completely cooled, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for about an hour, or until firm. This prevents them from sticking together. Then, transfer the frozen cookies to an airtight freezer-safe container or a heavy-duty freezer bag. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months without compromising flavor or texture. When you’re ready to enjoy them, simply thaw the cookies at room temperature for a few hours before serving. You can also warm them slightly in the microwave for a few seconds for that freshly baked, gooey marshmallow experience!
Pro Tip for Freezing Dough: You can also freeze the raw cookie dough. After stuffing the marshmallows and shaping the dough balls, arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Once solid, transfer them to a freezer bag. When ready to bake, place frozen dough balls on a prepared baking sheet and bake as directed, adding 2-4 minutes to the baking time.
Oatmeal Marshmallow Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
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Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup shortening
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cup flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips
- 1 cup miniature marshmallows
Instructions
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Prepare for Baking: Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Next, prepare two large baking sheets by greasing them lightly or, for best results, lining them with parchment paper. This crucial step will ensure your marshmallow-stuffed cookies don’t stick and are easy to remove once baked. Set the prepared sheets aside.
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Cream Wet Ingredients: In a spacious mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, shortening, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream these ingredients together until the mixture is light, fluffy, and well combined (this usually takes 2-3 minutes). Incorporate the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition to ensure they are fully mixed in. Finally, beat in the vanilla extract until just combined.
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Combine Dry & Wet: In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add this dry flour mixture to the wet butter mixture in the large bowl, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the dough, as this can lead to tough cookies. Once the flour is mostly incorporated, gently stir in the old-fashioned oats and both types of chocolate chips (semisweet and mini) by hand until evenly distributed.
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Stuff and Shape the Cookies: Take a heaping tablespoonful of cookie dough and flatten it slightly in your palm to form a disk. Place 2-3 miniature marshmallows in the center of the flattened dough. Carefully gather the edges of the dough and seal them completely around the marshmallows, forming a neat ball. It’s essential that the marshmallows are fully enclosed to prevent them from melting out during baking. Place the shaped cookie dough balls onto your prepared baking sheets, ensuring they are spaced at least 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
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Bake to Perfection: Transfer the baking sheets to the preheated oven. Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until the edges are beautifully golden brown and the centers appear just set but still slightly soft. Immediately remove the cookies from the oven. Allow them to cool on the baking sheets for 1-2 minutes; this crucial resting period allows the cookies to firm up without becoming hard. Then, carefully transfer the warm, gooey cookies to wire racks to cool completely. Serve them warm for the ultimate melty marshmallow experience, and enjoy every irresistible bite!
Notes
For longer storage, place them in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. To enjoy, thaw at room temperature before serving, or warm gently.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions About Oatmeal Marshmallow Cookies
What adjustments should I make if I’m using only butter?
If you choose to use only butter (1 cup total) instead of the butter-shortening blend, you’ll likely notice a slight difference in the final cookie texture and spread. Butter provides a richer flavor, but shortening contributes to a more stable structure and less spreading. Without shortening, your **oatmeal cookies** might spread a bit more and be slightly less uniform in shape. To help mitigate this, consider chilling your cookie dough for at least 30 minutes (or up to an hour) before scooping and baking. This helps the butter solidify, resulting in less spread and a thicker cookie. The texture might also be a bit more tender and less chewy without the shortening, but still delicious!
Can I substitute quick oats for old-fashioned oats?
Yes, quick oats can be used as a substitute for old-fashioned oats in these **oatmeal chocolate chip cookies**. However, it’s important to be aware that the texture of your cookies will be notably different. Quick oats are cut into smaller pieces and cook faster, which means they will absorb moisture more quickly and break down more during baking. This will result in a softer cookie that may lack the distinctive hearty chewiness that old-fashioned oats provide. Additionally, quick oats can sometimes cause the cookies to spread more during baking, so monitoring bake time closely and potentially chilling the dough is advisable.
What’s the best way to ensure my cookies are chewy?
Achieving that perfectly **chewy oatmeal cookie** texture is a highly sought-after goal. Here are a few key strategies:
- Don’t Overbake: This is paramount. Remove the cookies from the oven when their edges are golden, but the centers still look slightly soft or underbaked. They will continue to cook and set on the hot baking sheet as they cool.
- Use Brown Sugar: The molasses in brown sugar attracts and retains moisture, contributing significantly to a chewy texture.
- Fat Combination: Our recipe’s use of both butter and shortening helps create that ideal soft-yet-chewy interior while maintaining slightly crisp edges.
- Old-Fashioned Oats: These oats hold their structure better than quick oats, contributing to a substantial and chewy bite.
- Allow to Cool on Sheet: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 1-2 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. This allows them to finish setting without drying out.
What causes oatmeal cookies to become hard?
Several factors can lead to your delicious **oatmeal cookies** turning hard and losing their desirable texture:
- Overbaking: This is the most common culprit. When cookies are baked for too long, too much moisture evaporates, leaving them dry, crumbly, and ultimately hard.
- Too Much Flour: An excess of flour can make the dough dry and stiff, resulting in hard cookies. Always measure flour accurately, preferably by weight or by spooning it into a measuring cup and leveling it off.
- Not Enough Moisture: This could be due to an imbalanced recipe (not this one!), or if your brown sugar is dry and hardened. Ensure your brown sugar is soft and fresh.
- Improper Storage: If cookies are left exposed to air or stored in a container that isn’t airtight, they will quickly dry out and become hard. Always use an airtight container at room temperature.
- Dough Too Cold/Warm: While chilling dough helps prevent spreading, excessively cold dough can sometimes lead to a denser, harder cookie if not given enough time to warm slightly during baking. Conversely, very warm dough can spread too much and bake thin and crispy, which can also feel hard.
Can I use different types of chocolate chips?
Absolutely! While the combination of semisweet and mini chocolate chips is fantastic, feel free to experiment with other varieties to customize your **chocolate chip oatmeal cookies**. Dark chocolate chips will offer a more intense, less sweet chocolate flavor, while milk chocolate chips will make them even sweeter and creamier. White chocolate chips or even chopped chocolate bars can also be used for a different twist. You can even mix and match to find your perfect blend!
What if my marshmallows leak out during baking?
If your marshmallows are leaking, it’s usually due to them not being fully enclosed in the cookie dough. As the cookies bake and the marshmallows melt, they need a complete dough barrier to stay contained. Ensure you take the time in step 4 of the instructions to completely wrap the dough around the marshmallows. Flatten the dough, place the marshmallows, then carefully pinch and roll the dough to create a perfectly sealed ball. If a small amount still leaks, don’t worry too much, but proper sealing is key to preventing major leaks and potential burning on the pan.
Delicious Variations & Serving Suggestions for Your Oatmeal Marshmallow Cookies
These **Oatmeal Marshmallow Chocolate Chip Cookies** are fantastic as is, but their versatility means you can easily customize them to suit your preferences or occasion! Here are some ideas to inspire your next batch:
Exciting Variations:
- Nutty Additions: For an extra layer of crunch and flavor, stir in ½ cup of chopped pecans or walnuts with the oats and chocolate chips. The nutty flavor pairs beautifully with the sweet chocolate and gooey marshmallow.
- Spice it Up: Add ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon or a pinch of nutmeg to the dry ingredients for a warm, comforting spice note that complements the oatmeal perfectly.
- S’mores Style: To lean into the “s’mores” vibe even more, crush about ½ cup of graham crackers and mix them into the dough with the oats and chocolate chips. You’ll get an amazing texture and classic s’mores flavor.
- Dried Fruit Fun: For a burst of fruitiness and extra chew, fold in ½ cup of dried cranberries, raisins, or chopped dried apricots with the chocolate chips.
- Caramel Swirl: After stuffing with marshmallows, you could press a small caramel piece into the center before fully enclosing, or drizzle melted caramel over the baked cookies once they’ve cooled slightly.
Perfect Serving Suggestions:
- Classic Comfort: Enjoy them warm, straight from the oven, with a tall glass of cold milk. The ultimate comfort food experience!
- Coffee & Tea Companion: These cookies are the perfect accompaniment to your morning coffee or afternoon tea.
- Dessert Upgrade: Serve a warm cookie with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream for an incredible à la mode treat, especially when the marshmallow is still gooey.
- Packed Lunches & Snacks: These sturdy and flavorful cookies make an excellent addition to lunchboxes or as a satisfying snack on the go.
- Party Platter Star: Arrange them on a dessert platter for gatherings. They’re always a crowd-pleaser and offer a unique alternative to standard chocolate chip cookies.
Discover More of Our Favorite Oatmeal Cookie Recipes:
If you’ve fallen in love with the comforting flavor and wonderful texture of oatmeal cookies, you’re in luck! We have a wide array of other incredible **oatmeal cookie recipes** that are just waiting to be baked. From classic flavors to innovative twists, there’s an oatmeal cookie for every craving:
- For a sophisticated blend of flavors and textures, these oatmeal toffee pecan cookies are a must-try. They combine the signature chewy texture of oatmeal with the rich, buttery crunch of toffee and the delightful nuttiness of pecans, creating an incredibly satisfying bite.
- Craving something extra decadent and deeply chocolatey? We’ve got you covered with this rich and indulgent recipe for double chocolate oatmeal cookies. These are perfect for serious chocolate lovers!
- If you love mixing different tastes and textures, then our coconut oatmeal cookies are a fantastic recipe to try. They are generously loaded with sweet chocolate chips, flaky coconut, and those wonderfully chewy oats!
- Whip up a batch of these comforting oatmeal walnut chocolate chip cookies using just a few simple pantry ingredients. You’ll be rewarded with soft, gooey cookies that come together in no time.
- Our recipe for chewy iced oatmeal cookies offers a delightful homemade version of a beloved classic store-bought treat, featuring a soft, spiced base and a sweet, delicate glaze.
- Looking for a quick, single-serving dessert that satisfies instantly? You can easily make this oatmeal chocolate cookie in a mug in less than a minute right in your microwave.
These **Oatmeal Marshmallow Chocolate Chip Cookies** are more than just a sweet treat; they’re a delightful celebration of flavors and textures. The buttery, chewy oatmeal base, combined with rich chocolate chips and irresistible gooey marshmallow centers, creates a truly unique and memorable cookie experience. Whether you’re baking for family, friends, or just yourself, this recipe promises to deliver pure joy in every bite. Go ahead, give them a try, and watch them disappear!