Low-Calorie Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Written by
Kimberley Eggleston
Kimberley Eggleston is a registered dietitian, nutrition class instructor, and food writer who specializes in healthy cooking.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Kimberley Eggleston
Updated 03/16/21
Low-Calorie Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
The Spruce
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 12 mins
Total: 22 mins
Servings: 24 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
101 Calories
4g Fat
16g Carbs
2g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 24
Amount per serving
Calories 101
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4g 5%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 13mg 4%
Sodium 111mg 5%
Total Carbohydrate 16g 6%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 21mg 2%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 46mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

These low-calorie chocolate chip oatmeal cookies might just be a little taste of heaven. The best part is you can eat them without messing up your calorie plans. This recipe calls for 1/4 of the butter and 1/2 of the chocolate chips compared to a traditional chocolate chip oatmeal cookie, meaning these treats are lower in calories and fat.

A few tweaks to the average chocolate chip oatmeal cookie recipe help these cookies become a little more friendly to the waistline, but you'd never know once you give them a taste. Plus, as far as health goes, these cookies have a little bit to offer: Oats are a real nutrition powerhouse, loaded with heart-healthy dietary fiber.

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces (or 4 tablespoons) butter, softened

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar

  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar

  • 1 large egg, at room temperature

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies ingredients
     The Spruce

  2. Heat the oven to 350 F. Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray or line it with parchment paper. 

    Parchment paper on a cooking sheet
     The Spruce

  3. Place the softened butter, the brown sugar, and the white sugar in a medium-sized mixing bowl. With an electric beater, beat the butter and sugars until the mixture is smooth and fluffy.

    Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie batter in a bowl
     The Spruce

  4. Add the egg and vanilla and continue beating until the mixture is completely combined. Set the mixture aside. 

    Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie batter in a bowl
     The Spruce

  5. In a separate, large mixing bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon using a large spoon or fork. Make sure the mixture is well combined.

    Oats in a bowl
     The Spruce

  6. With a large, sturdy spoon, mix in the butter-sugar mixture by gently stirring the ingredients together just until they are well combined.

    Oatmeal cookie mix in a bowl
     The Spruce

  7. Add the chocolate chips and continue to gently stir the ingredients to combine them well.

    Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies dough
     The Spruce

  8. Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

    Cookie dough on a baking sheet
    The Spruce

  9. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies turn slightly brown. (Bake a little less for soft cookies, and a little longer for crisp cookies.)

    Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
     The Spruce

  10. Serve and enjoy.

Tips

  • Make sure that the butter is only softened, and not melted; if melted, it will make for a different texture.
  • You can use a standing electric mixer if you prefer. Just be sure to mix on the lowest speed when combining the dry ingredients with the butter-sugar mixture.
  • To make uniform-sized cookies, use a cookie scoop. This handy tool is similar to an ice cream scoop and makes dropping rounded tablespoonfuls of dough quick and easy.