Low-Calorie Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

By
Kimberley Eggleston
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
Updated on 01/5/23
Tested by
Young Sun Huh
Young Sun Huh
Tested by Young Sun Huh
Young Sun is a freelance recipe developer, tester, and food stylist with over 15 years of experience in the food industry.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Large chunky chocolate chip oatmeal cookies

The Spruce Eats
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 12 mins
Total: 27 mins
Servings: 24 to 28 servings
Yield: 24 to 28 cookies
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
87 Calories
3g Fat
14g Carbs
1g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 24 to 28
Amount per serving
Calories 87
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3g 4%
Saturated Fat 2g 9%
Cholesterol 11mg 4%
Sodium 95mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 14g 5%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 18mg 1%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 40mg 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 lower-in-calorie chocolate chip oatmeal cookies might just be a little taste of heaven. This recipe calls for 1/4 of the butter and 1/2 of the chocolate chips when compared to a traditional chocolate chip oatmeal cookie. As a result, these classic treats are lower in calories and fat, but without sacrificing any flavor or sweetness.

A few tweaks to the average chocolate chip oatmeal cookie recipe help these cookies taste a bit heartier and nuttier, thanks to ingredients such as old-fashioned rolled oats. Cinnamon adds a hint of spicy sweetness without overwhelming the taste. Give them a try the next time the kids want an after-school treat. They come together fairly quickly, too.

"These cookies have all the familiar flavors of an oatmeal cookie, but without as much fat. Due to the reduced fat, they didn't spread very much in the oven. Next time I would gently pat down the balls of dough before baking." —Young Sun Huh

Low-Calorie Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar

  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar

  • 1 large egg, at room temperature

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • 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.

    Ingredients for chocolate chip oatmeal cookies recipe gathered

     The Spruce Eats

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

    Baking sheet lined with parchment paper

     The Spruce Eats

  3. Place the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a medium mixing bowl. With an electric beater, beat the butter and sugars until the mixture is smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

    Homogenous sugar and butter mixture in a bowl

     The Spruce Eats

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

    Cookie dough in a bowl

     The Spruce Eats

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

    Oats and flour in a bowl with a spoon

     The Spruce Eats

  6. With a large, sturdy spoon, mix the butter-sugar mixture into the oat-flour mixture until just combined.

    Oatmeal cookie dough in a bowl

     The Spruce Eats

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

    Chocolate chips added to oatmeal cookie dough in the bowl

     The Spruce Eats

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

    Cookies placed at ample distance on a parchment-lined baking sheet

    The Spruce Eats

  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 stacked in a serving bowl

     The Spruce Eats

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 and level off the scoop before transferring to the cookie sheet. This handy tool is similar to an ice cream scoop and makes dropping rounded tablespoonfuls of dough quick and easy.

How to Store and Freeze

  • Keep cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
  • The cookie dough can be portioned and frozen on a baking sheet, then transferred to a freezer bag and kept frozen for up to 3 months. Do not thaw before baking. The frozen cookies will need a few extra minutes in the oven.

Recipe Variations

  • Add a little apple sauce or an extra egg yolk for a softer cookie.
  • Replace the chocolate chips with raisins or other dried fruit.