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Quaker Famous Oatmeal Cookies (Original 1950s Recipe)

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The original Quaker oatmeal cookies recipe from the back of the Quaker Oats box in 1950s & 60s is chewy with crispy edges. Made with simple pantry ingredients and done in 15 minutes.
Total time for the recipe to be finished.15 minutes
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Square image of cookies.

First published June 11, 2007. Last updated September 1, 2023 for improved editorial content.

Cookies on a plate with a title text overlay.
Table of Contents

🎥 Watch and cook: step-by-step video tutorial

  • It's hard to find this recipe anymore -- thank you for publishing it! Even the one called Famous Oatmeal Cookies on the Quaker website omits the egg (seriously, Man In the Black Hat??), so you have to be careful who you listen to ... and then you have to wade through the ones where they put in the cinnamon and the nutmeg (blasphemy!). I just want the real old-fashioned cookies I used to have when I was growing up. Thank you, thank you. thank you!
    Shash

This is the original Quaker Oatmeal cookie recipe that was on the back of the box in the 1950s and 60s.

I love how chewy these easy, drop cookies are! They're made with simple pantry ingredients, and I've perfected the timing so I get the crispy edges and chewy middles I love.

🧾 Gather your ingredients: what you'll need

Ingredients for cookies.

You can use either the old-fashioned oats or the quick-cooking oats but don't use the instant oatmeal.

Years ago I thought I could improve this recipe by using butter instead of shortening - I was wrong. These cookies have the most flavor and the best texture when you use all Crisco (or your favorite shortening).

📖 Recipe

Square image of cookies.

Quaker Oatmeal Cookies Recipe

4.60 from 115 votes
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The original Quaker oatmeal cookies recipe from the back of the Quaker Oats box in 1950s & 60s is chewy with crispy edges. Made with simple pantry ingredients and done in 15 minutes.
Course cookies
Cuisine Amercian Heritage
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings:48
Calories:84
Author:Marye Audet-White

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup Crisco shortening, or your favorite shortening
  • 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 3 cups uncooked Quaker Old Fashioned Oats, or quick oats
  • 1 cup raisins , optional
  • 1 cup coconut, optional
  • 1 cup pecans, or walnuts, optional

Instructions

  • Line baking sheet with parchment or silpat if desired - otherwise leave it ungreased.
  • Heat the oven to 350°F.
  • Combine flour, salt and baking soda together in a large bowl. Set aside.
  • Cream Crisco shortening, both sugars, egg, water, and vanilla together with a mixer until light and fluffy. This will take about 5 minutes. Be sure to stop occasionally and scrape down the sides of the bowl so everything gets mixed properly.
  • Stir dry mixture into the sugar mixture. Mix well with a spoon.
  • Stir in oats and optional ingredients if you are using them.
  • Drop by teaspoon on the baking sheet.
  • Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Do NOT over bake. The top of the cookies will change from being shiny to being kind of dull in the center when they are done.
  • Let cool 5 minutes on the cookie sheet before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. If you. move them too soon they will fall apart.

Notes

*Optional ingredients are not figured into the nutritional information.
Storage:
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Freeze for longer storage.
Tips:
  • You can use either the old fashioned oats or the quick cooking oats but don't use the instant oatmeal.
  • Don't substitute butter or margarine for the shortening. There's something about this recipe that's perfect just the way is.
  • The top of the cookies will change from being shiny to being kind of dull in the center when they are done.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 84kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 63mg | Potassium: 29mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 5IU | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.

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🔪 Step-by-step guide: instructions for success

Step by step images showing how to make this recipe.
  1. Cream shortening, both brown sugar and white sugar, egg, water, and vanilla together.
  2. Stir in dry ingredients except the oats. Mix well.
  3. Stir in oats and optional ingredients if you are using them
  4. Drop dough by teaspoon on an ungreased cookie sheet, parchment paper, or silpat and bake.

Marye's Tips & Tricks

Don't over-bake the cookies if you want them chewy. They should be set and golden on the edges but still soft in the middle. They'll finish baking as they cool.

They travel well. If you're going to ship them overseas consider adding raisins. The dried fruit will release moisture and help the cookies stay fresh. You'll find a lot of information on how to ship cookies here.

🥫 Leftover love: how to store Quaker oatmeal cookies baked and unbaked

Oatmeal cookies will keep for a week or more in an airtight container - or you can freeze them for up to 3 months, baked or unbaked. Here are more tips for how to freeze cookie dough.

Overhead view of cookies cooling on a rack.

👩‍🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs

Can these be made gluten-free?

Yes! Substitute gluten-free flour for the flour called for in the recipe - and of course, make sure your other ingredients are gluten-free as well.

Can Quaker famous oatmeal cookies be made with steel-cut oats?

No, it needs to be either the rolled oats or the quick oats.

Overhead view of cookies on a plate.

📖 Make it your own: yummy variations

My mom used to change these up once in a while. Here are our favorite variations on the original Quaker oatmeal cookie recipe. The most popular is (of course) adding raisins for an oatmeal raisin cookie recipe.

Stir in 1 cup of ...

  1. Sweetened flaked coconut
  2. Pecans or walnuts
  3. Raisins
  4. Craisins
  5. Chocolate chips
  6. Chopped dates
  7. Butterscotch chips

Or, give these blueberry white chocolate cookies a try!

📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love

Homemade cookies make a home cozy and welcoming any time of the year! These go great with a caramel brulee latte, by the way.

Here are some of our favorite cookie recipes...

📞 Wrapping it up: the last word

You've probably made the Quaker Oats cookie recipe a hundred times yourself, as did your mom, and probably your grandma.

This recipe first went on the back of Quaker's oatmeal boxes in 1955 - over 60 years ago.

Just the aroma of these baking sweeps me back to my Mom's 1960s kitchen. The wind is howling around the corners of the house and snow is falling in thick, fat flakes.

I've just come in from sledding and my legs tingle with the sudden change in temperature. That scent of fresh, warm oatmeal cookies saunters down the stairs reminding me that not only is it Christmastime but that my stomach is gnawingly hungry.

It's only a moment before I am sitting at the chrome and laminate kitchen table "test tasting" a cookie and scalding my tongue on hot chocolate.

In the summer she'd make Quaker's famous oatmeal raisin cookie recipe once in a while, only she'd make them bigger and put two together with a big scoop of Butter Pecan ice cream in the middle.

Oh my gosh, that was good.

That's what good food does, you know. It takes you back to a special moment, it lets you relive it again and again, and it allows you to share that moment as many times as you like.

More Homemade Cookie Recipes

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About Marye

Marye Audet-White is a professional food writer, New York Times bestselling cookbook author, and founder of Restless Chipotle, where she shares Southern comfort food, yeast breads, and from-scratch recipes tested in real kitchens. She’s known for explaining the little technique details that keep recipes from going off the rails, so home cooks can count on what comes out of the oven actually tasting good.

Comments

    4.60 from 115 votes (98 ratings without comment)

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  1. Patricia says

    4 stars
    I remember my back of the box Quaker Oatmeal Cookies from the 60s had you cook the raisins in water until they were plump. Can't find it now. 🙁

    Reply

  2. Susan says

    Hi. I tried this recipe tonight and I have the same problem as Jordan. They thin out to flat cookies, and crumble too. First batch needed more time at the 8 minute mark. Kept them in 3 more minutes. I use crisco from the tub. I made these cookies when I was a child in the 70's. I followed the recipe from box and they were delicious. Do you have any idea what the problem could be and what is causing this? Thank you!

    Reply

    • Marye says

      I don't know. It's never happened to me. I'd suggest watching the full video and checking to see if you've followed the steps properly. It's important to not substitute ingredients in this recipe. I've made them this way for years without an issue - the only time I've had them go flat is when I tried to substitute butter for the crisco.

  3. Jordan says

    5 stars
    I’ve used this recipe for years and now my cookies are suddenly spreading too thin or getting too dry and crumbling apart. I’m definitely not overcooking. I’ve been using the Crisco shortening sticks instead of the tub of crisco. Could that be my problem? I don’t remember when I switched over to those. Have you used those? Could that be my problem?

    Reply

    • Marye says

      yeah, I'd try the tub and see what happens.

  4. Janice P says

    How far in advance can these cookies be made? Also, can they be frozen before baking? Trying to get a head start on Christmas bakings.

    Reply

    • Marye says

      I start making them in September and drop the cookies by teaspoon on a cookie sheet then freeze them unbaked. They're good for several days but best fresh baked.

  5. Gina Trimble says

    5 stars
    My Dear Aunt Marian used Lard for Pies and her Oatmeal Cookies. We loved when she came to visit, Still our favorite!
    I love how Lard creates the subtle rich flavor! And the water seems to make them soft and chewy. You can bake a couple minutes longer than 8 min for a crispier cookie.
    I’m baking oatmeal cookies today for our family reunion this Labor Day weekend. I made Some with Chocolate Chips, some with raisins and some simply with chopped pecans! My family Loves the variety, plus We all have great memories of our cheerful Dear Aunt Marian, Baking this exact Famous Quaker Oats recipe with the Smiling man on the box. Occasional she would just drop by and She would bake us a surprise Batch. What a rush after school to come home and smell those cookies before we were even in the door! Her Gift of Love to us… Big Hugs and a cold glass of Milk and Fresh Famous Oatmeal Cookies! We are still blessed with Wonderful Memories
    of Her and now these cookies are a family tradition we still enjoy together!
    We knew we were loved!❤️

    Reply