If you're on the hunt for crunchy oatmeal cookies, you're not alone. Lately, there’s been a surge of interest in crisp, snappy cookies—maybe we’re all feeling a little crunchy ourselves? Either way, I recently rediscovered an old recipe from 2006 that fits the bill perfectly. With a few tweaks, a streamlined method, and a new name, these cookies are back and better than ever in "slice and bake" form.
Flavor and Texture Notes
The first thing you'll notice when you bite into one of these crunchy oatmeal cookies is the warm, toasty flavor of honey and pecans. I almost called them “Honey Pecan Crunch Cookies” because those flavors are so prominent. The three tablespoons of honey go a long way, and the pecans add both flavor and structure. There’s also coconut in the dough, which adds flavor, but you can leave it out if you’re not a fan. Raisins or currants are optional, but they pair beautifully with the honey and pecans.
Achieving Maximum Crunch
The key to the texture is the right fat. For that perfect crispy bite, I used a mix of butter and trans-fat-free shortening—specifically, Spectrum Organic Shortening, which has a neutral flavor and helps the cookies bake up evenly with nice crunchy edges. I also tested the recipe with all butter (cookie on the left in the top photo). The flavor was fantastic, but the spreading was less predictable and some cookies were chewy rather than crunchy. So take your pick—butter for richness, shortening for structure, or a blend of both for the best of both worlds.
Slice and Bake Oatmeal Cookies
These used to be your standard scoop-and-shape oatmeal cookies, but I’ve started rolling the dough into logs to create slice and bake oatmeal cookies. Not only is this more convenient (you can chill or freeze the logs and bake when you want), but it also gives you nicely uniform cookies. Tip: If your slices look a little wonky or oval, just nudge them back into circles before baking—super easy.
Large Batch or Half Batch With Half Egg
The full recipe makes a generous batch, but it halves well—as long as you use half an egg. Crack one egg into a bowl, whisk it with a fork, and use 2 tablespoons (about 24 grams). Using a whole egg in a halved recipe will make the cookies chewy instead of crunchy. For a vegan or egg-free option, try a flax egg or aquafaba; I haven’t tested those here yet, but it’s a worthy experiment.
Measure Carefully
This may be an old favorite, but it’s one of those recipes that just gets better with time—and better measuring. I recommend using a scale for accuracy, especially when it comes to flour. I had great results with pastry flour, but all-purpose works too. Just don’t overpack your cups—less is more when you want that light, crispy texture.
Bake Time
I'm adding a note about bake time since it may vary. I baked some of the cookies at 350F for about 12 to 15 minutes and I also tried baking at 325F for about 18 minutes. I have a feeling the bake time will vary from oven to oven. I recommend baking six cookies at 350 for about 12 minutes, then checking at 12 minutes. They should be a dark golden brown. If pulled too soon the cookies will be delicious, but might not be crunchy. If cookies come put chewy at 350, try baking at a lower temperature for a longer time.
Recipe
Slice and Bake Crunchy Oatmeal Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup pastry or all purpose flour 4.5 oz/ 126 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter or use ½ cup shortening and ¼ cup butter (170 grams butter or use 98 grams shortening plus 56 grams butter)
- 1 ½ cup granulated sugar (300 grams)
- 3 tablespoons honey (60 grams)
- 1 tablespoon molasses (20 grams)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 ½ cups oats, quick cooking (260 grams)
- 1 cup toasted chopped pecans (100 grams)
- ¼ cup shredded sweetened or unsweetened coconut
- ¾ cup raisins, currants or mini chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- Stir together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add honey, molasses, egg and vanilla. Mix on low, then increase speed to high and beat on high speed for another minute.
- Add flour mixture and stir until it's about halfway mixed, then add the oats, pecans and coconut. With the mixer, beat on a lower speed just until dough is cohesive. It's a fairly crumbly dough, so try to get it to stick together without over mixing. If you need to you can empty it onto a clean surface and do it by hand.
- Divide into four sections. Shape each dough section into a cylinder about 1 ½ inches in diameter (or however wide you want the cookies) and wrap tightly. Chill for several hours or until dough is very firm.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Slice the cylinders into rounds about ⅜ to ½ inch thick. Arrange on baking sheets spacing 1 ½ to 2 inches apart.
- Bake for about 12 minutes or until the cookies are a dark golden color; Let cool for about 3 minutes on cookie sheets then transfer to a wire rack to cool. They will crisp and firm up quite a bit as they cool.
Anna says
My favorite taste testers approved! I think I'm going to add some orange zest to the next batch.
Sue K says
These look and sound deliicious!