Easy Dark Chocolate Chunk Molasses Oatmeal Cookies

Dark chocolate chunk molasses oatmeal cookies are the recipe I turn to when I want something that feels special but doesn’t require fancy ingredients or complicated techniques. I created this version after years of making basic oatmeal cookies that always felt like they were missing something. These yummy oatmeal cookies use molasses instead of brown sugar, which gives them an incredible depth of flavor that regular chocolate chip cookies just can’t match. They’re loaded with pure dark chocolate chunks and have that perfect chewy oatmeal cookie texture.

This dark chocolate chunk molasses oatmeal cookies recipe combines rolled oats texture with the rich molasses flavor depth for something truly special. The brown sugar and molasses combination creates warm spiced oatmeal cookies that pair beautifully with treats like my cottage cheese chocolate mousse for a dessert spread or alongside protein cookie dough for a balanced snack plate. Whether you’re looking for the best dark chocolate chunk molasses oatmeal cookies or scientifically sweet oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, this recipe delivers every single time.

Why You’ll Love This Dark Chocolate Chunk Molasses Oatmeal Cookies

The Molasses Makes All the Difference. Most oatmeal cookies use just brown sugar, but adding molasses creates this deep, rich flavor that makes these taste like they came from an expensive bakery. The molasses flavor depth pairs perfectly with the bittersweet chocolate chunks and gives you that warm, spiced cookie taste without needing a bunch of extra ingredients.

They’re Chewy in the Best Way. These aren’t those hard, crunchy oatmeal cookies that break your teeth. The combination of soft butter, molasses, and the rolled oats texture creates cookies that stay chewy for days. They have crispy edges and soft centers, which is exactly what you want in a chocolate chunk oatmeal cookie.

They Work for Any Occasion. I make these for everything from holiday cookie swaps to random Tuesday afternoons when I need something sweet. The dark chocolate chunks make them feel fancy enough for guests, but the recipe is simple enough that my kids can help. Plus, they’re freezer-friendly oatmeal cookies, so you can make a double batch and have fresh-baked cookies whenever you want.

Ingredients for Dark Chocolate Chunk Molasses Oatmeal Cookies

These dark chocolate oatmeal cookies come together with pantry staples and real ingredients. The molasses and dark chocolate make them taste complex, but the ingredient list is straightforward.

What You’ll Need

See recipe card for quantities.

• Butter: soft butter adds incredible flavor and creates that chewy texture we all love in oatmeal cookies. Make sure it’s softened to room temperature so it creams properly with the sugar. Cold butter won’t incorporate well and you’ll end up with flat cookies. You can use salted or unsalted butter, I use salted.
• Molasses: this is the star ingredient that sets these apart from regular oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Use unsulphured molasses, not blackstrap, because blackstrap is too bitter and will overpower everything else. The molasses gives you that deep, warm flavor and keeps the cookies incredibly moist for days. Don’t skip this or substitute it with more brown sugar.
• Brown Sugar: works together with the molasses to create the perfect sweetness level and adds to that chewy texture. Light brown sugar works best, but dark brown sugar will make them even more molasses-forward if that’s what you’re after. The combination of brown sugar and molasses is what makes these cookies so good.
• Rolled Oats: old-fashioned rolled oats give you the best texture. Don’t use quick oats or instant oats because they’ll make your cookies mushy and dense. The rolled oats texture is what makes these feel hearty and substantial. You want to see actual oat flakes in your finished cookies.
• All-Purpose Flour: provides structure so the cookies don’t spread too thin and turn into crispy wafers. I use regular all-purpose flour, but you can substitute half of it with whole wheat flour if you want to make dark chocolate chunk molasses oatmeal cookies healthy. Just know that whole wheat will make them slightly denser.
• Dark Chocolate Chunks: this is where you don’t want to skimp. Use good quality dark chocolate chunks or chop up a dark chocolate bar yourself. The bittersweet chocolate balances out the sweetness from the molasses and brown sugar. Chocolate chips work in a pinch, but chunks give you those beautiful melty pools of chocolate.
• Eggs: bind everything together and add moisture. Room temperature eggs incorporate better into the dough, so pull them out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you start baking. Cold eggs can cause the butter to seize up.
• Vanilla Extract: enhances all the other flavors without being the star. Pure vanilla extract tastes better than imitation, but either works. Just don’t skip it because it rounds out the molasses flavor.
• Baking Soda: gives the cookies their lift and creates those beautiful crackly tops. Make sure yours isn’t expired or your cookies will spread too much and stay flat.
• Salt: balances the sweetness and makes all the flavors pop. If you want to get fancy, sprinkle a little flaky sea salt finish on top of the cookies right when they come out of the oven. The sea salt finish against the dark chocolate is incredible.
• Cinnamon (Optional): adds warmth and plays beautifully with the molasses. You can leave it out if you want a more straightforward chocolate oatmeal cookie, but I think it makes them taste more special.

Instructions for Making Dark Chocolate Chunk Molasses Oatmeal Cookies

Step-by-Step Directions

Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, place your soft butter and brown sugar and mix well with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes until it’s light and fluffy. This step is important because it incorporates air into the dough, which helps create that chewy texture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through.

Step 2: Add the molasses, eggs, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and beat until everything is completely combined. The mixture might look a little separated at first, but keep mixing and it will come together. Don’t worry if it looks a bit loose.

Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon if you’re using it. This ensures the leavening agent is evenly distributed so all your cookies bake up the same.

Step 4: Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. You should still see a few streaks of flour. Then add the rolled oats and mix until they’re incorporated. Don’t overmix or your cookies will be tough.

Step 5: Fold in the dark chocolate chunks with a spatula or wooden spoon. Make sure they’re evenly distributed throughout the dough. Save a few chunks to press into the tops of the cookies before baking for that bakery look.

Step 6: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 30 minutes. Cookie dough chilling is crucial because it prevents the cookies from spreading too thin and gives you thicker, chewier cookies. I usually chill mine for an hour or even overnight.

Step 7: Preheat your oven to 350°F and line your baking sheets with parchment paper. Don’t skip the parchment because it prevents sticking and makes cleanup so much easier.

Step 8: Use a cookie scoop or spoon to portion the dough into balls about 2 tablespoons each. Place them on the prepared cookie sheet about 2 inches apart because they will spread. Press a few extra chocolate chunks on top of each cookie if you want them to look extra good.

Step 9: Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are set and golden brown but the centers still look slightly underdone. They’ll continue to bake on the hot pan after you take them out. Don’t overbake them or they’ll be dry instead of chewy.

Step 10: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. If you try to move them too soon, they’ll fall apart.

Hint: For giant chocolate chunk oatmeal cookies, use a larger cookie scoop and increase the baking time by 2 to 3 minutes. The bigger cookies are perfect for sharing or making an impression at cookie swaps, and they pair beautifully with strawberry cheesecake cookies for a fun variety.

My Dark Chocolate Chunk Molasses Oatmeal Cookies Journey

I used to make regular chocolate chip oatmeal cookies all the time, but they always felt boring to me. They were fine, but nothing special. Then one winter, I had a bottle of molasses sitting in my pantry that I’d bought for gingerbread and never used again. I hate wasting ingredients, so I decided to throw some into my oatmeal cookie dough just to use it up.

The first batch came out darker than I expected, and I thought I’d ruined them. But when I took a bite, I realized the molasses had transformed the entire cookie. It added this deep, warm flavor that made regular oatmeal cookies taste flat in comparison. My husband ate four of them in one sitting and asked if I’d bought them from a bakery. That’s when I knew I was onto something.

I’ve been making these cookies ever since, and they’ve become the recipe everyone asks for during the holidays. Grandma tried one last Christmas and said, “Jazzy, these are better than the ones I used to make, and that’s saying something.” Coming from her, that was the highest compliment. Sometimes experimenting with leftover ingredients leads you to your new favorite recipe.

Substitutions for Dark Chocolate Chunk Molasses Oatmeal Cookies

All-Purpose Flour – use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend if you need these to be gluten-free, or swap half of it with whole wheat flour to make dark chocolate chunk molasses oatmeal cookies healthy with more fiber and nutrients

Dark Chocolate Chunks – replace with semi-sweet chocolate chips if that’s what you have, or use white chocolate chunks for a sweeter version, or even add dried cranberries along with the chocolate for oatmeal cranberry chocolate chunk cookies

Butter – swap with coconut oil for dairy-free cookies, but use refined coconut oil if you don’t want a coconut flavor, or use vegan butter if you’re making these completely plant-based

Molasses – you can use honey or maple syrup instead, but the flavor will be different and lighter, so you’ll lose that deep molasses flavor depth that makes these special (I don’t recommend this swap unless you have to)

Variations on Dark Chocolate Chunk Molasses Oatmeal Cookies

Cranberry Chocolate Version – fold in 1/2 cup of dried cranberries along with the dark chocolate chunks for cranberry chocolate chunk oatmeal cookies that have a tart sweetness, perfect for holiday baking and cookie exchanges

Brown Butter Upgrade – brown the butter before creaming it with the sugar to make brown butter oatmeal chocolate chunk cookies with an even deeper, nuttier flavor that takes these to the next level (just make sure to let the brown butter cool before using it)

Salty-Sweet Style – sprinkle flaky sea salt finish on top of the cookies right when they come out of the oven for salty oatmeal chocolate chunk cookies that balance sweet and savory perfectly, just like the famous barefoot contessa salty oatmeal chocolate chunk cookies

Equipment for Dark Chocolate Chunk Molasses Oatmeal Cookies

Electric Mixer – makes creaming the butter and sugar so much easier and faster than doing it by hand. A stand mixer or hand mixer both work great. You want that light, fluffy texture in the butter mixture, and a mixer gets you there in about 2 minutes.

Cookie Scoop – a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop gives you evenly sized cookies that all bake at the same rate. No more some burnt and some raw. It also makes the portioning so much faster. For giant chocolate chunk oatmeal cookies, use a 1/4 cup scoop.

Baking Sheets with Parchment Paper – parchment paper prevents sticking and makes cleanup a breeze. Don’t use cooking spray directly on the sheet because it can make the bottoms of your cookies too brown. Silicone baking mats work too.

Wire Cooling Rack – lets the cookies cool evenly without getting soggy bottoms from trapped steam. If you stack them or leave them on the hot pan too long, they’ll continue to bake and dry out.

Storage Tips for Dark Chocolate Chunk Molasses Oatmeal Cookies

Room Temperature – store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They stay chewy and delicious without refrigeration. Add a slice of bread to the container if you want to keep them extra soft.

Refrigerator – these don’t need to be refrigerated, but if you live somewhere really hot and humid, you can store them in the fridge for up to a week. Let them come to room temperature before eating for the best texture.

Freezer – these are freezer-friendly oatmeal cookies that freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. Stack them with parchment paper between layers in a freezer-safe container. Thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or warm them in the microwave for 15 seconds for that fresh-baked taste.

Cookie Dough Freezing – you can also freeze the cookie dough balls on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer them to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding 2 to 3 minutes to the baking time. This is perfect for when you want fresh cookies without making a whole batch.

Grandma’s Secret for Dark Chocolate Chunk Molasses Oatmeal Cookies

Grandma pulled me aside last time I made these and said, “Jazzy, if you want bakery-quality cookies, you need to do two things. Chill the dough and don’t be shy with the salt.” She told me about her friend who ran a bakery back in the day, and the secret to their famous oatmeal cookies was always chilling the dough overnight and adding a tiny bit more salt than the recipe called for. The salt balances the sweetness and makes the molasses and chocolate flavors pop.

She also taught me to press extra chocolate chunks on top of each cookie before baking. “People eat with their eyes first,” she said. Those visible chocolate chunks make the cookies look professional and bakery-style, even though they’re simple to make. It’s a small step that makes a big difference in presentation.

FAQ about Dark Chocolate Chunk Molasses Oatmeal Cookies

Conclusion

These dark chocolate chunk molasses oatmeal cookies have completely taken over as my go-to cookie recipe. They’re chewy, they’re flavorful, and they feel special enough to serve to guests but easy enough to make on a random weeknight. The combination of molasses and dark chocolate creates something that tastes way more complex than the simple ingredient list would suggest.

If you love these and want to try another twist on oatmeal cookies, I found this white chocolate cranberry oatmeal cookies recipe that’s a delicious variation with tart cranberries and sweet white chocolate. It’s a fun option if you want something a little lighter and fruitier.

Make a batch this weekend, and I promise these will become your new favorite oatmeal cookie. They’re perfect on their own, incredible with a cold glass of milk, or even crumbled over ice cream for a fun dessert. They also pair beautifully with easy 4-ingredient healthier pumpkin donuts for a fall baking spread. Let me know how yours turn out!