Dishpan Cookies

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Dishpan cookies are the perfect cookie in my book! Soft and chewy with slightly crispy edges, they live up to their name, as you never know what kind of delicious texture and flavor surprise is hiding inside.

Broken dishpan cookie.

I suppose I’ve always had a soft spot when it comes to homemade cookies. As a girl, my mother made fresh homemade cookies like these dishpan cookies twice a week, every week!

Living up to their name, dishpan cookies contain all sorts of goodness and the batter is generally far too massive to fit into a bowl in order to mix. So, what does the cookie dough include? A delicious combination of brown and white sugar, with vanilla extract, flour, quick oats, and cornflakes. This cookie recipe makes a very old-fashioned-tasting cookie. This recipe reminds me of something I had in our lunchroom at school as a child. We’ve included several recipe variations below, so you can make your own version of kitchen sink cookies (that’s what they’re all about).

These are also GREAT cookies to give away. These dishpan cookies travel well, freeze well, stay fresh longer than most cookies just sealed in a jar on the counter, and they also mail well. Even better, if you like crisp cookies, just bake them two minutes or so longer and you’ll have them! If you like chewy, bake them just until done. 

Labeled recipe ingredients for dishpan cookies.

Recipe Ingredients

  • Light brown sugar
  • White sugar
  • Vanilla
  • Oil
  • Eggs
  • All-purpose flour
  • Baking soda
  • Salt
  • Quick oats
  • Cornflakes
Cream together the sugars, vanilla, eggs, and salt.

In a large bowl or dishpan, add sugars, vanilla, oil, and eggs. Cream well.

The ingredients when creamed together.

It will look like this.

In a different bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt, and baking soda.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix well.

Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and mix well.

Pour in oats and mix well.

Now pour in your oats and mix well.

Add cornflakes to cookie batter and mix well.

Now add your cornflakes and mix REALLY well!

A well-mixed dishpan cookie batter.

You can stop when the dish pan cookie dough is well mixed.

Drop large scoops onto cookie sheets.

Drop 1/4 cup-sized scoops of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet if you want them to be the size of mine. If you want smaller, just drop by tablespoons or slightly larger, your preference.

Baked dishpan cookies on wire rack.

Bake at 375 for 10 to 12 minutes. Add a few minutes more if you want them crispy. These will stay chewy and fresh for about two weeks, but folks have enjoyed them very much even after that!

Plate of dishpan cookies.

BEWARE OF COOKIE MONSTERS!

Take some to your neighbors, your kid’s teachers, your friends, or your Mama!

Storage

  • Store your dishpan cookies in an airtight container either at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
  • The cookies also freeze really well. You can either freeze the cookie dough or the baked cookies.

Hand holding a large dishpan cookie.

Recipe Notes

  • I like to make these cookies LARGE. I measure out 1/4 cup-sized balls and bake them to be extra-large. This cookie is sturdy enough to handle the larger size plus it is a nice little gift when you simply put one cookie in a cellophane gift bag and tie it with a curling ribbon, as I did this morning when I attached them to invitations for my daughter’s birthday.
  • Here are some fun dishpan cookie recipe variations. Mix and matching ingredients are the best part of baking dishpan cookies!
    • 2 cups of oats and 2 cups of sweetened coconut flakes to make coconut oatmeal dishpan cookies.
    • 1 cup of quick oats and 2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips for a unique take on a chocolate chip cookie.
    • 1 1/2 cups of oats, 1 cup of chocolate chips, and 2 cups of Rice Krispies.
    • Add 1 cup of chopped nuts or raisins to our original recipe.

You might also enjoy these cookie recipes!

White Chocolate Chip Big Cookie

Iced Oatmeal Cookies

How to Make Snickerdoodle Cookies

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies

3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

Stack of dishpan cookies.

Dishpan Cookies

Soft and chewy with slightly crispy edges, dishpan cookies live up to their name, as you never know what kind of delicious texture and flavor surprise is hiding inside.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cookies
Servings: 4
Calories: 206kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 cups light brown sugar
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 cups oil
  • 4 eggs
  • 4 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ cups quick oats
  • 4 cups cornflakes

Instructions

  • In a very large bowl or dishpan, cream together the sugars, vanilla extract, oil, and eggs.
    2 cups light brown sugar, 1 cup white sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 2 cups oil, 4 eggs
  • In a separate mixing bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and then fold in the oats and cornflakes.
    4 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 ½ cups quick oats, 4 cups cornflakes
  • Drop ¼ cup-sized dollops of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet. This batter might be a little dry and you may have to smoosh it together with your hands to get it into a ball when you put it onto the pan.
  • Bake for 10 to 12 minutes at 375, or until edges are lightly browned. If you want them to be chewy, bake a little less. If you want them to be crispy, a little more. I always double this recipe and do half chewy, half crunchy. They keep really well and are great for breakfast.
  • This freezes well both as a dough and as a finished cookie.

Nutrition

Calories: 206kcal
Tried this recipe?Mention @southernplate or tag #southernplate!
 


“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, 
 

but their echoes are truly endless.”

~Mother Teresa

Submitted by Vickie. Thank you Vickie!

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251 Comments

  1. These are super good! I love butterscotch, so I added a bag to the batter. Yummy!!!! Will be a frequently baked cookie at our house! Thanks. Love both cook books and your blog!

  2. I have a box of frosted flakes I need to use up….wonder if I could use these instead? Maybe add alittle less sugar. Any suggestions?

  3. Christy, Oh my gosh! I baked these for my son’s 5th grade class. They are absolutely wonderful! I baked half crunchy and can’t decide which I like most. This recipe was so easy. I have to admit, I was concerned about the corn flakes. They cooked up just fine. If someone else baked these cookies and had me guess what was in them, I would immediately say “peanuts”. They taste like peanuts are in them. Is it just me?

  4. I made theses tonight and didn’t like the cornflakes taste…next time I will omit..overall good taste

  5. A dear friend gave me this recipe years ago. The only difference is my version calls for rice crispies instead of cornflakes.
    I took some to a friend who’s husband had a terminal illness. She said these were the only thing he would eat. He stayed in his big recliner all day and night and she would put some in ziplock baggies on the table by his chair.
    I don’t know of anyone that doesn’t like them once they take a bite.

  6. Here I am making these cookies again…this time for the Kairos Prison Ministry.
    Prayers are an extra ingredient that I’m adding!
    May His grace abound in our lives,
    Kay

  7. We use this recipe in my family around Christmas and add a bag of Heath Bar chips and chocolate chips. So good. I just made them this weekend and I think it was about 12 dozen with a single recipe.

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