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Sink your teeth into these thick, soft & chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. These cookies are loaded with spiced cinnamon, raisins and chewy oats. This is a simple cookie recipe to make and can be made ahead of time. Plus, they stay fresh for days.
Are you team raisin or team chocolate chip? My husband won’t even touch an oatmeal raisin cookie with a 10-foot pole. I on the other hand, never turn down a good cookie recipe.
Oatmeal cookies are a house favorite around here. I can’t even count the number of times I made this base recipe.
I have a dozen variations, a few of my favorites are the salted caramel oatmeal chocolate chip, salted caramel butterscotch and the salted caramel cashew version as well. I’m seeing a trend here. But honestly, they’re the most requested cookies in my house.
However, these Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are simply adapted from my basic chewy oatmeal cookie, but swapping out the chocolate chips for sweetened raisins and adding a bit of cinnamon for spice.
This recipe also uses mostly brown sugar which helps them maintain the soft & chewy texture you know and love. Is it just me or is there some nostalgia when it comes to oatmeal cookies?
This recipe comes together quickly, so you’ll be ready to go even BEFORE your oven is finished preheating. I just love quick and easy recipes.
What’s to love?
- No chilling of the dough is required
- Crispy edges with soft & chewy centers
- Brown sugar & cinnamon- can you think of a better combo?
- Loaded with sweetened raisins
- Nice and thick & filled with oats
Plus, the recipe can easily be adapted for a half-batch which is what I do to keep our cookie consumption to a minimum (cough Friday late night cravings cough).
Tips for making Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- I like to start with cold butter and microwave is for 10-12 second. It requires a little more time to cream the butter with the sugars, but I think it prevents the cookies from spreading and I often forget to take my butter out of the fridge to soften.
- Combine all the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl so they are evenly incorporated.
- I swear by using a kitchen scale when it comes to measuring dry ingredients like granulated sugar and flour so as not to over measure either ingredient, especially in a cookie recipe. However, for brown sugar, I do my best to evenly pack it into the measuring cup.
- Before the dry ingredients are fully mixed in, add the raisins so you don’t have to over mix the dough.
- Use a cookie scoop to keep the cookies the same size and ensure they bake evenly.
Tips for Baking Cookies
- Line your baking sheets with silicone baking mats. These are game changers for cookie baking. It helps the cookies from burning on the bottom or edges.
- You will pull them out of the oven before the centers are fully baked through, but they should not be too glossy. At that point even 30-60 seconds more can make a difference. Leave them on your baking sheet for several minutes and they will continue to finish baking as they cool.
- I recommend baking one pan at a time on the middle rack of your oven for even baking.
- If you find the cookies are spreading, take an angled spatula, a cookie spatula or knife and push the edges of the cookies back towards the center of the cookie right when you pull them out of the oven. This makes a nice round shape and also helps keep the center nice and puffy.
What kind of oats are best for these cookies?
Rolled oats are best for cookies as they make for the best nice texture and they also give them more chewiness. I love biting into a cookie and seeing all the layers of oats inside.
You can use quick oats if that’s all you have. However, quick oats tend to absorb more moisture and get a little mushier, which changes the final texture of the cookie.
I also often use gluten-free rolled oats from Bob’s Red Mill or Traders Joes and they work perfectly as well. However, I’ve never combined them with a gluten-free flour in this recipe.
Can I freeze these cookies?
Yes! These freeze nicely, making them a great option to make ahead of time ! I prefer to place them in an airtight container. If you’re like me, and can’t stay away, thaw one in the microwave for 10-15 seconds before eating.
How do I keep these cookies fresh?
Store them in an airtight container as soon as they are cooled. You can store them for 3-5 days but I usually like to freeze them if it’s going to be longer than 3 days.
More Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes
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Soft & Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies
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Pin RecipeDescription
Sink your teeth into these thick, soft & chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. These cookies are loaded with spiced cinnamon, raisins and chewy oats.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (229 g) unsalted butter, cold
- 1 ½ cups (330 g) light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup (95 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups (120 g) rolled oats
- 1 tablespoon (7 g) cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups (approximately 10 oz) Raisins
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Soften the cold butter in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. Combine the softened butter with the brown and granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed until well combined, 2-3 minutes.
- Next add the eggs and vanilla extract and continue beating until well incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, oats, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Stir to combine and slowly add the dry ingredients into the dough, mixing on low speed until dough starts to form.
- Before the dough thickens, add the raisins. Beat a couple of times just until the flour incorporates.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet. Scoop the dough using a large cookie scoop and place on a sheet pan, 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 11-13 minutes. The center of the cookie should be slightly under baked but not too gooey. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container.
Notes
- Rolled oats are best for cookies as they make for the best nice texture and they also give them more chewiness but if you only have quick oats, you can still use them. Quick oats tends to absorb more moisture and get a little mushier.
- Freezing instructions: Once baked, these can be kept frozen. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.
- Make ahead” If you’d like to prepare the dough ahead of time, I recommend scooping the finished dough onto cookie sheets and keeping in the fridge or freezer. Thaw to room temperature prior to baling.
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, Oatmeal Cookies, Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Recipe
could you use butter crisco instead of butter? it tends not to spread as much
Hi Lanna- I haven’t tested it, so I can say 100% but I think it should be okay
Usually, I’m on team chocolate chip (or really, team chocolate?), but in the case of oatmeal cookies…I can go either way. These oatmeal raisin cookies look delicious, Julianne!