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.
Perfect Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
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 oatmeal cookie! I can’t even count the number of times I made this simple recipe, then stacked them high on a plate and settled in to enjoy homemade cookies with a cup of tea.
In fact, I love oatmeal cookies so much 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. My newest recipe is for peanut butter oatmeal cookies and let me tell you – they. are. amazing.
What Makes these Cookies the Best?
This classic oatmeal cookie recipe makes soft and chewy cookies sweetened with brown sugar. They stay good for days and bring back lunchbox memories of when were kids!
I also love how this recipe comes together quickly. In fact, it’s SO EASY that you’ll be done making the batter BEFORE your oven is finished preheating. Go on, give it a try. You won’t believe how simple these cookies are to make! You don’t even have to chill the dough.
Tips for Success
Even though these oatmeal cookies are about as simple as it gets when it comes to baking, it still doesn’t hurt to have a few pro tips up your sleeve:
- Slightly warm your butter. I like to start with cold butter and then 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.
- Mix dry ingredients separately. Combine all the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl so they are evenly incorporated.
- Measure accurately. I swear by using a kitchen scale when it comes to measuring dry ingredients like granulated sugar and flour so as not to overmeasure either ingredient, especially in a cookie recipe. However, for brown sugar, I do my best to evenly pack it into the measuring cup.
- Don’t over-mix. 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. This helps to keep the cookies the same size and ensure they bake evenly.
- 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.
- I recommend baking one pan at a time on the middle rack of your oven for even baking.
How Do I Know When the Cookies Are Done?
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.
What to Do If Your Cookies Spread Too Much
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 Kinds of Oats To Use
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.
How to Store
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.
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.
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Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Description
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.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 224
- Sugar: 21.7g
- Sodium: 132.8mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 4.9g
- Carbohydrates: 36.1g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Protein: 2.5g
- Cholesterol: 28.1mg
you are the best
My boyfriends favourite cookies are oatmeal raisin and I always make them for him, tested a few recipes and this one is by far the best one out there ! I only use this recipe since finding it him and his family and me love them & I also add nutmeg in for extra flavour they’re perfect!
Well isn’t that just awesome!! Thank you so much!
I added additional nutmeg and pumpkin spice along with walnuts and semi chocolate chips 1/4 cup. Great old fashioned cookie recipe.
That’s wonderful Kelly!! Thank you so much for sharing that!
I’m making now but I only added a half cup of butter. Will this mess them up?
Yes, they would be drastically different
Delicious! The cookies came out perfect! I followed the ingredients and didn’t change a thing. I did find they needed to bake just a little longer.
Thank you for sharing your scrumptious recipe!!! 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩
That is wonderful!! Thank you so much!
This oatmeal raisin cookie is the best cookie I’ve EVER tasted. It far exceeds any other type of cookie.
What is the best method for storing them? They’re so soft and chewy but when I stacked them, they stuck together a lit bit.
Thank you so much Lisa. I usually stack them in an airtight container, but if they are sticking together place a layer of parchment paper between them
Awesome cookies!!!
I did add a teaspoon of nutmeg.
Sounds wonderful Pat! Thank you so much for leaving a review.
Mine thinned out a bit, but seem to be better when I roll into balls and chill the dough for a bit. Definitely not as thick as pictured by flavor is great
Thanks Leeanne, was it possible the butter got too soft?
Hi do you soak the raisers or just pour them in straight from the box?
Hi Mary, I do not but many people opt to do so
I never really comment on recipe sites but these cookies are SO good I had to come back and tell you. I’ve made them twice now and everyone loves them. Thank you!
Best oatmeal cookies I’ve ever had.
That is so wonderful Sierra, thank you so much!
My dad isn’t crazy about oatmeal but he loved them! I soaked my raisins and add just a little chocolate chips and they were a hit!
Love to hear that Joanne! Thank you!
Way to runny. Flavor very good will not make again without adjusting
Hi Sue, if they were runny, then there must have been an issue with the butter or measuring ingredients. These should be nice and thick as pictured.
I make this recipe all the time, I soak my raisons to make them plump and soft. Makes a huge difference.
Family all love them !
That’s fantastic! I will have to try this, I hear this a lot!
Delicious. Made for a barbecue with raisins and dates! They are a hit. Especially like the flavor and soft texture.
Thats absolutly wonderful Diane, thank you so much!
Love these cookies 😋
Thank you so much Renee!
Made these and very easy to create. They are absolutely delicious, can’t stop eating them.
Thank you so much Carol! I have to agree with you, I can’t stop eating them either!
Absolutely Delicious 😋 The best raisin oatmeal cookies, hands down!
Yeah!! That’s wonderful Vicky!! I hope you enjoy them!!
This recipe makes the best oatmeal – raisin cookies that I have ever eaten! Absolutely delicious! I think it’s the cinnamon that puts them over the top.
Thank you for the recipe.
Thank you so much! I am so thrilled you enjoyed these!
These cookies are delicious. I decided to make them for my husband because they looked like something his mom used to make. He said they weren’t exactly the same but he loved them. The recipe make a lot.
Thank you so much Susan, I am so glad to hear you enjoyed these!
I found this recipe on Pinterest and decided to give it a try since I saw some of the reviews were good. I made them for my husband who is quite picky. They were the best oatmeal raisin cookies I have ever had. My husband always asks me to bake them for him. They are chewy and delicious.
Yeah!! That’s wonderful Kathleen, thank you so much for sharing!