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.
The Best 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 chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, oatmeal butterscotch cookies, 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 Oatmeal Raisin Cookies So Good?
This classic oatmeal cookie recipe makes soft and chewy cookies. They stay good for days and bring back lunchbox memories of when we were kids!
- The perfect blend of sugars. I use both brown sugar and granulated sugar to make these cookies soft and chewy with just the right amount of crisp around the edges.
- Cold butter for thick, chewy cookies. Starting with slightly cold butter helps keep the cookies thick and gives them the best chewy texture.
- Plenty of hearty oats. Old-fashioned oats give these cookies that classic, chewy bite.
- Sweet, chewy raisins in every bite. There’s just the right amount of raisins to add flavor without overpowering the cookies.
- No chilling needed! You can scoop and bake the dough right away, so you’re only minutes away from warm, fresh cookies.
Important Notes!
- Start with cold butter. I use cold butter that’s been softened just slightly in the microwave. It’s still cooler than room temperature but soft enough to cream with the sugar. If your butter is too warm, your cookies will spread more.
- Why are my cookies spreading? If your first batch spreads too much, try adding an extra ¼ cup of flour and chilling the dough for 30 minutes before baking the next round.
- Use old-fashioned oats. This recipe is written for old-fashioned rolled oats. Quick oats absorb more moisture and can make the cookies mushy—and that can lead to more spreading.
- Measure flour correctly. For best results, use a kitchen scale to follow the weight measurements listed in the recipe. Too much or too little flour can affect both texture and spread.
- Double check your ingredients. Make sure the ingredients are listed in the order you’ll use them, and that you’re using what’s called for—especially the type of oats and butter temperature.
More Tips for Success
- Mix dry ingredients separately. Combine all the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl so they are evenly incorporated.
- 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
How to Store
- Store at Room Temp: 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.
More Oatmeal Cookie Recipes
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 (226 g) unsalted butter, cold
- 1 ½ cups (320g) 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) old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 tablespoon (7g) ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon (5g) 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. The butter temperature should be around 70°F. Combine the softened butter with the brown and granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed until well combined, 2-3 minutes, resembling a thick sand texture.
- 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 the 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 underbaked 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
- Flour measurements: This recipe is based on 140g/1 cup of flour. Weighing the flour is the most accurate way to follow the recipe.
- 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. Weighing the oats in important because scooping oats gives you different measurements every time.
- 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 baking.
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
Great taste! Easy to make. I hate making cookies but these turned out so good. Making them again for sure
HAHA! I love it! I am so glad you gave this recipe a try!
I haven’t made Oatmeal cookies in years so thought I would give this recipe a try based on the reviews. I weighed all the ingredients as you suggested, and the cookies still spread when baked. (I don’t live where it is hot and humid, or high altitude, quite the opposite) I will try making these again but add a little more flour. The dough was a little sticky, so there is an opportunity to add a little more flour, hopefully without making them too dry.
I can’t seem to replicate this issue, I am not sure what factors may be at play for those who experience this. It’s possible the butter was too soft or purely a difference in ingredients. I wish I knew because I am not sure what to make of it.
They’re currently baking, praying they’re good lol. Idk what I did wrong but the dough was very thick hoping they flatten to cookies and don’t stay as balls 😬
Let me know how it goes Hannah. Not sure why the dough would be too sticky unless you need a bit more flour
I am almost 70 years old…
This the BEST oatmeal cookie I have ever made!
ABSOLUTELY 🫠🤎delicious!
This is the biggest compliment. Thank you so much!
These were the best oatmeal raisin cookies I’ve ever made and I’ve made a lot of oatmeal raisin cookies in my lifetime. They were my husband’s favorite. This recipe was just perfect after I added a tablespoon of nutmeg. Just took it right over the top. Oh and some chopped walnuts as well. Thank you so much for sharing this.
Amazing Darla! Thank you so much for giving this one a try!
I make cookies every Christmas and I sale them to friends and my oatmeal raisin cookies never taste like this so I am saving this recipe for Christmas
Wonderful Linda, I am glad you enjoyed it and thank you for adding it to your Christmas cookie list!
The flavor is AMAZING, but they look awful! They flattened out into one big cookie. I used the exact amounts of every ingredient too. I’m adding more flour to hopefully get the cookies to not be complete pancakes. Bummer!
Hi Bridget, did you use a food scale to measure the flour? This could also be an issue if the butter was too soft or perhaps your oven runs hot? Do you live at an elevation that might require some adjustments?
I’m so excited, thank you for sharing. Happy Halloween 💁🏼♀️🫶
Thank you so much!
Excellent!!
Thank you Sally!
Turn out perfectly. Really yummy!
Love to hear it Julie, thank you!
Best cookies I’ve made in a long time. Husband loved them!! This is my new Oatmeal Raisin cookie recipe!
Yes! I love when that happens Lori, thank you!
These cookies have a great flavor! So glad I tried this recipe. Mine looked a little flatter than yours, but they were still wonderful.
Love to hear that Brenda! Thank you!
Absolutely the best oatmeal raisin cookies I’ve ever had! I’m already planning on making them again and I just made them a few days ago! My whole house smelled amazing while they were baking.
Amazing Kat! Thank you so so much!
So I am in my 60’s and have made dozens of different cookie recipes and always look for new recipes!! Well let me tell you about THESE mounds of yumminess and perfection!!! WOWZA!! I stumbled upon this recipe and followed to a “T” this oatmeal raisin cookie recipe and daaaaaang, pure perfection is all I can say! I never ventured with different ingredients and I must encourage everyone to make these….SERIOUSLY!! Thank You for sharing with the world your one-of-a-kind recipe!!
Keep ‘em coming young lady! ;D
Lynda A
I love this so much!! Thank you for leaving this review!
I made these on a whim because I was craving some oatmeal raisin cookies and I wanted something that was easy to follow, soft, and delicious. These cookies hit all of those marks. I made half a batch and it was easy to convert because of the weighted measurements provided. Thank you so much for this recipe and it will definitely be added to the arsenal!
The only problem I had was that mine spread out a lot when I baked them but I think that was human error and I’m going to try some that I let chill in the fridge for a while.
I am so happy to hear you enjoyed them. Temperature and humidity can have an effect on baked goods. If you live in a particularly warm or humid climate, refrigerating might help. If you have a kitchen scale, I would recommend weighing the flour and using the provided weight measurements, which is based on 140g/cup
I have never had homemade oatmeal raisin cookies that tasted this good! My neighbor has a six-year-old son who is the pickiest child ever he ate three of them and came and knocked out my door and told me he needed more!!! These cookies are so good!! I will be making these forever!
That’s amazing Laura! Thank you so much for leaving this review. I guess I will have to try these for my picky 4 yr old LOL
I’m one of those “I rarely give reviews to recipes, but…” kind of people. I DO, though, when the recipe is fantastic in my opinion! Unfortunately I was a bit short on the raisins, so I subbed a few chocolate chips. It’s such a great base recipe (perfect ratios and instructions) for adding options, but next time I want the whole 2 cups of raisins! Thank you. 😉
I love when the “I never leave review” people stop by. That means I must be doing something right. Thank you for taking the time to leave this review!
These cookies sound fantastic and I will probably add coconut to the mix.
Absolutely love this recipe!!! I’ve made it 3 times already and one of those times I added chocolate chips rather than raisins.
That’s amazing!! Thank you so much!
Can’t wait to try
Just made these and added some chocolate chips! Absolutely delicious!
Awesome! Thank you Jennifer!
since I have been baking with minimum of sodium this summer…
this recipe is a keeper 😊