Sink your teeth into these thick, soft, and chewy oatmeal raisin cookies. They’re loaded with warm cinnamon, sweet raisins, and plenty of hearty oats. Plus, these cookies rea easy to make, and stay fresh for days.
Are you team raisin or team chocolate chip? This classic oatmeal cookie recipe makes soft and chewy cookies. I can’t even count the number of times I made these, then stacked them high on a plate and settled in to enjoy homemade cookies with a cup of tea. They stay good for days and bring back lunchbox memories of when we were kids!
I love oatmeal cookies so much I have a dozen variations. My favorites are the chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, oatmeal butterscotch cookies, and peanut butter oatmeal cookies.
What Makes These Oatmeal Raisin Cookies So Darn Good?
- 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
WAY too much sugar. Not enough oats. I should have stuck with my old time recipe. PS wont let me post a 2 star review…
I respectfully don’t agree but if you have another recipe you already like then sure, stick with that.
OMG! Just what I was looking for. Soft and chewy. Wonderful taste. Couldn’t keep my husband away from them. (I couldn’t either) Thanks for sharing.
That’s wonderful Josephine! Thank you for sharing!!
So simple and easy yet ever so perfectly delicious! 😋
Thank you so much Denise!
My cookies flattened out like pancakes.
it’s hard to say without more specifics. Are you weighing ingredients and using the weight provided? Butter temperature could also be a factor, if the butter was too soft that’s an issue. Your internal oven temperature or even the type of pan you used could be a factor as well. I would need more info. This recipe works great for an overwhelming majority of people other some others have reported that they spread. After some followup I have also found that people are using different types of oats or even using vegan butter, and these types of substitutions can effect the end results.
Nice and guey, were a hit among the fam! Exactly what I was looking for. But between the sweet raisins and the sugar, these were just too sweet for me, which is the only reason I docked a star!
I added pecans, they helped balance the sweetness some, but I’m wondering if I can add half the sugar and maybe increase the flour amount to make up for it with another dry ingredient? Or how does that chemistry work, do you have any advice? Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipe!
Hi Mariana, thanks for your feedback. IF you reduce the sugar without any other changes, you can expect a puffier cookie, as the sugar is what helps the cookies to have some spread. If you were to reduce the sugar AND add flour, you’ll end up with a less chewier, drier and puffy cookie.
My cookies spread too much. I weighed all ingredients, refrigerated for about 15 minutes, used old fashioned oats, and nuked my butter for 15 seconds. They were chewy but too flat😕. My baking soda should have been good, wasn’t expired. Not sure why they were flat!
Hi Peggy, I truly don’t know what caused this for some people but not others. Did you use the 280g of flour as written? You shouldn’t need to chill the dough, the recipe doesn’t require that. Was the butter starting to melt or soft to the point where if you stuck your finger in it, it would cut through the butter?
These cookies have the best flavor of any oatmeal cookie ive ever made but i don’t understand why they spread out very thin. They dont stay a thick cookie.
Hi Kerry, it’s hard to say without more specifics. Are you weighing ingredients? Butter temperature could also be a factor. You internal oven temperature or even the type of pan you used could be a factor as well.
Cookies turned out perfect! Delicious!
Thank you so much Gerri!
Excellent! Just the right amount of everything that makes an oatmeal raisin cookie perfection! Thank you for sharing!!
Oh my gosh, thank you so much!
I don’t have unsalted butter. Is that a deal breaker for this recipe?
Nope. Salted butter works just fine, if you are sensitive to salt then consider reducing the added salted by 1/4 teaspoon
These cookies were perfect and tasty! Will make again and again!
Thank you so much!
First time I’ve ever made oatmeal raison cookies and they turned out great!
That’s wonderful Mary Ann! Thank you!
These were delicious!
Thank yo Beth!
Looks just like yours. Delicious.
that’s wonderful Lydia, thank you!
I have tried many recipes for oatmeal cookies and this one has to be in my top 5 for sure! You will not be disappointed! Ty!
You are so welcome Stephanie!
Best I have ever made , I do freeze dough in rounds. Then Pa kage them in batches of 6. To cook when I need them .
I love that Janet, thank you!
This recipe keeps failing me. What is going on! lol my cookies look nothing like these
Hi Bryan, I am publishing your comment even though we’ve already troubleshooted the issues via email.
Bryan was using plant based butter and quick oats. These types of changes will effect the outcome the cookie, and results will not be the same.
So delicious!!! It took a little longer to bake than was instructed. I took it out after 12 minutes, and then put it back in for 5 minutes, was still not quite cooked, and put it in for another 5 minutes.
Hi Luke, it sounds like your internal oven temperature might be off or it wasn’t fully preheated before baking. That’s 22 minutes total, it’s quite a long time for cookies of this size.
I started to make these cookies and realized I only had steel cut oatmeal. They were delicious! Just let the dough sit for about 10 minutes before baking.
Thank you so much Susan!
These cookies are one of the best tasting cookies I have ever eaten!!!
Oh my word! Thank you so much Kim!