These classic oatmeal raisin cookies are made with brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and lots of oats. They’re soft and chewy, never dry, and definitely win in the flavor and texture categories. It’s the the perfect recipe if you’re looking for cookies that are full of flavor and never boring.
**This post was updated May 18, 2023 with new photos and baking tips**
The Perfect Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
The perfect oatmeal raisin cookies are extra soft with a deliciously chewy texture. They need a hint of cinnamon and lots of flavor to complement the raisins. They should taste comforting, homey, and just like grandma made. And that’s exactly what these oatmeal raisin cookies are. It’s an easy recipe that turns out way better than anything store-bought, and tastes delicious with a cold glass of milk.
To be totally honest, as a child I was not a fan of oatmeal raisin cookies. I firmly believed that 1) raisins did not belong in cookies, and 2) adding oatmeal was my parents’ way of secretly making cookies healthy. I was not OK with either. But even if you don’t like raisins in cookies – I urge you to try these. There’s so much flavor and chewy texture that you just might be changing your mind.
Now – if you’re wondering why I don’t just take my oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe and swap the chocolate chips for raisins – here’s why. With oatmeal chocolate chip cookies I like them extra thick so that they can hold a ton of chocolate chips. Whereas, for oatmeal raisin cookies I prefer them a little softer and with more spices to complement the raisins.
Ingredients
Often when I hear people say that they don’t like oatmeal raisin cookies it’s usually that they find them too bland or dry and crumbly. So for this recipe, there’s a few tricks and secret ingredients to ensure they’re flavorful, soft, and chewy. You’ll need:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (AKA plain flour in Australia)
- ½ to 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Key for the perfect flavor – I typically use 1 teaspoon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg. If you’re really in a pinch, you could leave this out. But I recommend adding nutmeg for the perfect combo of spices.
- ½ teaspoon baking soda to help the cookies rise.
- ¼ teaspoon salt to balance out the sweetness.
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature.
- ½ cup brown sugar – you can use light or dark.
- ¼ cup granulated sugar.
- 1 large egg – the egg should be at room temperature to avoid the batter curdling.
- 1 tablespoon honey or molasses. The honey not only adds flavor – but it also key for creating cookies with the perfect chewy texture.
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract – again for more flavor.
- 1 ½ cup old-fashioned oats. You want to ensure that you’re using rolled oats (as opposed to steel-cut oats). I prefer old-fashioned over quick oats for this recipe because they give more texture. If you’re in a pinch – quick oats will work.
- ⅔ cup raisins. You want to make sure that the raisins aren’t all stuck together in 1 lump.
Making the Cookies
I’ve included step-by-step photos below so you can see exactly what to do in each step of the process.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. This step ensures that the spices and baking soda are evenly distributed within the flour for easier mixing later.
- In a separate large bowl, beat together the softened butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Beat together until creamed – meaning you shouldn’t see lumps of sugar or butter and the mixture should look almost fluffy.
- Then mix in the honey, vanilla and egg until smooth.
- Add the flour mixture into the butter mixture and slowly mix together. I typically do a few stirs by hand first so that the flour doesn’t blow everywhere when you turn on the mixer. You’ll notice that the batter is sticky at this point – that’s OK and expected.
- Then stir in the oats and the raisins. I always do this by hand because the batter is thick.
- Cover the bowl with plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 48 hours. The dough needs to chill for at least 30 minutes to avoid the cookies spreading too thin. If want extra thick cookies, then I recommend chilling for at least 2 hours.
- Take the dough out of the fridge, preheat the oven to 350F (180C) and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Form the dough into balls with about 1.5 tablespoons of dough each and place 2 inches apart on the lined cookie sheets.
- Bake 1 sheet at a time for about 11-3 minutes, or until the tops look just set. It’s important to only bake 1 cookie sheet at a time in the middle of the oven. If you bake 2 trays at a time, the top tray tends to end up with cookies where the tops are overbaked, whereas the bottom tray has cookie bottoms that are too brown.
Baking Tips & Tricks
- Make sure your butter is softened to room temperature, but not melted. I typically take my butter out of the fridge 30-60 minutes before making the cookie dough.
- Use a cookie scoop for more uniform shaped cookies.
- If you feel that your cookie dough balls aren’t flattening down enough as they bake, you can press them down slightly before baking.
- Oatmeal raisin cookie dough is sticky. This is normal. Using the cookie scoop also makes it easier to work with the sticky dough, as well as chilling the dough.
- Slightly underbake the cookies. The tops should look just set when you take them out of the oven. Then let the cookies cool completely on the baking tray. This makes the cookies extra soft.ake
So, if you love oatmeal raisin cookies – high five, you’re going to love these. If you don’t – I dare you to try them. Soft and chewy with a delicious brown sugar and cinnamon flavor – you just might cross over to the oatmeal raisin loving dark side.
Or for more oatmeal cookie recipes, be sure to try:
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
- No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Equipment
- Cookie Sheets
Ingredients
- 1 cups all-purpose flour (125 grams)
- ½ - 1 teaspoon cinnamon to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter (112 grams) softened to room temperature
- ½ cup packed brown sugar (105 grams)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (50 grams)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon honey (15 ml) or molasses
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 and ½ cups oats old fashioned or large flake
- ⅔ cup raisins
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt. Set aside
- In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat together the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until fluffy (about 2 minutes).
- Beat the honey, vanilla extract and egg into the butter mixture.
- With the mixer on low speed, beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture.
- Stir in the oats and raisins. The batter will be sticky.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F (180C) degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, form the dough into balls of about 1 to 1.5 tablespoons and place 2 inches apart on the lined cookie sheets.
- Bake 1 tray at a time, on the middle rack of the oven for 9-11 minutes or until the tops look just set.
- Remove from the oven and cool fully on the cookie tray.
Notes
- Oats: This recipe is developed using large rolled oats (sometimes called old-fashioned oats). Quick oats will work, but I personally prefer the texture with large rolled oats. Do not use instant oats or steel-cut oats (AKA Irish oats).
- Freezing Cookie Dough: Cookie dough balls can be placed in a freezer bag and frozen for up to 2 months. Bake form frozen, as directed in the recipe. They will need 1-2 minutes longer baking.
- Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Baked and cooled cookies can be frozen in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Nutrition: Details provided are an estimate only and based on 1 cookie, assuming the recipe yields 24 uniform cookies.
Nutrition
Ginny S.
These oatmeal raisin cookies are da bomb! Best I’ve made. My family is over the moon! Followed the recipe exactly. Baked them for 12 minutes. They are perfection!! Don’t bother looking for a better recipe. These are the top of the top!
Christy
Instead of putting the cookies in the refrigerator can you freeze them and bake when you want just a just a couple of cookies?
Fiona
You can definitely do that! They’ll take about 1-2 minutes longer to bake from frozen
Joann
Can you address chocolate chips to the raisin oatmeal cookies?
Fiona
Feel free to substitute chocolate chips for raisins – you can use the same amount 🙂
Brittanie
An awesome recipe. However it does not tell you when to add the egg to the mix. I added the egg to the butter/sugar mixture right before I added the flour mix. I also didn’t have nutmeg so I used 1/4 tsp of cloves. They’re amazing.
Fiona
Thank you so much for the catch! I have updated the recipe now. I’m so glad you enjoyed the cookies too
Marcella
I made these cookies this morning (made the dough last night and let it refrigerate overnight like the recipe states), and they are AMAZING. They are dense, chewy, moist and flavorful with the perfect amount of sweetness and texture. I followed her tip to slightly underbake them — I baked them for about 11 minutes, took them out right when they turned a light golden brown color and they set perfectly. So so good, will definitely be saving this recipe and making these again and again.
Jade Tonkin
Love these cookies. I also added chocolate chips, raisins, pecans and coconut as well as raisins. So good!
Tabby
Just read all the comments and got everything out and ready to start making. Planning on trying your recipe later this morning. Going to add cloves cause I love little extra. Will let you know how they turn out. Thank You for sharing.
Christine
I understand that the cookie dough is chilled but do you also refrigerate the formed cookies before baking or do you bake them right after forming the cookies?
Fiona
Sorry for the confusion! You only need to chill the dough before forming it into balls. After scooping the chilled dough and placing the dough balls on the cookie sheet – they can go straight into the oven.
Mark
Great cookies but it certainly didn’t yield 23 cookies unless they were a half inch in circumference. I doubled the recipe and got 32 three inch cookies.
Barb
Can I use quick oaks????
Fiona
I prefer old-fashioned in this recipe, but quick oats will work. Just make sure they aren’t instant oats.
Latefa
Can I sub the butter for coconut oil or canola oil ?
Fiona
I haven’t tried it, so I really can’t be certain of the results. I worry that they’d flatten out too thin and burn. I think melted coconut oil would probably work better than canola oil.