These Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are buttery soft and totally addictive! Whether you use the dough for cookies or thick and chewy bars, they are a crowd and family favorite that no one can resist.
We are big fans of cookies around our house, and always have some on hand, like Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies, Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, Cheesecake Cookies or these Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. The grab and go quality is perfect for when that sweet tooth strikes. They have soft and chewy texture with crispy edges, the juicy raisins, or the hint of cinnamon but I can’t get enough. I would take these cookies over chocolate anything any day.
Ingredients for Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Butter – Real butter is the key to any good cookie recipe. Make sure to leave it out so it’s room temperature when you’re ready to bake. Never microwave butter to soften.
- Brown sugar and white sugar – Everyone knows that sugar sweetens your cookies, but it also, the brown sugar especially, adds moisture for a softer texture. Brown sugar also has a deeper richer flavor than white which is why we use a little more of it.
- Eggs – eggs add moisture and help create structure and stability. They also help to bind the dough together.
- Vanilla extract – to balance the flavor and sweetness
- All-purpose flour – the structure to any good cookie.
- Baking Soda – to help the cookie rise.
- Salt – for flavor.
- Ground cinnamon – cinnamon adds warmth and a delicious aroma while your cookies are baking.
- Old fashioned rolled oats – Do not use quick cook oats, they will get mushy. Old fashioned give a crunchy, nutty texture to your cookie.
- Raisins – Traditionally, regular purple raisins are used but you can use golden if you like for a little extra sweetness.
How to Make the Best Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
To make this easy Oatmeal Raisin Cookie recipe, you will need your standard cookie ingredients. There’s no need to go get anything special here because I’m sure you already have everything you need in your kitchen.
- Cream the butter and sugars: In a large bowl or the bowl of stand mixer, beat the butter by itself until it gets a little fluffy. This will take about two minutes. Then add granulated sugar and brown sugar and beat some more until everything is light and fluffy, and scrape down the sides as you go so everything is incorporated.
- Add eggs and vanilla: Add two eggs and 1 teaspoon of vanilla and beat again. (There is a lot of beating going on here to make these Oatmeal Raisin Cookies!)
- Mix dry ingredients: Use a separate bowl and combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon with a whisk to get out any lumps.
- Mix the wet and dry: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently mix together. Just stir until combined and you can no longer see any flour. Overmixing can cause the cookies to be dry and crumbly.
- Add oats and raisins: Stir in your oats and raisins, and you are ready to bake.
- Bake cookies in a 350 degree oven. Scoop cookies onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone mats and bake them for about 12 minutes. Just watch for the edges to barely get brown, and then remove the cookies. The centers will not look baked, but that’s okay. We want the cookies to be chewy, and under baking the centers gives us that lovely texture that we adore in cookies.
- Cool. Once removed from the oven, let them sit on the pan for about another 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool. This gives them a little bit of extra time to firm up.
Oatmeal Raisin Bars
You can easily turn oatmeal raisin cookie dough in oatmeal cookie bars!
Line a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with parchment or lightly grease with cooking spray. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until lightly golden on top. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool completely. Cut into bars and serve.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- I like to use a large cookie scoop so I can get cookies of uniform size.
- I also highly recommend silicone baking mats for these (and all) cookies.
- If your dough happens to be a little too sticky, don’t panic. Just pop it in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up.
- If you don’t happen to like raisins, you can use chocolate chips or cranberries instead. I promise won’t tell anyone!
What kind of oats are best for cookies?
For these oatmeal raisin cookies, I use old-fashioned rolled oats. In recipes that call for oats, rolled oats provide a chewy, nutty texture and flavor, while quick-cooking oats supply a softer, moister finished product. This is why we use rolled oats in cookies, and quick-cooking oats in bars like our Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars.
Why are my oatmeal cookies so hard?
A high moisture content gives cookie that intensely chewy texture. The recipe, baking time and temperature will affect the moisture content and evaporation so they may need to be adjusted. Butter and brown sugar have a higher water content and therefore can aid in the soft and chewy texture you want. More flour will help to keep the dough stiffer and not as spreadable. Using larger dollops of dough can also make a difference.
Most importantly, do not overbake your Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. They should be golden brown around the outer edges, with at least 1/3 of the center still pale, appearing almost under-baked. Once cooled the edges will be just slightly crisp and the center will be soft and chewy.
Storage Tips
Storage: In order to keep their moist and chewy texture, cookies should be stored in an airtight container and at room temperature. Do not refrigerate as that could cause condensation to form and make your cookies soggy.
Freezing: Once cookies are completely cooled, you freeze them in a resealable freezer bag for up to 6 months. When you’re ready, simple thaw, and enjoy!
More Yummy Cookie Recipes
- Magic Bar Cookies
- Orange Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Oatmeal Pumpkin Cookies
- Oreo Stuffed Cookies
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup butter softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 ½ cups raisins
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the butter until soft and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the sugars and continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy; 2-3 minutes.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, salt and ground cinnamon until well combined. Add to the butter mixture and stir together until combined.
- Add the oats and raisins and stir until well incorporated.
- Using a large cookie scoop, place cookies on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
- Bake cookies for about 12 minutes, until edges just barely start to brown. Remove from oven and let rest on pans for about 10 minutes. Then transfer to wire racks to cool.
Notes
Nutrition
I made these but I put my oatmeal in a blender and added them to the mix. It turned out very good.
Nice! Thanks for stopping by Jeannie.
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