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These Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are what childhood dreams are made of! Loaded with oats and raisins, this old fashioned cookie recipe is easy and makes the best cookies for dunking in milk.
If you’re looking for more classic cookie recipes, check out these shortbread cookies, chewy chocolate chip cookies, easy brown sugar cookies, and chocolate crinkle cookies!
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love These Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- What You’ll Need
- How to Make Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Why Should I Chill the Cookie Dough?
- Tips for Success
- How to Store Homemade Cookies
- Can I Freeze Oatmeal Raisin Cookies?
- More Classic Cookie Recipes
- Watch How This Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe Is Made
- Get the Recipe
With so many solid cookie recipes out there, competition for the title of “best oatmeal raisin cookies” is fierce. But let me make my case here. After making these cookies many, many times – and taste testing many other recipes – here’s what I love about this particular homemade cookie recipe.
- Soft yet crispy. This oatmeal raisin cookie recipe yields soft cookies that hold together perfectly when you bite into them, but they also have slightly crisp edges, giving you that satisfaction of crispy and chewy in one bite.
- Filled with sweetness. These cookies are full of flavor thanks to the combination of brown sugar, vanilla, and a dash of cinnamon.
- Crowd-pleaser. These cookies have the absolute perfect texture for dunking into milk! Kids and adults alike will adore them.
What You’ll Need
These oatmeal raisin cookies are made with simple, classic ingredients (if you’re looking for exact amounts, check out the recipe card below). Here’s what you’ll need to make these homemade cookies and fill your kitchen with that cozy aroma you’re craving:
- All purpose flour – The best way to get an accurate measurement for your flour is to use a scale. You can also use the spoon-and-sweep method.
- Quick cook oats – These help give the cookies their sought after chewiness, an old fashioned cookie classic!
- Baking soda – Helps give your cookies a little bit of lift.
- Unsalted butter – Make sure you have softened it to room temp so that it can be evenly mixed into your cookie dough.
- Light brown sugar + granulated sugar – The brown sugar gives these cookies an irresistible caramel undertone. It also helps make them extra soft and chewy.
- Eggs – To bind all of the ingredients together and add moisture.
- Ground cinnamon + vanilla extract – I love how cinnamon adds warm, comforting flavor to these cookies. When paired with vanilla, this classic baking combo packs a 1-2 punch.
- Salt – Feel free to use kosher salt, sea salt, table salt, whatever you like.
- Raisins – Just enough for the raisins to be studded through every bite of cookie.
These old-fashioned cookies are a classic for a reason. Here’s how you make this easy oatmeal raisin cookies recipe:
- Mix your dry ingredients. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a medium-sized bowl and set it aside.
- Cream the butter and sugars together. Beat the butter and sugars in a large bowl on medium speed until light in color and fluffy. You should be able to see the change in color and texture happen and know it’s ready.
- Add the eggs one at a time. Mix until well combined after each, then add the vanilla and mix again.
- Slowly add in the dry ingredients. Stir until the dough is just combined, and do not over-mix.
- Stir in the oats and raisins. The dough will be thick, but sticky.
- Shape the dough. Scooping 2 tablespoons of dough at a time, shape balls of cookie dough until all the cookie dough has been used. (The dough will stick to your hands a little as you roll it, but if it sticks a ton and is hard to work with, refrigerate the dough for about 20 minutes, then roll the balls.)
- Refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 2-3 hours or overnight. I think they are best if refrigerated overnight, but they are still very good if refrigerated for just 2-3 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Then, line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Remove the cookie dough from the fridge. Let it sit out for about an hour to come closer to room temperature. If the cookies are too cold, they won’t spread properly. Bake the cookies for 9-12 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden.
- Don’t overbake. The cookies will be a little puffy when you take them out of the oven but will fall a bit as they cool.
- Remove the cookies from the oven. Allow them to cool on baking sheets for 4-5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
While refrigerating the cookie dough is a bummer because it means both planning ahead and having to wait, it truly makes the best cookies here. Refrigeration gives everything in the dough a chance to come together and for the oatmeal to soak up some of the moisture in the cookie dough, which helps add to the chewiness (this part is the biggest!). Without refrigerating them, the cookies will actually spread more than they should, since the moisture hasn’t been soaked up by the oatmeal. Plus, the oatmeal will end up more dry and so will your cookie. That’s not what we want, so don’t skip the refrigerating. Overnight is best.
Tips for Success
Skim through these tips and tricks before you begin baking to ensure that the process goes as smoothly as possible!
- Be sure to measure your ingredients accurately. Cookies especially can turn out quite differently with little adjustments to ingredients. I recommend using a scale, if you can.
- Don’t skip the chill time. It really does make a difference and is the key to making sure your cookies don’t spread too much while baking.
- If your cookies aren’t spreading enough: It’s possible that you mis-measured an ingredient. The most common issue is using too much flour. Your cookie dough might also be a little cool, so you can let it warm up a bit.
- If your cookies are spreading too much: Try refrigerating them for 10 minutes. It’s possible that they are too warm. It could also be that you made cookies that are larger than specified in the recipe – larger cookie balls spread more. Also be sure that you don’t skip refrigerating the dough, otherwise they may spread too much.
Store your cookies in an airtight container on the counter. They will keep for 4-5 days… but they probably will be gobbled up long before then!
Yes! You can also freeze your oatmeal raisin cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 months, once they’ve cooled completely. Remember to let them thaw in the refrigerator before you enjoy them again!
If you loved these oatmeal raisin cookies, be sure to try some more easy recipes, listed below, that everyone will love!
Check out this step-by-step video to see how this oatmeal raisin cookie recipe comes together!
Print
- Prep Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 12 minutes
- Yield: 20-30
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
Soft and chewy oatmeal raisin cookies are what childhood dreams are made of! They’re perfect for dunking in milk and loaded with oats and raisins.
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups (228g) all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (168g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup (168g) packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (104g) sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups (175g) uncooked quick cook oats
- 1 1/2 cups (225g) raisins
Instructions
- Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugars together in a large mixer bowl on medium speed until light in color and fluffy. You should be able to see the change in color and texture happen and know it’s ready.
- Add the eggs one at a time and mix until well combined after each.
- Add the vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until the dough is just combined. Do not over mix.
- Stir in the oats and raisins. Dough will be thick, but sticky.
- Create 2 tablespoon sized balls of cookie dough until all the cookie dough has been used. The dough will stick to your hands a little as you roll it, but if it sticks a ton and is hard to work with, your butter may have been a little soft. Refrigerate the dough for about 20 minutes, then roll the balls.
- Refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 2-3 hours or overnight. I think they are best if refrigerated overnight, but they are still very good if refrigerated for just 2-3 hours.
- When ready to bake the cookies, remove the cookie dough from the fridge and let it sit out for about an hour to come closer to room temperature. If they are too cold, they won’t spread properly.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Bake cookies for 9-12 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Don’t over bake. The cookies will be a little puffy when you take them out of the oven but will fall a bit as they cool. For tips and troubleshooting help, check out the post above.
- Remove cookies from the oven and allow to cool on baking sheets for 4-5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store cookies in an air tight container. Cookies are best for 2-3 days.
Notes
- To store. Store your cookies in an airtight container on the counter. They will keep for 4-5 days.
- To freeze. You can also freeze your oatmeal raisin cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 months, once they’ve cooled completely. Remember to let them thaw in the refrigerator before you enjoy them again!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 154
- Sugar: 13.1 g
- Sodium: 88.6 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Carbohydrates: 24.7 g
- Protein: 2.3 g
- Cholesterol: 24.6 mg
5 stars for sure!!! This recipe is wonderful!!! The cookies are moist and soft in the middle with crispiness around the edges!! This is definitely a keeper!!
I love your recipes and would like to make big batches for holiday gifts. Do you have big batch recipes for any of your cookie recipes? Or could you give advice on doubling the recipe? I have read you are not supposed to just double the ingredients. Thanks so much!
I’m so glad to hear you enjoy the recipes! While I don’t usually test doubling my recipes, I would actually think it’d be fine. Hard to say with certainly without trying it, but it’d definitely be worth a try. I don’t have large-batch recipes.
I’ve tried so many Oatmeal Raisin cookie recipes looking for THE ONE. This is it!! Absolutely without-a-doubt, hands-down the BEST :). Every time I make these, I have requests for the recipe. Thanks for my go-to recipe for these!!
Can these be. Baked from frozen? If so how much longer would they need to bake?
I have not tested it to be able to say how it turns out or for how long.
Delicious recipe! Everything was amazing and easy to make. I would just like to make one comment and that is that the batter was extremely sticky and hard to handle and two was the cookies didn’t spread out much at all. Overall well done
I’m so excited excited to find this recipe. I love oatmeal raisin cookies but have tried recipe after recipe and not found the perfect one. I typically just settle for buying the Grandma brand and be done with it. I hope these are as good as you say, fingers crossed.
I hope you enjoy them!
I have made oatmeal raisin cookies before but none as delicious as these were. The recipe was simple and they were so chewy. Loved them. Will definitely make these many times over.
I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks, Sally!
Hi Lindsay,
I’ve just come across your blog, I’ve already made three recipes from here and they all turned out great. Every recipe I see is better than the last. You’re certainly a pro at cake decorating!
Your twins are cute and i’m looking forward to November for the little bundle of joy😍
Hi, can you use regular oatmeal instead of quick cook.
Your dad is mad — because his mouth is watering. He wants to know where his are. He also wants to know where his REAL DEAL CARAMEL CAKE AND BANANNNA PUDDING IS ALSO.
This is realllly cruel and. His sweet tooth is hurting .But he still loves you !!!