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This easy oatmeal raisin cookie cake is so soft and chewy and loaded with cinnamon and sweet raisins! Plus, it’s topped with the best maple-cinnamon buttercream! If you’re a fan of cookie cakes and oatmeal raisin cookies, you’ll love this recipe!
All occasions deserve cake, but not all guests of honor love traditional cakes. Enter the cookie cake. Sure, you could go the traditional chocolate chip cookie cake route, but why not change it up? If you know an oatmeal raisin cookie fan, this cookie cake is the perfect cake for them. It’s delicious and you definitely have to try it. Here are some of my favorite things about it.
- Texture. Thick, soft, and chewy, this cookie cake is everything an oatmeal raisin cookie should be and more. It’s actually my chewy oatmeal raisin cookie recipe, just in cookie cake form! It is amazing.
- Cinnamon! If you’re a cinnamon lover like me, you are going to go nuts over this cookie cake. The general response from my taste testers has been “Oh, the cinnamon!”. It’s in the cookie cake and the maple icing. It totally compliments the cookie, but doesn’t overpower it.
- Raisins in every bite. I made sure there were lots of sweet, chewy raisins in the cookie cake dough. You’re sure to encounter at least 1 (probably 2 or 3) in every bite.
- Hassle-free. I love that you don’t need to fuss with rolling this cookie dough out into individual cookies. Just spread it into a cake pan and bake. It’s the perfect easy dessert for a birthday, special occasion, or just because you feel like it.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Here’s a quick look at what you’ll need for this oatmeal raisin cookie cake recipe. I’ve also included notes on the most important ones – why you need them and possible substitutions. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card below for exact measurements.
- All-purpose flour – Be sure not to over measure your flour, or you could end up with a dense, dry cookie cake. I always recommend a food scale, but the spoon and level method also works.
- Baking soda – This helps give the cookie a nice, chewy texture.
- Salt – You may wonder why salt would be in a sweet dessert, but it’s just enough to actually bring out the flavor of everything else, not make the dessert salty.
- Light brown sugar and granulated sugar – I used both granulated white sugar and brown sugar here. The brown sugar brings a little extra moisture and a wonderful molasses-y depth to the flavor profile. Feel free to use all light brown sugar, or even dark brown sugar for a deeper flavor.
- Eggs – Be sure to use large eggs, not medium or extra large.
- Uncooked quick oats – Don’t try to use traditional oats. They will be too firm and chewy.
- Raisins – Dried cranberries would also work. Not a dried fruit fan? Go with chocolate or white chocolate chips instead.
- Powdered sugar – For a great piping consistency, I recommend using the amount listed in the recipe. However, you can reduce the amount if you’d like to. If you want to reduce it, I’d recommend reducing everything else as well, in equal parts.
- Maple extract – You can swap the maple extract out for vanilla if needed. You will end up with a cinnamon-vanilla buttercream.
Tie on your apron and get yourself to the kitchen. Here’s a quick rundown of how to make this easy oatmeal raisin cookie cake recipe. You’ll find more detailed instructions in the recipe card below.
- Prep. Preheat oven to 350°F, line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper, and grease the sides.
- Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Combine the wet ingredients. Cream the butter and sugars together on medium speed until light in color and fluffy. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, and then mix in the vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
- Add oats and raisins. Fold in the oats and raisins.
- Bake. Press the cookie dough into the cake pan, press a few more raisins into the top, and bake for 18-20 minutes.
- Cool. Allow the cookie cake to cool completely in its pan before removing and frosting.
- Make the buttercream. Beat the butter until smooth and then mix in half of the powdered sugar followed by the maple extract, cinnamon, and a tablespoon of cream. Mix in the remaining powdered sugar. Add more heavy cream if needed.
- Frost the cookie cake. Pipe the buttercream in swirls around the top edge of the fully cooled cake.
Tips for Success
- Measure your flour carefully. Use a food scale or the spoon and level method if you don’t have one. It is crucial to use the proper amount of flour in order to achieve the perfect texture. Too much flour will result in a dry dessert and, if you use too little, your cookie cake will turn out flat. Read more about measuring your flour accurately here.
- Cream thoroughly. Cream together the butter and sugars until the mixture has become fluffy and has significantly lightened in color. This incorporates air into the dough which helps ensure that the cake doesn’t turn out overly dense.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl. When adding ingredients and mixing them into the dough, use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl intermittently. This will help ensure that all the ingredients make it into the dough.
- Don’t over-mix. When mixing the dry ingredients, oats, and raisins into the cookie cake dough, mix just until everything is incorporated. Mixing past this point can cause the glutens in the flour to overdevelop, which will end you with a tough cookie cake.
- Cool completely in the pan. This dessert needs some extra time in the pan to firm up as it cools. Letting it cool in the pan allows it to firm up, making it much easier to remove from the pan without it breaking.
- Get the frosting right. Feel free to add a little extra heavy cream or powdered sugar to the frosting to get the consistency right. Check out my tutorial on how to get the right frosting consistency for more.
Proper Storage
- Fridge or counter. Store slices of oatmeal raisin cookie cake in a single layer in an airtight container or wrap the whole cake in a double layer of plastic wrap. I like using toothpicks to prop the plastic away from the frosting. You can store this confection in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you leave the frosting off, you can store it at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Freezer. Pop the cookie cake in the freezer for a couple of hours to allow the frosting to firm up and then wrap the whole thing in a double layer of plastic wrap. Otherwise, arrange slices in a single layer in an airtight container. Oatmeal raisin cookie cake will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Triple Chocolate Cookie Cake
- Sugar Cookie Cake
- Red Velvet Cookie Cake
- Ultimate Layered Cookie Cake
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
- Sheet Pan Cookie Cake
Recipe
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Total Time: 53 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 slices
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This easy oatmeal raisin cookie cake is so soft and chewy and loaded with cinnamon and sweet raisins! Plus, it’s topped with the best maple-cinnamon buttercream! If you’re a fan of cookie cakes and oatmeal raisin cookies, you’ll love this recipe!
Ingredients
Cookie Cake
- 1 3/4 cups (228g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp 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 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups (175g) uncooked quick cook oats
- 1 1/2 cups (225g) raisins
Maple Cinnamon Buttercream
- 1/2 cup (112g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups (230g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp maple extract
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1–2 tbsp heavy cream
Instructions
Cookie Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Prepare a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper in the bottom and baking spray on the sides. Set aside.
- 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, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times to be sure all is well incorporated. 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.
- Press the cookie dough evenly into the cake pan. Press a few more raisins into the top of the cookie cake, if desired.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the edges just begin to turn golden.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool completely in the cake pan, then transfer to a serving plate. It it’s fully cool, you should be able to flip it upside down onto a cooling rack, place another cooling rack on top (which is actually the bottom) and then flip it back over so that it’s right side up.
Buttercream:
- To make the buttercream, add the butter to a large mixer bowl and beat until well combined and smooth.
- Add about half of the powdered sugar and mix until well combined and smooth.
- Add the maple extract, cinnamon and a tablespoon of cream and mix until well combined and smooth.
- Add the rest of the powdered sugar and mix until well combined and smooth. Add more cream to get the right consistency.
- Add the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a piping tip (I used Ateco 844) and pipe swirls of frosting around the outer edge of the cake.
- Store cookie cake in an airtight container. You can store it at room temperature for about 24 hours, then store in the fridge. Without the buttercream, it can remain at room temperature. I recommend serving at room temperature, since the cookie will firm up when cold. Cookie cake is best eaten within 4-5 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Slice
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 36.6 g
- Sodium: 118 mg
- Fat: 20.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 62.5 g
- Protein: 4.4 g
- Cholesterol: 56.2 mg
I can’t wait to try this recipe! My husband loves oatmeal raisin cookies, so I’m going to surprise him with this cookie cake for his birthday. We have a couple very ripe bananas right now. Do you think that adding one or two of them would negatively affect the recipe?
I do. I would suggest following the recipe as written. I hope he enjoys it!
I’m making this tomorrow for my dad’s birthday. I just put the dough in the fridge, but I doubled the recipe since I’m going to try to make it two-tiered. How thick should the dough be once it’s pressed into the bottom the each pan??
This was a great way to celebrate my mom’s birthday! Super tasty! Nearly perfect…just needed to add a good amount of salt to the frosting to counterbalance all that sweet.
If I want to make this vegan can I sub the eggs for apple sauce?
I haven’t tried it to be able to say.
I can confirm that applesauce can be used in place of the egg! This was super easy to veganize and all my friends enjoyed it! It was delicious!!
I’m glad I found this and look forward to trying other recipes of yours!
Thanks! 🙂
I was a little nervous to try this recipe because there wasn’t many reviews, but I am so glad I did! I am not a fan of oatmeal raisin cookies (the cookie cake was for my grandfather), but not only did this come out perfectly, it was delicious! I wish i could give it a better rating than 5 stars haha. The only changes i made were adding a little bit of allspice (as well as cinnamon). So delicious! Thank you for sharing 🙂
So glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Lindsay, I would like to make this for my boyfriends birthday but we will be at his lake house. 2 questions – do i need a hand mixer or can i whisk it by hand? if i make the dough a few days in advance and keep it in the refrigerator do you think it will say good and for how long?
Thanks!
Kelly
I would think it would be tough to cream the butter and sugar together without a mixer, but you could try it. You can make the cookie dough three or four days ahead of time and refrigerate it.
I’ve tested dozens and dozens of oatmeal cookie recipes and this is one of the best. I used a 7″ fluted tart pan for the cookie cake and had enough cookie dough left over for 7 good-sized cookies. My cookie cake looked exactly like the one pictured with the recipe. The single cookies are thick, about the size of a hockey puck. Great flavor. The cinnamon is prominent. The chew is a firm, toothsome chew, not moist and gummy like some oatmeal cookies. The recipe didn’t call for salt but I added some. I also subbed 3/4 cup of solidified browned butter for regular which may have added a bit of richness. The frosting is delicious. I used all butter and subbed Jack Daniels Tennessee Fire cinnamon whiskey for the water. The whiskey wasn’t noticeable, but the cinnamon was.
Awesome! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Hi! This looks so good, I’m thinking of trying it today! I was just wondering, what size pan should I use? I couldn’t find it in the recipe 🙁 Thank you!
9 inch pan. I have updated the recipe to reflect this. I hope you enjoy!
I made this cookie cake yesterday following your recipe and it turned out amazing! It was actually my first attempt at oatmeal cookie anything so I was very pleased with myself! My boyfriend raved about how delicious both the frosting and cookie were. I found the frosting to be incredibly sweet and the maple flavor, just wow!
I didn’t have a 9 inch round cake pan so I used my 8 inch cake pan and added about 5 more minutes to the baking time. I would absolutely make this recipe again! Thank you for sharing it! 🙂
So glad to hear that! Thanks Sara!
My husband loves monster cookies – with the peanut butter and oatmeal… do you have any suggestions of how I could add some peanut butter to this recipe and still have it come out with a cookie cake consistency? Thanks!
I’d suggest reducing the butter to 1/2 cup and adding 3/4 cup peanut butter. Obviously leaving out the cinnamon and swapping raisins for chocolate chips and M&MS. You could also give this recipe a try. 🙂
Hi I have tried your other ones but when I did I lived in California, now I live in Milehigh Denver! is there any conversions needed for high-altitude baking this or do you think it will bake up the same?
I’m so sorry Courtney, but I don’t have any experience with high altitude baking so it’d be very hard for me to advise.
I just pulled them out the I oven (I used mini heart shaped cake pans). They look good but I pray they taste good too because I am surprising my boyfriend for his birthday before work this morning. Which is the only reason I would be baking at 4 am. Last year I got a store bought cake but he doesn’t eat a lot of sweets other than oatmeal raisin cookies so pray he loves it!
I hope he loved it!
I’m trying out this recipe and I’m wondering how the cake could be stored after it is baked if I wanted to eat it later/the next day.
It’s best to store it in an airtight container. If you have a cake storage container, that would be ideal.
I see, would I leave it at room temperature of refrigerate it? (Sorry, I am new to baking)
Leave it at room temperature.
My husband LOVES this cookie cake! I’ve made it several times now…you made me a oatmeal raisin cookie cake eater…I always add pecans (we love them), and it comes out yumtastic every time. I have one chilling in the fridge now! 30 mins is taking forever!! Thanks for this easy peezy recipe.
I’m so glad you enjoy it! 🙂
do you think this can be made 2 days in advance and iced the day of? I want to make it for my bf’s bday on Thurs but can only make it tonight. Looks delicious!
Yes, just store it in a airtight container.
I have tried several of your cookie cakes and love them, but have one question. You say to chill them for at least 30 minutes, but when I have followed this step the dough dries out (yes it is covered). Why do you recommend the chilling time?
PS – More cookie cake recipes please!
I’m so glad you enjoy the cookie cakes! There will definitely be more of them. 🙂 As for chilling the dough, you don’t have to do it. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. The general reason for chilling cookie dough is that the flour gets a change to absorb the other ingredients and you end up with a tastier, chewier cookie. The dough can be a little drier since the flour absorbs some of the moisture, but if you let the dough come back to room temperature, it’s easier to work with. But if you prefer not to chill the dough, it will be totally fine.
I’m going to enjoy making this tonight for b-day. Do you think or have you had experience baking this in a tin foil cake pan? I want it to be transportable. What are your thoughts? Thanks.
I haven’t made it in a foil pan, but I’m sure it’d be fine.