Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
These Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are super soft, thick, and loaded with oats and raisins. These cookies are easy to make and so delicious!
Is there anything better than a soft, thick, and chewy cookie? I’ve always been a huge fan of oatmeal cookies because there’s so many different things you can mix into them and they’re always delicious.
I originally published this oatmeal raisin cookie recipe back in 2017 and they’ve been a huge reader favorite! I decided it was finally time to update this recipe with more instructions and pictures so you can see just how easy they are to make.
If you love raisins, I guarantee this is the best oatmeal raisin cookie recipe you will ever try. And don’t worry, if you don’t like raisins you can easily leave them out or replace them with something else!
Recipe Ingredients
These easy oatmeal raisin cookies use simple ingredients that you may already have on hand! Let’s discuss each ingredient and why it’s crucial to this recipe:
- All-Purpose Flour: This provides the structure for your cookies so that they maintain their shape and hold up once they’re baked. When it comes to measuring your flour, make sure to spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off with the back of a knife. Too much flour can lead to cookies that won’t spread in the oven.
- Ground Cinnamon: I use ground cinnamon in all of my oatmeal cookies. Feel free to increase the amount if you love cinnamon!
- Baking Soda & Salt: The baking soda lifts the cookies and the salt enhances all of the flavors.
- Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats: Rolled oats are best in oatmeal cookies because they provide a chewier texture.
- Butter: As always, I used unsalted butter in these cookies. If you only have salted butter on hand, just reduce the salt to a tiny pinch. Your butter should also be softened to a cool room temperature.
- Sugar: I use a mix of brown sugar and granulated sugar in all of my oatmeal cookies. The brown sugar adds moisture and flavor to the cookies and also makes them chewier. The granulated sugar helps the cookies spread as they bake in the oven.
- Egg: The egg helps bind everything together. I suggest using a room temperature egg for best results.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: For a little extra flavor.
- Raisins: There’s one cup of raisins in these cookies so that you get some in every single bite. If you’re not a fan of raisins, you can omit them or replace them with something else.
How To Make Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
To make the cookie dough, you’ll start by whisking together the flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt. Then, stir in your rolled oats and set the mixture aside.
Next, mix up the wet ingredients. To start, beat your softened butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until they’re well combined. The amount of time will depend on whether you’re using a stand mixer or a handheld mixer, but it should take about 1 to 2 minutes.
Next, beat in your egg and vanilla extract. I suggest stopping to scrape down the sides of your bowl and then mixing one more time. At this point, your mixture should look like the picture above on the left.
Once the wet ingredients are well combined, add the dry ingredients and mix them in until just combined. Then, toss in your raisins and mix them in on low-speed or gently fold them in with a rubber spatula until they’re fully incorporated. The finished cookie dough will look like the picture above on the right.
I also suggest covering the cookie dough with some plastic wrap and chilling it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This extra step will allow the oats time to absorb some of the moisture so the cookies don’t spread too much when they bake.
Once the dough has chilled, line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator and scoop 1.5 tablespoon-sized balls of cookie dough onto the baking sheets. Then, gently press down each ball of cookie dough just slightly.
These oatmeal raisin cookies will take about 10 to 12 minutes in the oven. You’ll know they’re done when the edges are lightly browned and the tops of your cookies are set.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use quick oats?
I recommend using old-fashioned rolled oats because they will make the cookies chewier. However, you can replace them with the same amount of quick oats.
Why are my cookies not spreading in the oven?
There are a couple of things that could prevent your cookies from not spreading in the oven. First, it’s crucial to measure your flour correctly with the spoon and level method. Too much flour can lead to cookies that don’t spread.
It’s also important to slightly flatten each ball of cookie dough before baking them in the oven. This will help them spread some as they are baking!
Can I freeze this cookie dough?
Yes, this cookie dough freezes really well! I recommend lining a baking sheet with parchment paper, scooping the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet, and slightly flattening each ball of cookie dough. Freeze for 1 to 2 hours, then transfer the frozen cookie dough to a large freezer bag. You can bake the cookie dough from frozen, just add an additional 1 to 2 minutes to the baking time.
Baking Tips
- You may prepare the cookie dough, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. If the cookie dough is too hard to scoop, let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes and that should make it easier.
- If you want to make more cookies, you can easily double this recipe to make about 4 dozen.
- Want to soak your raisins? I personally skip this step, but if you want the raisins to be more plump in the cookies, simply place them in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes. Once they’re ready, drain them and blot them really well with a paper towel before mixing them into the cookie dough.
- If you want your cookies to spread a bit more, you can press them down more like in the video below!
More Classic Cookie Recipes To Try!
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Soft Peanut Butter Cookies
- Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Classic No-Bake Cookies
Video Tutorial
Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 cups (150 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup (115 grams) unsalted butter (softened)
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (150 grams) raisins
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the old-fashioned rolled oats and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together for 1 to 2 minutes or until well combined. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until fully combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the dry ingredients and continue mixing on low speed until just combined, then mix in the raisins.
- Cover the cookie dough tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
- Once the dough is chilled, remove it from the refrigerator. Using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough and drop onto the prepared baking sheets. Roll the cookie dough into balls and very gently press down with your hand to flatten each ball of cookie dough slightly. Make sure to leave a little room between each ball of cookie dough as they will spread a little while they bake.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are lightly golden brown and the tops are set. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack cool completely.
Notes
I loved this recipe. I followed every step. The only ingredient change I made was I used quick oats instead but it still turned out really good.
I made these this evening and they’re absolutely perfect! I love the hint of cinnamon and they’re sweet without being overly sweet. I doubled the recipe and followed it exactly.
These cookies were very tasty. I did find the dough rather dry but once they were cooked they were good. Not sure how you can make 22 cookies though. I was hoping for them to be a little more moist .
All I have is salted butter. Should I leave out the salt completely or just cut back on it? Also, can I add chopped nuts?
Yes, you may still add just a tiny pinch of salt though. You can add 1/2 -3/4 cup of chopped nuts too.
I don’t have have butter and not sure if I want to brave the store. Is it possible to substitute vegetable oil spread? Or will it change the outcome?
I haven’t tried it, but it would likely change the taste and texture of the cookies a bit.
They taste delious, but my dough was so sticky , is it supposed to be like that
It is a little sticky, but if you chill it it’s much easier to work with.
I didn’t have brown sugar so I replaced with coconut sugar and it turned out amazing! My husband already requested me to bake the next batch, when he still has half a jar to finish…
Thanks so much for this! It will definitely become one of recipes I will use for my regular roster!
Can I make these without baking parchment? Thanks
Yes, that’s fine. You may want to lightly grease your baking sheet though.
This is the very best oatmeal raisin cookie I have had in years!
Thank you so much, the cookies turned out great!
Can I store the cookies in the fridge and if so how long will they keep?
Yes, that’s fine! They’ll keep just fine at room temperature for several days, but you can refrigerate them for up to one week if you prefer. They will freeze just fine for up to 3 months too.
Thank you so so much for this recipe Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. Sooo yummylicious we love it so much.
Great recipe. They turned out perfect. I added dried (slightly chopped) cherries to half the batch then drizzled with a little melted chocolate. Delish!
Hello!
Just made these yummy cookies!
Consistency great! Lovely and chewy but not heavy.
A little on the sweet side for my taste… may cut down on the sugar next time. Also only managed to make 13 cookies from these measurements!
Omg! So good and chewy. Best bake so far. Oatmeal raisin cookies are my favorite but they are always hard. These are prefect, will be my go to recipe now.
These are AMAZING! Thank you so much for sharing. I’ve made these twice now and my boyfriend and friends LOVE THEM! I will definitely try more of your recipes. This will be super helpful to my baking skills! Thanks again, stay happy and healthy! 🙂
Should I grease the cookie sheets?
It can cause the cookies to spread more, so if you do I would just lightly grease it. I prefer to use parchment paper.
Recipe did not call for milk but the instructions call to mix the egg vanilla and milk.?????
Do you use milk if so how much
Well I don’t know what I was reading but when I went back I could not find were I previously read milk… Lol.
Making without milk. ????
Hi Bobbie Jo,
You probably read it as: Add the egg and vanilla extract and “milk ” instead of “mix”! Easy to do! I do stuff like that often!!
I absolutely love these cookies and I make them at least once a month! I just wanted to ask if they’re freezer-friendly? Thank you!
Yes, you can freeze the baked cookies once they’ve cooled. You can freeze the cookie dough too for up to 3 months.
These turned out great and my family ate them very fast! One thing i did notice was that it was a bit dry, but i followed the recipe very carefully and did exactly what you said. What am i doing wrong?
Hi, Reese! So glad you liked the cookies! If they’re a bit dry, it may be that they were just a little overbaked. You can try reducing the baking time slightly next time (1-3 minutes) and see if that helps. I prefer to *slightly* underbake my cookies and then let them finish baking and cooling on the baking sheet, they turn out much softer that way 🙂
How crucial is the white sugar to the recipe? Can you omit the white sugar and still have good results? We’ve been looking for a healthy version of this type of cookie; is possible to tweak it a bit more for a healthier version and still have the same texture?
The granulated sugar sweetens the cookies and helps them spread. If you omit it, they won’t be quite as sweet and you’ll need to press them down more so they spread.
Yikes!! I used one-minute oats!? What now? It’s in the fridge
As long as you used the same amount, I think it should be okay.
Do I need dark or light brown sugar? Thanks!
I use light brown sugar, but either one is fine.
Exactly what I was looking for! I made your chocolate chips and recently tried these for an after ski dinner dessert and, pardon the expression, my daughter and her friends said they were ‘crack’…Meaning they’re absolutely delicious! Very soft and not dense at all which I’m sure is due to the spooning the flour instead of scooping. I’ve been making cookies for over 50 years and did not know this secret. Both recipes so far have gotten rave reviews and I can’t wait to try more.
Very yummy recipe. I added about a 1/4 cup of molasses(the dough seemed a little dry.. and well, I like molasses cookies 🙂 ) and some ginger… yum.. made for a nice chewy cookie! Thanks for the recipe!
Followed recipe almost exactly, except used margarine instead of butter (it’s what I had on hand). Made 24 small to medium cookies – and given they are filled with oats the size was great for my young family. Batter is on the sticky side but is totally fine! I worried if they were cooked or not (I have a habit of either over or under baking ) but 11 mins plus resting was perfect. Very easy recipe to make with a toddler, no unusual ingredients to buy, and delicious too. We will definitely make this again!
Does the egg need to be beaten before it’s added into the mixture?
No, you can just add the whole egg and mix it in.
My hubby can’t keep his hands out of the cookie jar with these delightful treats inside!! He always complains that homemade cookies aren’t fluffy and chewy enough, but these have definitely met his picky taste bud’s requirements! I took each batch out right around 9min30sec (my gas oven is pretty finicky), kept them on the tray for a couple minutes as recommended, and they were cooked to perfection each time. I cannot wait to make these yummy treats again!
(I doubled the recipe, and it was just the right amount to keep around our two person house for a week along with our parents over for the weekend as well!)
This is a very yummy cookie and easy recipe.. made this last night, chill it for 8 hours as I felt sleepy after the preparation (I research first how long I can chill cookie dough) and baked this morning and it’s so chewy.. i added some almonds and reduced the sugar as I prefer less sweet cookie and my hubby and kids liked the outcome. Will do this again with chocolate chips instead of raisins. Thanks for this recipe ?
These turned out dense and dry. They were not chewy at all lke I’d hoped they would be.
Sorry you didn’t like cookies, Marlene. Did you make sure to spoon & level your flour? If the cookies were a little overbaked, that could cause them to be dry too.
My favorite oatmeal cookies ! I have two issues I keep facing though.
1-one batch only makes 16 cookies, should I double the recipe and how do I double it ?
2-when I leave the batch for less in the fridge to cool down and start handling the dough it’s so sticky. What am I doing wrong ?
I used the exact measurements and definitely can’t get to 22 cookies. I tried to make them as small as poss me but 16/17 max per batch.
Hi Rasha!
Sometimes it just depends on how big you’re making your scoops. To double the recipe, you would just use twice as much of everything.
2 cups flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups oats
2 cups raisins
Hi, Rasha! You can definitely double the recipe if you need to. Also, if the dough is too warm or room temperature it can be sticky. You may want to let it chill longer so that it’s easier to work with.