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
My mistake, I only made 1 batch. These are the best Oatmeal Raisin cookies I’ve ever had! I didn’t make any changes. 1 Cup of raisins is the perfect amount. It is so easy to make and refrigerating the dough is a game-changer. I have an old fashioned SunBeam mixer so I folded in the oats and raisins, mixing them by hand becasue I thought they’d get pulverized by the beaters. I don’t know if that’s true but I didn’t want to find out the hard way. There’s just me and my husband in our house. In what alternate universe will these last 5 days? Lol! I’m so glad I found you and signed up for your newsletter. Looking forward to making more delicious food.
Super soft! Love. Followed the recipe exactly, except I used a little allspice and ground cloves too besides cinnamon. And slightly more raisins. Would be 5 stars if they didn’t feel so dry. How can I get them to be more moist like store bought ones?
Hi, Jess! If they were dry it’s likely that they were a little over baked. If you make them again, I would recommend reducing the baking time 1 to 2 minutes and that should help.
I only have golden raisins in my pantry, will those still work?
Yes, that’s fine!
How many calories are in each cookie?
I’m not sure about the nutritional information, but you can plug everything into an online calculator to get an estimate.
I swapped out the plain raisins for CHOCOLATE COVERED raisins…game-changer!
I used margarine instead of butter ( I learned a trick years ago to add 1 tablespoon of instant dry vanilla pudding mix…it keeps the cookie from spreading flat…works every time) . The only thing I changed was the cinnamon…1 heaping teaspoon instead of 1/2. I used raisins and pecan pieces. I ‘m really picky about my oatmeal cookies and have tried many…this one is awesome!!!!
Can I cook directly on cookie sheet with no parchment paper? Thanks
That will be fine, you may want to just lightly grease the baking sheet though so the cookies don’t stick.
I have to say, this recipe is wonderful!!! The cookies came out perfect. Since I’m a cinnamon lover, I did add extra cinnamon and it made them extra special. I am going to make them a second time but this time I will add chocolate chips along with the raisins. I decided to cut down on the white sugar to a 3/4 of a cup instead of a whole cup. I’m hoping it won’t make much difference since the cookies were very sweet to begin with plus with the added chocolate chips, that will take the place of the subtracted sugar. This will be my only Oatmeal cookie recipe from now on. Thanks for sharing!!!
Hello!!!
Been making this cookies for a while now and my family loves them!! Made it raisins and chocolate chips and each time they’re gone in a matters of days.
I would like to add a banana to the recipe but not sure what effect it will have and do I need to adjust anything?
So happy to hear that! I haven’t tried it, but you could probably replace the egg with some mashed banana, maybe 1/2 cup.
I tried your version. DELICIOUS!!! I needed a vegan version second time round, so I used sweet cinnamon, vegetable shortening, olive oil, extra vanilla essence, flax seeds, cranberry and my secret rum & liquour soaked raisins for extra blasts of flavour in every bite. Just as delicious!!! Thank you. Next move is to make a batch for a gluten free vegan using gluten free flour. FABULOUS!!!!
This recipe is so delicious, my family loves it. I will be making it again soon.
Can I use one minute oats?!
Yes, that’s fine.
Thank you, you’ve brought huge smiles to our taste buds!!! Not just bookmarking, but printing and putting in our favorite recipes book. Gotta admit i changed the butter to virgin coconut oil, and i changed the white sugar to Maple syrup and rounded off that cinnamon to a whole teaspoon. WOW!!!! ?
Is it possible to reduce the sugar?
You could probably reduce it by 2-3 tablespoons. I wouldn’t reduce it by much more otherwise the cookies won’t spread very well and won’t be very sweet.
I just made these and they were amazing, I added chopped walnuts and white chocolate instead of the raisins
Wow, Wow, Wow, these cookies are just out of this world. Crunchy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. Hubby said these are the best cookies that I ever baked. That’s a high praise.
I followed the recipe exactly without the nuts and weighted the ingredients where indicated. It is true that 125 g of flour is not 1 cup of flour when I scoped and flatten with a knife. It is about 3/4 cup. So now I know. It is a bit on the sweet side for me, I may reduce the sugar next time. Great recipe.
I’ve been making this recipe once a week, since I found it. My 4th batch is chilling right now. My husband loves them! They have such a wonderful texture. I use a mixed dried fruit mix that is heavy in raisins, but also has dried cranberries and citron. They taste great!
I’ve been craving oatmeal cookies. By far this is the best recipe.
These are so delicious, I also added 1/2 cup chopped pecans.
I took a picture to share, but I don’t use Instagram.
Thanks for sharing your recipe.
DPoll
Houston
Can I use vegetable spread instead of butter?
You probably can, but it will change the taste and texture of the cookies some. I always recommend sticking with butter if possible.
These were a hit but 1 tsp of vanilla extract made them overpoweringly vanilla-ey. I’d suggest half tsp of vanilla extract (or perhaps 1 tsp of vanilla essence)
Hi I am going to make it tomorrow, please can you help me if I want to omit eggs, what can I use instead of eggs?!
I haven’t tried an egg substitute in these cookies, but something like a flax egg or applesauce may work.
Would it be possible to freeze these?
Yes, absolutely! You can freeze the cookie dough for up to 3 months, just slightly flatten each ball before freezing, and bake from frozen for 1-2 extra minutes. The baked cookies will freeze just fine once they’ve cooled for 3 months too.
I baked the cookies, into the oven it went and out they came. Flat and thin… I forgot the oats!!!
Ha – oh my. What a mistake! I only realised i forgot when i was eating the 2nd cookie.
Still nice nontheless.
Hi. I made these today and they didn’t rise but they were still soft and tasty. I’m wondering should I have used baking powder rather than baking soda??
I’m not quite sure what you mean? Were the cookies really flat?
I’ve been making these cookies for months! Hubby is hopelessly addicted. Thanks for the recipe!
I have done this recipe twice and it’s already in my recipe book! It’s super chewy and full of flavor. My parents loved it and so did I! I’m looking forward to replacing the raisins with semi sweet chocolate chips.
These were fantastic! I didn’t have an egg so just put a small amount of milk in until it combined (thought they would fail!) however they came out just like the picture and were amazingly tasty! Even my fiancé who doesn’t like raisins demolished them quickly.
Will definitely be making again!
Made these today and I can’t stress how easy they are to make soft chewy and heaven the only thing I did different was swop cinnamon for Apple pie seasoning
This is by far the best recipe for oatmeal raisin cookies! Thanks so much for sharing – we’ve made these a million times!
Are you kidding me!!!! Absolutely the best soft cookie recipe ever!!!! I’ve tried for years to make thick, soft cookies! I’ve tried everything, margarine, butter, shortening and nothing worked as good as this recipe. Obviously the chilling of the dough is key, but I’ve never come across that suggestion before. I’m so grateful and will always chill dough before baking! Thank you, thank you, thank you! ???
Best oatmeal raisin cookies. So moist and chewy. Definitely a keeper.
These are the best cookies I have made. So easy to make, soft and chewy and very moorish. My family love them.
These are my new favorite cookies! I used pumpkin pie spice for lots of flavor. Super delicious.