My soft and chewy oatmeal raisin cookies are absolutely delicious, thanks to brown sugar, the perfect blend of spices, and vanilla. It’s hard to eat just one. So many readers have called these the best cookies ever!
My family has been making this oatmeal raisin cookie recipe for years, and we are never disappointed! They’ve become one of our favorite cookie recipes. I make them for us to enjoy at home and love to give them away around the holidays.
These cookies are easy to make but require an electric hand or stand mixer. If you do not have one, I recommend hopping over to our easy oatmeal cookies, which only require a spoon to mix the cookie batter. We also have shared these white chocolate cranberry cookies (also made with oats).
Key Ingredients
- Oats: I use rolled oats for these cookies, as they provide the perfect texture (the same as what I use for my everyday oatmeal). Instant oats will work in a pinch but won’t give you that same chewiness. I don’t recommend steel-cut oats for this recipe.
- Raisins: Feel free to use any dried fruit you like, but I particularly enjoy a mix of raisins and golden raisins. A quick soak in water plumps them up nicely before adding them to the cookie dough.
- Butter: Softened butter, beaten with sugar until light and fluffy, is key for soft and chewy cookies. You can use either unsalted or salted butter. You can skip the added salt in the recipe if you use salted butter.
- Brown Sugar: Light or dark brown sugar both work in this recipe, adding a warm, cozy flavor to the cookies.
- Flour: I use all-purpose flour, but whole wheat flour is a good substitute if you prefer it. If you use whole wheat flour, the dough might be a bit dry, so add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk to compensate.
- Baking Soda: This makes the cookies rise and gives them that lovely golden brown color.
- Egg: You’ll need one whole egg. If you’re making eggless cookies, you can substitute a flax egg.
- Spices: The combination of vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg adds a warm and cozy flavor to these cookies.
How to Make Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
The first step for these easy cookies is to plump up our raisins. Add them to a bowl and cover them with hot water. After 5 to 10 minutes, they will look plump, which makes our oatmeal raisin cookies even better.
As the raisins plump, you can make the cookie dough. Combine the oats with the flour, baking soda, and spices. Then, in a separate bowl, beat the butter with sugar, add an egg and vanilla, and slowly mix the dry ingredients. Before dropping the cookie dough onto baking sheets and baking, drain the raisins and fold them in.
These cookies bake in 10 to 15 minutes, and as they do, your kitchen will smell incredible! Let them cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then cool completely (or however long you wait before eating one).
Note: We originally shared this recipe in collaboration with Cookies for Kid’s Cancer (click the link to read about their incredible work).
Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
My family loves this oatmeal raisin cookie recipe, which guarantees cookies that are soft cookies in the middle and a little chewy on the outside. I use an electric hand mixer to make them, but you can make this cookie dough in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
1 cup (170g) raisins
3 cups (270g) old-fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup (98g) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup (200g) packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions
1Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
2Add the raisins to a small bowl and cover them with hot water. The hot water helps the raisins to become plump and juicy. Set the bowl aside for about 10 minutes.
3Whisk the oats, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Set aside.
4In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric hand mixer until creamy for about 2 minutes (or use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment).
5Add the egg and vanilla, then beat at medium-low speed until combined, for about 1 minute.
6Add the oat mixture to the butter and sugar in thirds, mixing on low speed after each addition until incorporated.
7Drain the raisins, then gently press down or squeeze them to remove any extra water. Use a spatula or spoon to fold them into the cookie batter.
8Drop the cookie dough by two tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. (You can also use a medium cookie scoop). Then, wet the tips of your fingers with water and gently press cookies down until they are about 1/2-inch thick. If some of the cookies have no raisins showing on top, steal a few from the bowl and add them to the tops of the cookies (they are prettier this way).
9Bake the cookies for 10 to 15 minutes until the edges are light golden brown, and the center is still soft.
10Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then move them to a cooling rack and cool completely.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Baked oatmeal raisin cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature or up to a week in the refrigerator.
- Make ahead: This cookie dough lasts up to 3 days in the refrigerator. I like to scoop it into cookie dough balls first, which makes baking them quick and easy! Chilled cookie dough makes the baked cookies even more chewy, thicker, and flavorful. You can also freeze the cookie dough. Scoop into balls, place onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and freeze until hard. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen (the cookies will take a little longer in the oven).
- Raisins: I love a combination of regular and golden raisins.
- Recipe inspired by Joy of Baking
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
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I just ate this cookie after cooling and it was excellent. Soft and chewy and I loved the nutmeg added for great flavor. Very easy to make! I’ll be making these again!
Absolutely THE best Oatmeal Raisin Cookie recipe. As a baker, I have tried many., and this is, by far, the most popular among clients. I adapted it a bit, hope you don’t mind. It just makes measurements easier when baking in bulk. For anyone interested, I increased the:
butter to 1 cup, flour to 1.5 cups, and raisins to 1.5 cups That way I can easily make 6 batches at once. I have also used this recipe as a giant cookie cake. Thank you so much for this recipe!
Every Christmas I am always looking for a new oatmeal recipe where the cookies are not hard! This recipe was the best! I made them a few days ago and placed them in an airtight container – they are still chewy. Great recipe and I am definitely saving. Thank you!
These were the best. I used your base but had no raisins,but had dried cranberries. I did soak in hot water. I also added the walnuts and coconut. They were delicious. You can almost add what you like. But the base is a winner.
I made these for the first time – I cut 1/3 of the butter I added sugarfee applsause instead and added some coconut and walnuts. I made all with the two raisins and added choclate chips to half. They turned out amazing. I was looking for a great base and adding all the fun extras. I cut butter because I have high cholestorol. I may try them with even less butter and play witht the recipe. Thank you!! Oatmeal raisin is my husbands favorite. Can’t wait for him to try them.
Was going to make the whole batch with raisins. But…a significant otherly voice petitioned for some without raisins but WITH chocolate chips. So, raisins went into two-thirds of the batch, and chocolate chips into the remainder. Outcome? Both parties are pleased as could be. This recipe goes into my go-to recipe binder! Thanks for sharing!
Hello I love your recipe and these cookies are my all time favorite cookies can tell me I thing ….. Can I freeze these cookies dough and later on bake these after few hours or days when I want…..thank u love
Yes, absolutely!
Yummy cookies !! Thanks for the recipe
I’ve made this receipe numerous times and I follow the exact recipe. My friends and family loves them. I particularly love how they are so chewy on the inside but has that right about of crunch around the edge!
These are delicious! They don’t taste eggy like some recipes I’ve tried. Made exactly as written, thanks for the fantastic recipe!
Looking forward to bakeing your Soft & Chewy Oatmeal Cookies. I’ve looked high and low for a recipe that has you put the raises in hot water for 10 minutes. I’ve last my original recipe on our last move and have put off baking them because I didn’t want to be disappointed. I’ll get back to you with the results.
Best oatmeal cookie for me, sometimes I put nutmeg. love taste of oats in it , many other recipes you cant really taste the oats. Thank you.
Good cookies. I added 1/2 cranberries and 1/2 raisins. Thx for the recipe
LOVE this recipe! I make brown butter ahead of time and let it cool to room temperature, works perfectly with the nutmeg. I make these anytime I’m craving cookies
Love this recipe! I did toast my oatmeal, and 1/2 cup pecans. Soaked my raisins in vanilla water for more vanilla flavor. I also used a 2 tablespoon scoop and baked for 14 mins. So yummy!