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These are the Best Oatmeal Raisin Cookies you will ever make! These cookies are chewy, sweet and the perfect treat.

Oatmeal is a wonderful ingredient to bake with, it adds nutrition and flavor. We love these glorious oat recipes, No Bake Cookies, Chocolate Chip and Granola!

A stack of oatmeal cookies ready to eat.

Easy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I know, oatmeal raisin cookies can sometimes get a bad rap. They are often the last ones to get eaten out of a combo pack, but that needs to change. With this homemade cookie recipe, oatmeal raisin cookies are going to get the credit they deserve. These cookies are soft, buttery and heavenly. With a crisp chewy outside and tender outside, the texture is perfect for all cookie lovers. The raisins give the cookie a touch of extra sweetness and a bit of bite that is perfectly balanced with the oats. They are sublime.

Oats are super good for you. They are heart healthy, full of fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals. I like to think that adding oatmeal to a cookie actually makes them healthy. While that may not be exactly the case, it makes me feel better as I eat three of them in one sitting. These cookies are simple to make and really do taste delightful.  So if you weren’t a fan of oatmeal raisin, I dare you to try them again for the first time. You won’t regret it!

Ingredients for Oatmeal Cookies

Classic cookie ingredients come together to make these intensely delicious cookies.

  • Flour: Use All purpose or unbleached flour.
  • Cinnamon: A beautiful aromatic spice that goes perfectly with oatmeal.
  • Baking Soda: This is your leavening agent that will help the cookies rise.
  • Salt: Balances the sweet and makes the oatmeal cookies scrumptious.
  • Butter: Soften the butter for easier mixing or make sure it is at room temperature.
  • Brown Sugar: Use either light or dark brown sugar in your cookies. Dark brown will give a stronger flavor and be a tad bit more moist.
  • Sugar: Having white sugar in the cookies also adds moisture and helps them brown beautifully.
  • Eggs: Bring your eggs to room temperature so they can mix optimally.
  • Vanilla: A classic flavor you do not want to skip out on.
  • Honey: Sweet and delicious the honey pairs beautifully with the oats and helps them hang on to the moisture.
  • Old Fashioned Oats: Old fashioned oats are also known as rolled oats.
  • Raisins: Make sure your raisins are fresh, chewy and soft. Not hard and tough.

How To Make Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Super easy to make, you can these ready to eat in no time. The hardest part is letting them cool before digging in!

  1. Dry Ingredients: In a medium size bowl combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
  2. Wet Ingredients: In another bowl cream the butter, brown sugar, sugar, eggs, vanilla and honey.
  3. Combine: Slowly combine the flour mixture with the wet ingredients.
  4. Add: Stir in the oats and raisins till just combined.
  5. Get it cold: Chill for 30 minutes.
  6. Bake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Scoop out a tablespoon of cookie dough and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Mixing the dry ingredients, then the butter and sugars and adding it all together with the raisins.

Tips For The Best Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Ever

Truly there is something magical about the oatmeal, raisins and butter that makes these cookies so tempting. The edges are crispy, the raisins plump and there is very distinct buttery flavor that is irresistible.

  • Oats: For the best flavor and texture use rolled oats or old fashioned oats. You can use quick oats too, use the same amount. The oatmeal cookies may not have the same chew, but they will still taste amazing.
  • Fresh Raisins: Make sure your raisins are fresh, soft and chewy. If they are hard, dry and lumped together you cookies will be the same way. You can soak your raisins in warm water for 10 minutes to plump them up extra if you desire. Blot them till they are really dry before adding to the cookie dough.
  • Cookie Dough: Speaking of cookie dough, do not be surprised if the dough is sticky. It is a good thing. Do not be tempted to add more flour. Also do not over mix the dough once you combine the wet and dry ingredients, it will toughen up your cookies.
  • Chill it: Do not chill for longer than 30 minutes as it will prevent the oatmeal cookies from spreading. Also if it is longer than 30 minutes the oatmeal starts to absorb too much of the moisture in the dough which can dry them out.
  • Room Temperature Eggs and Butter: Make sure your butter and eggs are at room temperature so they mix optimally.
  • Cookie Sheet: Use parchment paper on your cookie sheet to insure easy release of your cookies. Spraying a cookie sheet can cause the oatmeal raisin cookies to spread too much and make them flat.

Baked oatmeal cookies on a cooling rack.

Variations for Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Not everyone loves oatmeal raisin cookies, I am sure that with this recipe it will change their minds, but if it does not, here are some other ideas for cookies.

  • Raisins: If you are not a fan of raisins substitute them out for cranraisins, dried cherries, currants or golden raisins.
  • Get nutty: For extra texture and flavor add 1/2-3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts. Yum!
  • Toast the Oatmeal: For a fun twist in flavor toast the oatmeal briefly in a dry hot pan on the stove till slightly browned and fragrant.
  • Add-ins: Stir in about half a cup of flaked coconut or chocolate chips for a nice flavor mix.

How to Properly Store and Freeze Cookies Dough

  • Storing your Cookies: Oatmeal raisin cookies will not dry out as fast as other cookies because the raisins provide moisture and the oatmeal holds on to it. These will keep at room temperature in a tightly sealed container or tightly sealed plastic bag for up to 2 weeks. Freeze the cookies by placing them in a freezer safe bag for up to 3 months.
  • Freeze the Dough: This is a trick I like to use often. Double the batch of cookies, bake half and freeze the other half. Drop the cookie dough into cookie shape on a cookie sheet and freeze for about 2 hours. Transfer the cookie dough into a freezer safe bag and keep for 3 months. Cook straight from the freezer to the oven, just add 2-3 min more to your cook time.

Holding a stack of three cookies.

More Tried and True Cookie Recipes

Let’s face it, cookies are one of the best treats out there. They are already portioned out, hand held and come in such huge varieties, everyone can find one or two to satisfy. Whether you are making cookies for lunches, cookie exchanges or a nice dessert, there is a cookie recipe for it. Holidays are not the same without their classic cookies. They make the best portable dessert for picnics and potlucks too. When you need a cookie recipe I’ve got you covered with my tried and true.

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Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

4.59 from 12 votes
By: Alyssa Rivers
These are the Best Oatmeal Raisin Cookies you will ever make! These cookies are chewy, sweet and the perfect treat.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 24 Cookies

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • In a medium size bowl combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
  • In another bowl cream the butter, brown sugar, sugar, eggs, vanilla and honey.
  • Slowly combine the flour mixture.
  • Add in the oats and raisins and mix until combined. Chill for 30 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Scoop out a tablespoon of cookie dough and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Nutrition

Calories: 208kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 3gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 171mgPotassium: 70mgFiber: 1gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 259IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!

 

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About Alyssa Rivers

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Alyssa Rivers and the food blogger behind The Recipe Critic. The blog launched in 2012 as a place to share my passion for cooking. I love trying new things and testing them out with my family. Each recipe is tried and true, family-tested and approved.

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Recipe Rating




14 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Absolutely the best oatmeal raisin cookies I’ve ever made. I froze half the dough and and baked later and they were equally as delicious after several weeks in freezer.

  2. 5 stars
    Thank you for sharing this recipe. It was the easiest and MOST AMAZING cookies!!! If someone gives a bad review it’s because of the person and NOT THE RECIPE!! Thank you again😊

  3. 1 star
    I’m sorry to say these were so dry and awful. The first batch completely crumbled apart. I adjusted my oven to a lower temp and then they appeared okay, but they were still considerably dry and tasted like saw dust. So bland. I cannot recommend this recipe at all.

  4. 5 stars
    I made this recipe but used Self-Rising Flour and they were absolutely delicious. I also pressed the whole mixture into a long pan to make bars and everything turned out great. Everyone loved them and begged me to make more. I also toast my pecans and soak my raisins in sugar water to hydrate them and help to keep the bars even more moist. I love this recipe and will be making more tomm. for my family.

  5. 5 stars
    I made these cookies today and they are delicious. I followed the recipe exactly and the first batch did not collapse. The next batches, I had to flatten the dough a bit.

    Am I doing anything wrong?

    1. 4 stars
      My cookies didn’t collapse either. After reading your comment I flattened them in the oven half way through baking. It might be a good idea to mention this in the recipe.

  6. 5 stars
    Wow, these cookies look amazing. I would love to make these soon. Thanks for sharing the recipe.