Our all-time favorite Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. These are big, soft, and chewy with melty chocolate morsels. There’s one simple trick that will keep your cookies and raisins moist for days and you don’t even have to chill the cookie dough.
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Oatmeal Cookies Recipe
You’ll love the texture of these oatmeal cookies – they are the perfect balance of thick, chewy, gooey, and soft. They also keep well and stay soft for days. All you need to go with these is a tall glass of milk.
Oatmeal cookies are a teensy bit healthier than traditional Chocolate Chip Cookies because they are packed with 2 cups of oats which is the main ingredient here.
These are a nice way to round out your holiday cookie platter along with classic Christmas Sugar Cookies, our irresistible Tea Cakes, and if you haven’t tried them, Candied Pecans are a fun addition.
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Ingredients
- Baking Basics – All-purpose flour, baking powder and baking soday (combining both improves the texture), also cinnamon, salt and Vanilla extract for flavor.
- Butter – use unsalted and softened at room temperature.
- Sugar – combining packed brown sugar and granulated sugar gives these just the right amount of sweetness and golden color.
- Egg – adds moisture and helps to bind the cookie dough together
- Rolled oats (also called “old-fashioned” oats) – give the cookies their signature chewy texture. You can substitute with quick-cooking oats instead of old-fashioned rolled oats if that is what you have on hand. We prefer rolled oats because they are thicker and have more texture. I have even used extra-thick rolled oats with these cookies.
- Raisins – add moisture and a tangy sweetness. See my tip below on how to keep them moist.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips – make gooey cookies without being too sweet
The Secret to Soft & Moist Oatmeal Cookies
Presoak your raisins! It’s a quick step and doesn’t add extra time – I usually do that first while I’m measuring out my other ingredients and preheating the oven. It will make all the difference in how your cookies turn out. Raisins can get really tough and chewy in the oven but pre-soaking ensures they will come out plump and soft. They also keep more moisture in your cookie.
Also, as with any cookie recipe, if you love a soft cookie, make sure you don’t over-bake.
How to Make Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Prep – line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and pre-soak raisins in warm water for 15 minutes then drain and pat dry.
- Whisk together dry ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
- Cream butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture.
- Add oats, raisins and chocolate – mix until combined.
- Scoop dough – Make 2-inch cookie dough balls and place dough balls on prepared baking sheets. Press them down slightly with the back of a measuring cup. There’s no need to chill the cookie dough.
- Bake one cookie sheet at a time for 12-14 minutes at 350˚F. Do not overbake. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Natasha’s Tip for Even Cookies
For easier and even portioning, use a 3 Tbsp or 2 oz cookie scoop to portion and make cookie dough balls.
To Store Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Once cookies are at room temperature, store them in a sealed airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can also freeze them for longer storage.
Oatmeal Cookie Variations
We love the addition of chocolate chips and raisins, but this oatmeal cookie dough is a great base for a variety of oatmeal cookies. These variations will produce a sweeter cookie compared to using semisweet chocolate, but they are tasty:
- White chocolate chips and dried cranberries
- Dried Cherries and white chocolate chunks – similar to Cranberry Cookies
- M&M’s – use colorful M&M chocolate candy and try seasonal colors to make these festive instead of using chocolate chips.
- Raisins with toasted and chopped pecans
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are definitely a worthy contender for the Christmas cookie platter. I hope this becomes a new favorite cookie recipe for you.
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350˚F with a rack in the center of the oven. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Set raisins in a bowl of warm water and soak for 15 minutes then drain well and pat dry with paper towels.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (2 minutes). Beat in egg and vanilla, mixing to fully incorporate. With the mixer on, gradually beat in flour mixture, mixing until just combined.
- Add oats, raisins, and chocolate and mix until just incorporated. The dough will be thick.
- Divide into 16 (2-inch diameter) dough balls (use a 3-Tbsp or 2 oz cookie scoop for even portioned cookies). Flatten each ball slightly with the back of a measuring cup.
- Bake one baking sheet at a time for 12-14 minutes or until edges are slightly golden then remove from the oven right away. Do not over-bake. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Refrigerate Dough: You can make the cookie dough ahead and refrigerate it for up to 2 days (cover tightly). When you’re ready, scoop and bake as directed.
- To Freeze Dough: scoop the dough into balls, freeze until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake the cookie dough straight from frozen — no thawing needed — just add 1–2 extra minutes to the bake time.
- To Store Cookies: once cookies are at room temperature, store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
All-Time Favorite Cookie Recipes
If you love fresh home-baked cookies, then you won’t want to miss these top-rated cookie recipes:
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Oh my! Just made these and they are heavenly. I thought I blew it because they were taking longer to cook than the 12-14 mins called for in recipe. Realized I was baking them on insulated cookie sheets. I just added a couple more minutes to the baking time, keeping a careful eye, and they are perfect. Thank you again for another winner recipe from you. Oh and by the way, we have family coming for lunch tomorrow, it’s a full on Natasha’s Kitchen meal: your chicken salad with grapes, lettuce, croissants, and your caprese salad. The cookies for dessert. Can’t wait!
I’m so happy they turned out perfectly for you. Insulated cookie sheets can definitely add a few extra minutes to the baking time.
And wow—what a compliment that your family lunch is a full Natasha’s Kitchen menu! Thanks so much.