Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are soft in the centers, with firm golden edges, and every bite is filled with sweet plump raisins, warm cinnamon flavor, and chewy oats. If you’re a raisin lover, you will swoon over these, and if you aren’t? These oatmeal raisin cookies will finally win you over!
Soft Oatmeal Raisin Cookies will change the way you view raisins in baked goods… at least it did for me! There’s definitely no mistaking these are the best oatmeal raisin cookies you’ll ever have! If you love oatmeal cookies, then you’ll enjoy my Monster Cookies, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies recipes!
Why This Recipe Works
- Loved by raisin lovers and raisin haters. Growing up, I always turned up my nose to oatmeal raisin cookies because I didn’t like the raisins in them. It wasn’t until I tried this recipe that I realized I actually could enjoy cookies with raisins in them! If you’re on the fence about oatmeal raisin cookies do me a favor and give them one last try! Use this recipe and be completely smitten.
- Soft and chewy oatmeal raisin cookies. These delicious oatmeal cookies are soft in the middle and crispy on the edges. They are the perfect cookie texture!
- Hint of cinnamon. Cinnamon oatmeal raisin cookies are the way to go! The touch of cinnamon is the perfect flavor element to these cookies.
Ingredient Notes
- Baking Soda + Baking Powder: Using this combo will give us the right rise and chewy texture for these cinnamon oatmeal raisin cookies.
- Kosher Salt: Kosher salt is a coarser texture than table salt, so be sure to know the substitutions if a recipe calls or one or the other. If a recipe calls for Kosher salt, use 1/4 teaspoon less of table salt per teaspoon of salt. If a recipe calls for table salt, use 1/4 teaspoon more of Kosher salt per teaspoon.
- Cinnamon: The cinnamon is the perfect touch in these soft and chewy oatmeal raisin cookies!
- Unsalted Butter: Pull the butter out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before making this oatmeal raisin cookies recipe. You want the butter to be softened. But if you microwave it, there is the risk of getting pockets of melted butter inside the butter stick, which will affect the texture of the cookies.
- Dark Brown Sugar: I love using dark brown sugar for these cinnamon raisin oatmeal cookies because it adds that extra molasses flavor to the mix.
- Old Fashioned Rolled Oats: Don’t use steel cut oats because they are too hard. Instant oats don’t have enough texture to them so the thickness of the cookies will change. Stick to the old-fashioned oats!
- Raisins: Can’t have these amazing soft and chewy oatmeal raisin cookies without the raisins!
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Combine dry ingredients. Add 2 cups all purpose flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 1 tsp ground cinnamon to a medium bowl and whisk until combined.
- Cream wet ingredients. Add 1 cup softened butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, and 1 cup dark brown sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream until smooth (about 3 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again. Add 1 egg then beat to combine. Then add another egg and beat until combined. Add 2 tsp vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- Combine dry ingredients with wet. Add the dry mixture to the stand mixer bowl and mix partially. Add 3 cups old fashioned oats and 1 1/2 cups raisins. Mix until just barely combined.
- Portion into balls and bake. Using a 2 T cookie scoop, portion into dough balls. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake cookies in an oven preheated to 350ºF for 11-13 minutes. Remove and cool on the pan for 5-10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
You can add a teaspoon of molasses to the cookie dough batter if you choose to use light brown sugar. Simply add the molasses in when you add the vanilla extract.
The cookies are done when the tops of the cookies have cracked, but the cracks look underbaked still.
If you’re going for soft oatmeal raisin cookies, don’t over bake them. When you pull the cookies out of the oven they’ll appear a tad under baked. This is normal! Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once they’re cool you’ll bite into these beauties and realize these are the best oatmeal cookies and that you’re so glad you didn’t bake them to a crisp!
You don’t want to over bake the cookies because they’ll set up and continue baking on the hot sheet as they cool. The centers will look underdone and the edges will look golden brown. That’s OK! That’s what we want.
Be sure to let the cookies cool properly on the cooling rack. This will help them set up more and will help the texture be chewier than if you were to enjoy them hot out of the oven. Patience is key here!
Add a 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans for an added crunch element!
If you don’t have a stand mixer, use a large mixing bowl and hand mixer.
Make Ahead, Storing, and Freezing
Store leftover cookies in an airtight container or ziplock bag at room temperature for 3-4 days.
To freeze the oatmeal cookie dough, place it in a freezer-safe ziplock bag or an airtight container. Oatmeal raisin cookie dough will store in the freezer for 3-4 months. If baking frozen cookie dough, you’ll want to add an extra minute or too. Or you can thaw it and then bake.
To freeze the baked cookies, place them in a freezer safe ziplock bag and then in an airtight container (I like to store mine double protected with the bag and container). Store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Recipe FAQs
Yes you can. However, I personally like to use dark brown sugar in these chewy oatmeal cookies because there’s more molasses in the dark brown sugar so it gives a deeper and richer flavor to the cookies.
You most likely over baked them. Be sure you’re baking at the right temperature. I use an oven thermometer to ensure my oven is accurate. Mine is a few degrees off what the oven actually says.
Yes you can, but I would recommend you try my Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe instead!
Nope you don’t have to! Just add in the raisins as they are.
I recommend old fashioned oats — these are hearty oats that will give us the perfect texture. Instant oats or quick oats won’t provide enough texture (so you’ll get thinner cookies), and steel-cut oats will be too hard.
More Delicious Cookie Recipes
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
- Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Breakfast Cookies
- White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
Soft Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup unsalted butter - softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup dark brown sugar - packed
- 2 large eggs - at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 1/2 cups raisins
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Move oven rack to the center of the oven.
- In a medium bowl whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer cream the butter and sugars together on medium speed for 3 minutes. Scrape down sides of the bowl so everything is evenly combined. Then mix for another 20-30 seconds.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add vanilla and mix again.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until combined about half way. Add the oats and raisins and mix until everything is incorporated. (Don't overmix the cookie dough). You can stir the oats and raisins in by hand if you wish, but i prefer mixing with my stand mixer because it's so much easier.
- Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Use a 2 T sized cookie scoop to make dough balls. Place the cookie dough balls on the cookie sheet keeping 2 inches between each ball.
- Bake 11-13 minutes. The cracks should still appear under baked, that’s ok! Remove from oven and cool on pan for 5-10 minutes, transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- If you use light brown sugar rather than dark brown sugar, you can add 1/2-1 teaspoon of molasses to the cookie dough batter if you’d like (will add a deeper and richer flavor). Simply add the molasses in when you add the vanilla extract.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container.
- You can also freeze the cookie dough if you’d like. Place in a freezer safe bag, or airtight container and freeze for 3-4 months.
- Or you can freeze the baked cookies, store in a freezer safe ziplock bag or an airtight container. They will last in the freezer for 3-6 months.
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9 Comments on “Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies”
Love how these turned out! Moist, chewy, perfect balance of flavors!
Couldn’t agree more, Katya! So glad you loved them. Thanks for the 5-star review!
I have not made oatmeal raisin cookies in years and I do mean years. I was looking over some recipes and decided to make these. The molasses did make a difference in the taste. They were very good. I had never made them like this before. Glad I added it.
Thanks for bringing back some old memories.
I made these cookies this past weekend. They are really delicious. I used light brown sugar and about 1/2 tsp of molasses. I think the molasses gave the cookies great flavor. They are best eaten with a couple of days. If you know someone that loves oatmeal raisin cookies this is the best recipe I have found for them. Thank you!
I’m so glad you think this is the best oatmeal raisin cookies! Thanks so much for your great review!
Does it make a difference whether it’s kosher salt or regular salt ?
Yes, kosher salt has a bigger grain. If you want to use regular salt use half the amount called for in the recipe.
These are delicious cookies!! I’m generally not a huge raisin fan, but we really enjoyed these!
I’m not a raisin person either 🙂 But these are the best! Thanks for taking the tine to comment Alex.