Soft and chewy with that trademark homemade flavor, these are the best soft and chewy oatmeal raisin cookies. Made with brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, chewy oats, sweet raisins, and a secret ingredient, this recipe wins for flavor and texture. Your family will love these easy oatmeal raisin cookies!
There are two types of people in this world. Raisin haters and raisin lovers. I fall into the latter category. Besides homemade apple pie, oatmeal raisin cookies are my favorite dessert. There’s something incredibly magical about the chewy texture, soft centers, plump raisins, and cinnamon flavor. Please tell me I’m not the only raisin lover!!
What Makes These Oatmeal Raisin Cookies The Best
The competition is strong, but here’s why you’ll fall in love with these cookies.
- Moist and tender centers
- Slight crisp on the edges
- Sweetened with brown sugar
- Loaded with oats
- Studded with raisins
- Cinnamon spiced
- Buttery flavor
- 30 minute chill time
It doesn’t get much better than this!
Ingredients in Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Oatmeal raisin cookies are made with very basic ingredients.
- Butter: Butter is the base of any delicious cookie recipe. Make sure you are using room temperature butter.
- Brown Sugar + Granulated Sugar: Sugar is not only used for sweetness, but also for providing structure and tenderness. I like to use more brown sugar than white sugar because (1) brown sugar has incredible flavor and (2) brown sugar contains more moisture than white, which produces a softer cookie.
- Eggs: Eggs help bind everything together. You need 2 eggs in this recipe.
- Pure Vanilla Extract + Salt: Both provide flavor.
- Cinnamon: Raisins, oats, and cinnamon are winning flavor combination.
- Baking Soda: Baking soda helps the cookies rise.
- Molasses: Molasses is my secret ingredient! 1 scant Tablespoon enhances all the wonderful flavors of these buttery, cinnamon-sweet oatmeal raisin cookies.
- Flour: Flour is the structure of the cookies.
- Oats: There are a ton of oats in this recipe! Oats provide a fabulously chewy texture. I use and recommend old fashioned whole oats here—just like I do for flourless peanut butter oatmeal cookies.
- Raisins: I love to soak the raisins in warm water before using. This step is optional, but it guarantees they are plump and soft. Blot dry before adding to cookie dough. (You can also use this cookie dough to make my white chocolate chip cherry oatmeal cookies.)
I like to add chopped walnuts. Nuts are totally optional but highly recommended. These simple ingredients combine to make the best oatmeal raisin cookies!
How to Make Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
There’s only a few steps between now and a batch of warm oatmeal cookies. 🙂
- Cream butter + sugars: Use a hand or stand mixer to cream the softened butter with both sugars until smooth, about 2 minutes on medium speed.
- Add eggs, vanilla, + molasses: Add eggs, then mix on high for about 1 minute until incorporated. Add vanilla and molasses, mix until combined.
- Dry ingredients: Mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together in a separate bowl. Pour this into the wet ingredients. Combine together on low.
- Add the extras: Beat in the oats and raisins on low speed. Dough will be thick and sticky.
- Chill: Refrigerate the cookie dough for 30-60 minutes.
- Roll: Roll cookie dough into balls and place on a lined baking sheet. I love using these baking mats.
- Bake: Bake the cookies at 350°F (177°C) for 12-13 minutes until lightly browned. The cookies might look under-baked, but they will continue to set as they cool. This is the secret to a soft and chewy oatmeal raisin cookie!
Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Dough is Sticky
This oatmeal raisin cookie dough is sticky, so don’t be alarmed. The cookie dough needs to chill for about 30 minutes before baking. I don’t recommend keeping this cookie dough in the refrigerator for much longer because your cookies won’t spread. The oats will begin to absorb all of the wonderful moisture from the eggs, butter, and sugar and won’t expand as they bake. Sticky dough is good dough!
More Favorite Cookie Recipes
If you love these oatmeal raisin cookies, try any of these SOFT cookie recipes. You’ll wonder why you haven’t baked them sooner!
- Iced Oatmeal Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cookies
- Oatmeal Scotchies
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Monster Cookies
- Maple Brown Sugar Cookies
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 13 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 26-30 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Soft and chewy with that trademark homemade flavor, these are the best soft and chewy oatmeal raisin cookies. Your family will love these easy oatmeal raisin cookies!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs*
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract (yes, Tablespoon!)
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) unsulphured or dark molasses (do not use blackstrap; I prefer Grandma’s brand)
- 1 and 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups (255g) old-fashioned whole rolled oats*
- 1 cup (140g) raisins (see Note below)
- optional: 1/2 cup (64g) chopped toasted walnuts
Instructions
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the softened butter and both sugars together on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and mix on high until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla and molasses and mix on high until combined. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together. Add to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined. Beat in the oats, raisins, and walnuts (if using) on low speed. Dough will be thick, yet very sticky. Chill the dough for 30-60 minutes in the refrigerator (do the full hour if you’re afraid of the cookies spreading too much). If chilling for longer (up to 2 days), allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling and baking.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Roll balls of dough (about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie) and place 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. I recommend using a cookie scoop since the dough can be sticky. Bake for 12-14 minutes until lightly browned on the sides. The centers will look very soft and under-baked. Remove from the oven and let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will continue to “set” on the baking sheet during this time.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week. Baked cookies freeze well—up to three months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well—up to three months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw. Here’s how to freeze cookie dough.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Cookie Scoop | Cooling Rack
- Oats: For these oatmeal raisin cookies, I use old-fashioned whole oats. They provide the ultimate hearty, chewy, thick texture we love!
- Eggs: Room temperature eggs preferred. Good rule of thumb: always use room temperature eggs when using room temperature butter.
- Raisins: Soak your raisins in warm water for 10 minutes before using (blot very well to dry them) – this makes them nice and plump for your cookies.
- Adapted from Loaded Oatmeal Cookies & Oatmeal Creme Pies. Recipe originally published on Sally’s Baking Addiction in 2014.
Made these today. Delicious and perfect with the raisins and walnuts.
I normally do not post comments but this recipe deserves praise. My cookies came out perfect! I cut the recipe in half (single household), increased cinnamon, spooned and leveled dry ingredients, added walnuts, cooled dough for 45 mins., and turned pan around at half way point. I live at 5280 ft. so baking can be iffy. This recipe is a keeper!
I love these cookies. I would love to add chocolate chips or chocolate chunks, how much should I add?
I’d add 1 cup!
I made these for my brother for his birthday as they are his favorite kind of cookies. I also made the raisins myself in the hopes to further improve the deliciousness of the cookie. I hate raisins myself and still didnt like the homemade ones. I tasted a cookie to see how it went and ended up eating the whole thing. First time in my life Ive ever eaten raisins willingly! That makes this an excellent recipe in my book!
These are excellent! Just wanted to note that following recipe exactly (added about half of the optional nuts) and using a 2tbsp cookie scoop, I got way more cookies – 38, and that was after eating probably at least 2 full cookies worth of dough. Not that I’m complaining… 😉
Made these yesterday and they were so yummy!
These cookies were a disappointment. I followed recipe to the letter. The dough didn’t spread out much even after the allotted time for chilling. These cookies were not very sweet either.
I’ve made these before exactly as the recipe said and they where délicious! But this time the vanilla extract at the store was sold out so I made them with almond extract and that gave it such a great twist!!!
Baked these today ~ easy recipe to follow and the cookies had a lovely texture they were definitely sweet enough for myself and my children. Delicious Thank you for sharing your splendid recipe.
These are the best cookies ever!!!! So so good. Soaked the raisins.Â
I’ve been making these for a year now, or better: I have to make them all the time, my husband keeps requesting them. I bake a lot, but these are definitely his favourite! I put my personal touch on them by soaking the raisins in a rum-water mix. 😉 Today I’ll try and add some rice krispies for a little added crunch. Let’s see how that turns out, they might just get soggy instead! 😉
The best oatmeal raisin cookie recipe! Everyone who tried the cookie loved it. Thank you for sharing!
These are the BEST oatmeal raisin cookies! It is my go to recipe and is saved in my favorites! You have such great recipes if I need a cookie recipe I always check with Sally’s baking addiction first! Thank you! Â Merry ChristmasÂ
These came out wonderful!! I added pecans just because I had some on hand. I put them in an air tight continer once they cooled and I found the flavours came out even more a couple days later!
Best chewy oatmeal raisin cookie I’ve made. A favorite at our holidays.Â
These are the BEST oatmeal raisin cookies ever !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I made these cookies and they were delicious and chewy, the best cookies I have made. Loved them. This one I am printing and keeping.
These are just perfect! I have made them twice. The first time I followed directions exactly using 1/2 light and 1/2 dark brown sugar and  soaking the raisins. They were so delicious but color was very dark and the baked cookies were stickier than I like.  The second  time I used all light brown sugar, half a tablespoon  of molasses and a scant 1/4c of granulated sugar. I did not soak the raisins.  This was the magic formula!! I scooped batter onto baking sheets with #40 scoop (3/4 oz.) and the recipe made 42 beautiful cookies both times.  Thank you for this wonderful cookie recipe!!Â
Oatmeal raisin cookies are my husband’s absolute favorite…however they’ve never been anywhere close to mine. Until these. This is the first recipe I’ve come across that has made me want to enjoy them with him! Absolutely a keeper – and I’ve made them several times now (and in several kitchens) and they always turn out like a dream! Thanks for the marvelous recipe! 🙂
I made these today but added chocolate chips in place of raisins. DELICIOUS
These cookies came out EXACTLY as pictured!!! I always feel so accomplished when my cookies come out like yours! I substituted the raisins for cranberries, but soaked them as described and WOW!!! Don’t skip this step; I was told that they made the cookie itself all the more delicious! I also included the optional walnuts, which were a nice touch as well! This may be the only oatmeal cookies recipe I ever use! Thanks Sally!
These are the best cookies ever! Â I’m normally not an oatmeal raisin fan–they’re not chocolate chip–but these are wonderful! Â Thanks for a great recipe! Â I’ve made them several times and keep having to search again for the recipe. Â I finally copied it down (with your name) to put in my files.
Best. Cookie. Ever.Â
I do solemnly swear to never use another oatmeal raisin cookie recipe. Â
I made two changes to this recipe. I used honey in place of molasses (I don’t like molasses, so of course I didn’t have any on hand), and I increased the cooking time to 12 minutes. I do solemnly swear to never use another oatmeal raisin cookie recipe.Â
I’m going to try these today. They may well be all gone tomorrow though.Â
I do have a question. What about adding some applesauce to give a bit of apple flavor to the profile? Apple and oats go wonderfully together. I’m wondering if the moistness of the applesauce would adversely effect the dough? Would I have to adjust the sugar content or flour ratio to compensate?
Applesauce would make the cookies cakey and you’d likely have to reduce the wet ingredients to make up for it. I don’t recommend it.
These are absolutely perfect oatmeal cookies! Â It’s my fav and I’ve been on a search for soft and chewy style, not flat and crisp! Â This is it! Follow the recipe exactly, no substitutes or shortcuts…..do exactly what she says and you will be rewarded with the best oatmeal cookies ever! Â I’m not one to let cookies sit on the sheet, but I believe this (along with the added molasses) is what makes the difference. Â These cookies are amazing! Perfect and amazing!
I almost exclusively bake your recipes (and I bake a lot!) and these are some of the best cookies I’ve made. I used about half quick oats and half regular rolled because that’s all I had but they weren’t missing any moisture. I didn’t add raisins or nuts and added m&ms to half of the batch, and they all came out great! I rolled my dough after 30 minutes but they were still veryyy stickey, so I threw the rolled dough in the freezer for 10ish minutes and they baked perfectly! My parents like crispy cookies so I baked half of the cookies for 11 minutes (for the sane people ;)) and I baked theirs for 15… Still turned out great! Thanks so much Sally
Can whole wheat flour be used in the oatmeal raisin cookie recipe instead of all-purpose flour?
It can, yes– but the cookies may be a little dense.
These are by far the BEST oatmeal raisin cookies I have ever made! My family absolutely loves them and keeps asking me to make more as soon as they are gone (and they go very fast). The texture is so soft and chewy, definitely my favorite cookie out there.Â
My dad loves oatmeal raisin cookies but never has time to make them with his work schedule. I decided to give it a shot and make them for him because I’m a college student who is home for break and literally have NOTHING to do all day. I’m so happy I stumbled upon this recipe because he LOVED the cookies. Said they were the best cookies he’s ever had. Will definitely be making these again. And again. And again.
Just made these for my co-workers 🙂 They are so good!