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.
DELICIOUS!! I followed the recipe with exception of deleting the white sugar completely. They turned out fantastic and no one noticed the loss of the white sugar. Pleasantly sweet with a nice soft center. Yummy!
This is now my go-to oatmeal raisin recipe! I will recommend soaking the raisins in some vanilla extract or even some rum (if you’re feeling adventurous 😉 ) to plump them up for your cookies. It makes them perfectly plump, and it adds a little extra flavor! 🙂 I also sometimes leave out the raisins all together, and add in some homemade pumpkin spice and the optional walnuts for a pumpkin spice walnut cookie! Thanks for sharing! ♥
I may not be a professional writer, but I was able to follow your recipe, and bake an absolutely delicious batch of your Oatmeal Cookies.
I haven’t in the past been an oatmeal cookie fan but hubby is. I made these tonight using home made raisins… And half batch with chopped apple. The cookies spread even after an hour in fridge. But my soda is old. Anyway… I ate 3 tonight and am ready for more tomorrow!
Hi Sally,
These cookies look delicious. I do not have any molasses on hand, as I have never really had to use it for anything before. I went to the store to buy some and there are several different types. Is there a particular one I should use?
Thanks : )
Hi April! I swear by regular dark molasses. I really like “Grandma’s Molasses” original.
I absolutely love this recipe, but more importantly, I love your website! Being in the kitchen is such a joy to me, especially with my Grands. They are learning to read, cook with me, and learn about the science of baking (like what brown sugar and baking soda are for). Thanks and keep up the good work!
I made this cookies last night they turn out perfect exactly like your picture I did follow the recipe step by step like I said PERFECT .!!! My husband love them . Thanks for sharing
Just a perfect cookie…. I’m with you on favorite cookies but my receipt just wasn’t quite right…Found this loved it. Now for my secret, there are some little ones who say they don’t like raisins…I use chocolate covered raisins ! They eat them happily seeming none the wiser and I really don’t mind the chocolate!
Hi Sally,
I made this recipe yesterday and they turned out delicious. However, they do not look anything like yours. I used the wrong baking temp. and did it at 375 for 12 mins, and they looked really really dry but were still pretty soft and chewy. I baked the rest today and let it sit at room temperature for at least 20 mins and did it at 350 for 12 mins, but it still looks just as dry as yesterday and was super crispy and I wanted it soft and chewy. (I did cut down the recipe in half ). Thanks.
Baking is all chemistry. You can’t just halve everything and have it turn out like original recipe. While you may halve an ingredient (like flour) you may have to 3/4 something else like a dough binder. Best to follow original recipe and freeze extra if too much for your household.
Hi Sally
I made this recipe many times and I loved it! I’ve been making it with only have the amount of brown sugar tho, do you think that might have affect the spreading of my cookies?
Brown sugar adds a lot of moisture to the cookies – so if you are only using half the amount it will likely change the amount the cookies spread and their texture.
I’ve never been a fan of oatmeal raisin cookies. I’ve always been disappointed by them because I mean who would rather have raisins than chocolate?! Plus they were always hard or dry… ick… Last week an elderly gentleman at the church I work for had a birthday. He only has one brother in law for family. So every year on his birthday I try to make him something special. This year I asked him what he wanted… his answer… oatmeal raisin cookies. Seriously of all the options it had to be that one. So I got online and searched for a recipe. This one seemed quite favored so I decided to give it a try. I didn’t even eat one until after my husband had one, then two, then three in a row! Really are they that good? YES! Yes they are that good! I ate one myself and then ate another one the next day voluntarily. My mom, who loves oatmeal raisin and has her own tried and true recipe told me how much she liked them (the recipe made too many for me to just give to that one person so I shared them!). THIS RECIPE has made me a believer. I might even make it just for myself sometime it was that good. Thank you so much Sally for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Hi Deidre, I’m absolutely thrilled that these cookies changed your mind!! Thank you for taking the time to let me know! If you make them for yourself you can do half raisin half chocolate chips for a fun mix 🙂
Was thinking of making these with craisins and possible orange zest. Not sure how it would pair with molasses. Would you rec. Soaking the craisins,?
Hi Jennifer, 1 scant Tablespoon enhances all the wonderful flavors, but it doesn’t make the cookies taste like syrup 🙂 They would be delicious with orange zest and craisins. When I use craisins in other cookies I never find I need to soak them. Let me know if you try these!
They came out perfect!!!
Love it! All your recipes turn out great. I’m making this for my next party. Can I use a small cookie scoop? What baking time would you recommend?
Yes, you can make these smaller. I’m unsure of the exact bake time but you can check them after 8-10 minutes depending on how small you bake them!
Delicious and my new go-to oatmeal raisin cookie. I only had one stick of butter, so I halved the recipe. I used salted butter, so added no salt. The cookies were everything I had hoped they would be, and I am ashamed to say how many of those half batch cookies I have already eaten. Thank you for the recipe!
Will salted butter be ok? Cut back on the salt?
Yes, if salted butter is all you have you can use it and cut the salt back to 1/4 tsp. Enjoy!
Hi, I added chopped dates as well and spread the whole mixture in a shallow 8 x 8 pan like flapjacks and then cut them into bars, they don’t last long. A great recipe, thank you.
Hi Sally,
I just baked your cookies but I used steel cut oats as I didn’t have any other. They have come out to be really hard to chew. Do you know anything I can do about it?
Hi Anandini- Old-fashioned whole oats are essential for this recipe- they provide the ultimate hearty, chewy, thick texture we love! If you try these again, definitely use old-fashioned whole oats 🙂
Question can you make this Oatmeal Raisins Cookies without Raisins as my husband do not like raisins I would deeply like to know Thank You Edna Williams
Hi Edna- definitely! Simply leave out the raisins or add the same amount of chocolate chips.
Best oatmeal cookie I’ve made so far!! I didn’t have molasses and I still believe all the flavours came through! (maybe I’m missing out but they still tasted great!) Thanks Sally.
This is my “keeper” recipe for oatmeal raisin cookies! I’ve made them twice and am have had great results both times. They’re so good! Thanks Sally for this recipe plus the extra tips that you included so that cookies would be a success!
My toddler grandson and I made these together today and they came out delicious. Fun recipe that could be made without a mixer so he was able to add the measured ingredients and we both stirred. I loved the size and crispness of the cookie. He just said “hmmmmm”.
What sweet memories you are making in the kitchen! A perfect recipe for kids to get involved with 🙂 Thanks for trying this recipe!
Sally, these are incredible! Thank you so much. Everything that I’ve made from your site turns out well. Thank you for explaining why we need to use certain ingredients in certain ways. I’ve always been one to say “I’ll just microwave the butter” and my baked goods won’t turn out.
Soak the raisins in dark rum instead of water for a deeper flavor. Rum goes great with molasses flavor. Save the raisin flavored rum you drain off to make an interesting cocktail.
Hi Sally! Love your recipes! This is one of our favorite ones! I added an extra tablespoon of molasses and about 3 times the cinnamon! Amazing!
Hi Sally! So I made these oatmeal raisin cookies and the homemade cheese crackers this past weekend and OMG… DELICIOUS!! The oatmeal raisin cookies are the best oatmeal raisin cookies I’ve ever had! I soaked the raisins in warm water and you can tell the difference , they were plump and juicy. The molasses took it to another level! Oh and the cheese crackers were awesome! I love how easy they were to make and only 6 ingredients. Thank you for 2 more incredible recipes!! You’re the best!
I have made these several times to rave reviews. I did make one little change. I used dark dried cherries instead of raisins, ( I forgot to buy raisins). They were great.
This is the best recipe. Of course I take all of the credit. I always say it’s and old family recipe. I just don’t say whose family.
Great flavor and very popular with church family and nursing home staff and residents.
The.Best.OatmealCookie.Ever. I love raisins but my family does not so I substitute dried cranberries or cherries! Also, I’ve added shredded coconut when I have it on hand, about 1/2 to 1 cup. My family does not like coconut so please, let’s not tell them! Thanks for this recipe! Great breakfast cookie!
I tried this recipe for the first time and it is a hit with the whole family. I subsituted raisins for cranberries and molasses with maple syrup as that’s what I had. I will definitely be making these again!
Sally, Sally, Sally:
I made these cookies and I shared with no one. I couldn’t but, I will be making again, next time I’ll double the batch. These are the best. I used to make the cookies that were on the Oats lid not anymore. I added chocolate chips to 1/2, raisins to the other; next time I’ll 1/2 with cranberries. Thank you for your receipe and I will be making some of the other receipes you have too.