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
- Soft & Thick 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*
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) unsulphured or dark molasses (do not use blackstrap; I prefer Grandma’s brand)
- 1 and 2/3 cups (209g) 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.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Very easy and excellent cookies. The molasses undertone adds a wonderful flavor layer. Next time I will add white chocolate chips and toasted walnuts.
Have you ever, or do you think that if I used applesauce instead of the eggs (due to allergy) they would be the same?
Hi Tammy, we haven’t tested that swap so we’re unsure of the results. Let us know if you do decide to try it.
These are absolutely amazing. I am in my 50’s and have never liked raisins but these are incredible. I made them for my husband because he loves oatmeal raisin cookies. They turned out perfect! (Made them exactly as written) I decided to make them again and this time I used Craisin’s (Cranberry raisins) (soaked them like you said) and I added white chocolate chips. Also toasted and chopped pecans-Oh. My. Goodness. Turned out incredible. You’re recipes NEVER disappoint-NEV-ER. Thank you!
These cookies are brilliant. I love them with walnuts included. I freeze them and take out small batches as needed and cook straight from the freezer.
Hey,
Can I use canola oil instead of the butter? And can I mix by hand? Thanks a lot
Hi Lauren, we don’t recommend oil here instead of the butter. You need a fat that is solid at room temperature so that it can be creamed properly. You can try using solid coconut oil instead, but we’re unsure of the exact results. You can mix by hand, but it will take a bit of arm muscle!
These are the best tasting oatmeal raisin cookies. Soaking those raisins made a huge difference and than not adding the oatmeal till the end. This small touches make all the difference. So tasty!
This was seriously the best recipe ever. Shared with my husband and brother in laws who were OBSESSED with this recipe. Every diet in the household went out the window when these came out of the oven. I didn’t grow up with these, but my husband did and the best compliment to this recipe is that he said it reminded him of childhood.
Seriously, these are THAT good.
Not up to Sally’s usually great recipes. I prefer Ina Garten’s Raisin Pecan Oatmeal Cookies.
I made these cookies for my office for our monthly treats and celebration. Had multiple people (7+) ask for the recipe and nothing but praise…. the majority of my office did not believe that I made them myself. I did modify it a bit with a half cup of yogurt chips to add a smidge more sweetness.
By far the best oatmeal raisin cookie recipe that I’ve ever made. Soft, sweet, and pleasantly delicious.
I’ve made these twice now and my kids can’t stop eating the.. My oldest brought them to school last time and her friends were raving about them! Definitely have this saved for future bakes
1 cup flour US is obviously different to NZ!! I did the spoon and level method and my 1.5 cup measurement was more like 260gm!
Also, only took about 8-10 mins to cook otherwise they were fluffy and cake like.
Very yummy tho
I don’t have molasses. Can I use honey instead?
Hi Kay, many readers have reported success using honey, but you can simply omit the molasses if you don’t have any on hand. Either way should be fine.
I’ve made these oatmeal cookies for a few family gatherings and they are a hit!!! We can’t keep them in the house because they are sooooo delicious, we will eat them all. But when we do, we keep them in air tight container and they stay fresh and soft for awhile. Best oatmeal cookies ever.
I made this recipe, but I got distracted with my toddler and it’s now been sitting in a bowl covered in the fridge for a few days. Will it still work to bake it? Or do I need to scrap it and start fresh?
Hi Ellie, it should still be OK! Just let the dough sit out at room temp for about 30 minutes to soften a bit before you try to scoop and roll the cookie dough balls. Hope you and your toddler love the cookies!
These didn’t work for me, unfortunately. The flavor is great, but the cookies browned way too much. I’m a season baker with my own food business, so I’m pretty confident in my abilities. Another cookier and I tried various techniques and had the same results. Unfortunately, I made 5 dozen and froze them before baking so it was just a loss for my business. Maybe I’ll try again another time.
Try at 325 preheated oven temp, don’t preheat tray, remove after 10 mins, press each slightly flat with a spatula, put back in oven and monitor for next 2-4 minutes before flash cooling the tray of cookies. These brown fast due to sugar mixture plus molasses
These are hands down the best oatmeal cookie I’ve ever made or eaten.
Hey! I was wondering if you have the nutrition facts and calorie count for this recipe?
Hi Rachel, we don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
This is my second time making these cookies. Great recipe!
I am excited to make my dad’s favorite cookies homemade for father’s day. Unfortunately, I only have salted stick butter, and I see the recipe calls for unsalted. Will this make a big huge difference in the baking process and further more the quality and taste? Thanks , I look forward to your feedback.
Hi Alicia, you can use salted butter and then reduce the added salt to 1/4 teaspoon. Hope your dad loves the cookies!
Do I have to use molasses?
Hi Patsy, you can omit the molasses if needed, but it really does add wonderful flavor to the cookies.
I love this recipe! If I don’t have any brown sugar and I make my own, would I still add the additional molasses?
Thank you!
Hi Elena, yes, we’d still add the additional molasses. Enjoy!
Good looking cookies but not flat and chewy, cakey I nstead.
Maybe after refrigerating
This message is about the homemade snickerdoodle cookies I made for we seniors at our community center. The dough was not like the dough from box mixes I’ve used in the past. So I added more flour but that didn’t help so I ended up with a drop cookie experience
The cookies didn’t rise. They were tasty though.
Any suggestions?
Thank you,.Bob Winland
Hi Bob, thanks so much for trying our snickerdoodles recipe! They are intended to be a drop cookie, but it sounds like there was too much flour in the dough if they weren’t spreading. Be sure to spoon and level your flour (or use a kitchen scale) to ensure just the right amount of flour as called for in the recipe.
Omg best oatmeal cookies ever
I’ve made this recipe multiple times. First as it is written, then with other dried fruit and nut combos. My favorite is cranberry orange with walnuts or pecans. Turns out great every time.
For years I’ve been trying to find a GREAT oatmeal raisin cookie and FINALLY! THANK YOU!
Hi! If I just have pomegranate molasses, do you think that will ruin the flavor (vs regular molasses)?
Hi Sarah, sounds delicious! We haven’t tested it but can’t see why it wouldn’t work and add a little extra flavor.
your website is very difficult to navigate – I have tried to find recipes that state ‘how much’ to use; however; what you do is list ingredients w/out…. how do l find out? Please advise
Hi Rob, if you scroll down to the recipe, you will find the printable instructions. Instead of scrolling, you can tap “JUMP TO RECIPE”
These are the best oatmeal raising cookies I have ever made/had. I think it’s the touch of molasses. I’ve made them 3 times in the month and a half.
Hi Sally! I just made these and they are DELICIOUS but for some reason my cookies didn’t come out big and chunky looking like yours. They spread at the edges and got crispy. Inside is gooey, though.
Hi Shyan, these tips on how to prevent cookies from spreading will be helpful to review for next time. Thank you for giving these a try!
Can I use steel cut oats for this recipe
Hi Jen, we don’t recommend steel cut oats for this recipe, but other bakers have reported success with the swap.