These scrumptious and chewy Oatmeal Raisin cookies are darn near perfect. They are crispy on the outside, and soft and chewy on the inside, with just the right balance of oats and raisins. With just a few simple steps, you too can have Oatmeal Raisin Cookies like Grandma used to make.
Do you live with a few cookie monsters? Of course, you do! I mean honestly, who doesn’t live with a few? My family loves these cookies, as does my daughter’s boyfriend’s family. He lives with a whole house full of cookie monsters. With just a little preparation, the cookie dough comes together in about 15 minutes.
How do you make the best Oatmeal Raisin Cookies?
About 45 minutes prior to starting the recipe, take your butter and eggs out of the refrigerator. Sometimes I have to start out earlier than that if it is chilly. Next, in a small bowl, combine the raisins and enough hot water to cover them. Let them plump up for about 15 minutes. Drain the raisins and dry them well with paper towels.
Next, in a medium bowl, whisk together your flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt. Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl and beater down as needed. Now turn the mixer to low (or stir) and add the dry ingredients mixing until combined. Stir in the raisins and oats.
Using a 1 1/2 tablespoon scoop roll the cookie dough into balls and place on a parchment paper-covered baking sheet with 2 inches of space between the cookie dough balls. Bake in a preheated oven for about 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheets for about 5 minutes before moving to wire racks to cool.
Recipe notes and helpful tips
- Remove the butter and eggs from the fridge about 40 minutes in advance so the butter softens and the eggs come to room temperature.
- For plump, juicy raisins, soak them in hot water for 15 minutes. Drain and dry well with paper towels.
- Use real vanilla extract, as it really does make a difference.
- Cover your baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. They help the cookies bake evenly, brown better, and lift off the cookie sheet without breaking.
- Use old-fashioned oats, not quick oats, for a good chewy cookie.
- Leave a couple of inches between each cookie dough on the cookie sheet so the heat can move around them to bake them more evenly. In addition to that, your cookies will not bake together.
- Always preheat your oven and load your cookies in the center of the oven.
- For optimum results, bake one sheet of cookies at a time. Use multiple cookie sheets or let the single cookie sheet cool before placing more dough balls on it as a warm cookie sheet can cause cookies to spread too fast.
- Last but not least, and perhaps the most important tip of all. Bake a few cookies off on a test run. If they spread too fast, refrigerate the dough for 1-2 hours and test again. If they do not spread enough, gently press the rounded spoonfuls of dough down with the palm of your hand and test again.
Storage
Store baked cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days or freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw the frozen cookies in an airtight container on the counter.
To freeze for baking at a later date, place the dough balls on a parchment-covered baking sheet with a little space between them so they don’t freeze together. Put the sheet on a level surface in the freezer. Once fully frozen, transfer the frozen dough balls to a freezer zipper bag and freeze for up to 2 months.
Anytime you want fresh baked cookies, simply take out how many you would like to bake and place them on a parchment-covered baking sheet with a couple of inches between them. Let them thaw a little bit while you preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Then bake for 11-13 minutes or until lightly browned. Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes before moving them to wire racks.
More cookie recipes
Best Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup butter softened
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups rolled oats
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, combine the raisins and enough hot water to cover them. Let them plump up for about 15 minutes. Drain the raisins and dry them well with paper towels.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together your flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt.
- Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl and beater down as needed.
- Turn the mixer to low (or stir) and add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients mixing until combined. Stir in the raisins and oats.
- Using a 1 1/2 tablespoon scoop, roll the cookie dough into balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet with 2 inches of space between the cookie dough balls. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheets for about 5 minutes before moving to wire racks to cool.
Notes
- Remove the butter and eggs from the fridge about 40 minutes in advance so the butter softens and the eggs come to room temperature.
- For plump, juicy raisins, soak them in hot water for 15 minutes. Drain and dry well with paper towels.
- Use real vanilla extract, as it really does make a difference.
- Cover your baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. They help the cookies bake evenly, brown better, and lift off the cookie sheet without breaking.
- Use old-fashioned oats, not quick oats, for a good chewy cookie.
- Leave a couple of inches between each cookie dough on the cookie sheet so the heat can move around them to bake them more evenly. In addition to that, your cookies will not bake together.
- Always preheat your oven and load your cookies in the center of the oven.
- For optimum results, bake one sheet of cookies at a time. Use multiple cookie sheets or let the single cookie sheet cool before placing more dough balls on it, as a warm cookie sheet can cause cookies to spread too fast.
- Last but not least, and perhaps the most important tip of all. Bake a few cookies off on a test run. If they spread too fast, refrigerate the dough for 1-2 hours and test again. If they do not spread enough, gently press the rounded spoonfuls of dough down with the palm of your hand and test again.
Nutrition
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Demeter
This is great! My kids won’t be able to stop eating these!
Melanie Bauer
Looks heavenly! Love how super easy to make this, so excited to give this a try!
Vik
Mmm these cookies sound so tasty! Definitely whipping up a batch, the kids would love them
Sara Welch
Love this classic recipe from my childhood! These look perfectly fluffy and delicious; can’t wait to bake these this weekend!
Alli
Oatmeal raisin cookies are my weakness. These are delicious. My kids inhaled them!
Catalina
I make cookies every weekend! These are on my baking list for this weekend!
Billy
Awesome easy to follow recipe and always delicious, love these cookies!
Mallory Lanz
Such a good classic recipe. My dad loves these.
Melissa
Delicious cookies! Can’t wait to make them again!
Krissy Allori
These are my husbands favorite cookies!
Stephanie
I love oatmeal raisin cookies! These turned out perfectly, thanks!