These oatmeal raisin cookies are soft, chewy, and packed with warm spices and plump raisins. They’re a comforting classic made with simple pantry ingredients. You’ll love this oatmeal raisin cookie recipe for its perfect texture and cozy flavor.
Nothing beats a great Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. Whether you're a fan of Snacks or want to try something from our Crockpot Recipes selection, keep scrolling!
Why You’ll Love This Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Perfect texture: Soft, tender, and chewy with just enough structure.
- Warm spice profile: Cinnamon and nutmeg make your kitchen smell incredible.
- Plump raisins: Soaked for a jam-like, juicy burst in every bite.
- Pantry-friendly: Simple ingredients you likely already have.
Ingredients & Tools
- 115 g unsalted butter, softened
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 110 g light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 120 g all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 90 g old-fashioned rolled oats
- 120 g raisins
Tools: Mixing bowls, electric hand mixer or stand mixer, baking sheets, parchment paper, cookie scoop (optional but helpful)
Notes: Using both sugars is key—brown sugar adds moisture and molasses flavor, granulated gives crisp edges. Don’t skip the cornstarch; it’s the secret for an extra soft, bakery-style cookie.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories: | 145 kcal |
| Protein: | 2 g |
| Fat: | 5 g |
| Carbs: | 24 g |
| Fiber: | 1 g |
Serves: 18 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 10–12 minutes | Total Time: 27 minutes (plus chilling)
Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes
- Soften your butter properly. This is crucial! Your butter should be cool to the touch but soft enough that you can easily press a finger into it. If it’s melted or too warm, your cookies will spread way too much in the oven.
- Why soak the raisins? Giving your raisins a quick soak in hot water (or even tea!) plumps them up beautifully. This prevents them from drying out in the oven and makes them wonderfully juicy in the finished cookies.
- Don’t skip the chilling step. I know it’s tempting to bake the cookies right away, but chilling the dough for at least 30 minutes helps the flavors meld and prevents excessive spreading. It really does make a difference in texture.
- Use old-fashioned oats, not instant. Old-fashioned rolled oats give these cookies their signature chewy texture and hearty structure. Instant oats will make them too soft and almost mushy—trust me, I’ve tried it.
How to Make Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Step 1: Start by plumping your raisins. Place them in a small bowl and cover with very hot water. Let them sit for about 10 minutes while you prepare the rest of the dough—this is the perfect amount of time. You’ll notice they become softer and more hydrated, which is exactly what we want. Drain them well and pat them dry with a paper towel before using.
Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Whisking ensures the leavening and spices are evenly distributed, so you don’t get any bitter bites. Set this aside for now—we’ll come back to it once the wet ingredients are ready to go.
Step 3: In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter with both sugars using an electric mixer on medium speed. You’ll want to beat them for about 2–3 minutes, until the mixture is light, pale, and fluffy. This step is important for creating a tender cookie with the perfect amount of spread.
Step 4: Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Mix on medium until everything is fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. The mixture might look a little curdled at first—that’s totally normal! It will come together into a smooth, cohesive mixture.
Step 5: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until no flour streaks remain. Be careful not to overmix at this stage! Overmixing can lead to tough cookies, and we want them soft and chewy.
Step 6: Switch to a spatula and fold in the oats and the drained, plumped raisins. Mix just until everything is evenly distributed. The dough will be quite thick and a little sticky—that’s exactly how it should be.
Step 7: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. If you’re in a hurry, you can pop it in the freezer for 15 minutes instead. This resting time allows the flour to hydrate and the fats to firm up, which gives us better texture and flavor.
Step 8: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon, portion the dough into rounded balls (about 1.5 tablespoons each) and place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets.
Step 9: Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers still look slightly soft and underdone. The cookies will continue to set as they cool on the hot baking sheet. For extra chewy cookies, lean toward the 10-minute mark.
Step 10: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This resting time on the pan helps them firm up just enough so they don’t fall apart when you move them.
Storage & Freshness Guide
- Fridge: Dough balls keep up to 3 days; baked cookies last 1 week in an airtight container.
- Freezer: Freeze dough balls up to 3 months; bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes.
- Reviving: Warm cookies briefly in a 300°F oven or microwave for 5–10 seconds to restore softness.
Serving Suggestions
Complementary Dishes
- Vanilla bean ice cream — sandwich a scoop between two warm cookies for the ultimate ice cream sandwich. The contrast of temperatures and textures is absolutely heavenly.
- Sharp cheddar cheese — a small slice of aged cheddar alongside a cookie might sound strange, but the salty, tangy cheese beautifully offsets the sweetness and spice.
- Apple slices with almond butter — for a slightly healthier pairing, the crisp, fresh apples and rich nut butter complement the oats and raisins wonderfully.
Drinks
- Cold whole milk — it’s a classic for a reason. The creamy, cool milk is the perfect partner to these warm, spiced cookies.
- Hot chai tea — the spices in the chai echo the cinnamon and nutmeg in the cookies, creating a beautifully cohesive flavor experience.
- Dark roast coffee — the slight bitterness of a good, strong coffee cuts through the sweetness and makes each bite of cookie taste even richer.
Something Sweet
- Dulce de leche dip — warm the dulce de leche slightly and use it as a dip for your cookies. It adds a caramel-like depth that’s just irresistible.
- Whipped cinnamon honey butter — spread a thin layer on a warm cookie for an
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Bake the perfect soft and chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies with this easy recipe. Packed with warm spices and plump raisins. Get the recipe and bake a batch today!
Ingredients
For the Ingredients
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115 g unsalted butter (softened)
-
100 g granulated sugar
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110 g light brown sugar (packed)
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1 large egg (at room temperature)
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1 tsp pure vanilla extract
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120 g all-purpose flour
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½ tsp baking soda
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½ tsp cornstarch
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½ tsp ground cinnamon
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¼ tsp ground nutmeg
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¼ tsp fine sea salt
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90 g old-fashioned rolled oats
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120 g raisins
Instructions
-
Start by plumping your raisins. Place them in a small bowl and cover with very hot water. Let them sit for about 10 minutes while you prepare the rest of the dough—this is the perfect amount of time. You’ll notice they become softer and more hydrated, which is exactly what we want. Drain them well and pat them dry with a paper towel before using.01
-
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Whisking ensures the leavening and spices are evenly distributed, so you don’t get any bitter bites. Set this aside for now—we’ll come back to it once the wet ingredients are ready to go.02
-
In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter with both sugars using an electric mixer on medium speed. You’ll want to beat them for about 2–3 minutes, until the mixture is light, pale, and fluffy. This step is important for creating a tender cookie with the perfect amount of spread.03
-
Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Mix on medium until everything is fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. The mixture might look a little curdled at first—that’s totally normal! It will come together into a smooth, cohesive mixture.04
-
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until no flour streaks remain. Be careful not to overmix at this stage! Overmixing can lead to tough cookies, and we want them soft and chewy.05
-
Switch to a spatula and fold in the oats and the drained, plumped raisins. Mix just until everything is evenly distributed. The dough will be quite thick and a little sticky—that’s exactly how it should be.06
-
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. If you’re in a hurry, you can pop it in the freezer for 15 minutes instead. This resting time allows the flour to hydrate and the fats to firm up, which gives us better texture and flavor.07
-
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon, portion the dough into rounded balls (about 1.5 tablespoons each) and place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets.08
-
Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers still look slightly soft and underdone. The cookies will continue to set as they cool on the hot baking sheet. For extra chewy cookies, lean toward the 10-minute mark.09
-
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This resting time on the pan helps them firm up just enough so they don’t fall apart when you move them.10
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