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 3 minutes. (Here’s a helpful tutorial if you need guidance on how to cream butter and sugar.) 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
Excellent recipe. This will definitely become a traditional Christmas cookie for me. Without a doubt the best oatmeal cookie I’ve ever made. When they were freshly cooled, I worried that maybe I under baked them. But by the following day they were absolutely perfect. I’m glad I trusted the instructions.
I left my dough in the fridge for 3 days, your recipe says up to two days. Are these still safe to serve? Why 2 days?
They should still be safe to eat, but use your best judgement. We just find that the dough can get quite hard by this point, making it difficult to scoop. You find that they don’t spread as much when baking, too.
Is there anything more common I can substitute for your “secret ingredient” since I don’t have any molasses?
Hi Kay, you can omit the molasses if needed—no other changes.
Can I use butter with salt and then not add salt? I don’t have unsalted butter.
Hi Kay, you can use salted butter and then reduce the added salt to 1/4 teaspoon.
I have enjoyed making every recipe I’ve gotten from you. Thank you so very much.
Thank you so much for making and trusting our recipes, Stephanie!
You need to switch the recipe. Mix the dry ingredients first, then the wet. It’s more convenient that way. Otherwise, great recipe.
Can I sub butter flavored crisco for regular butter in this recipe
Hi Benny, we do not recommend that swap.
The recipe was bready/cakey and less chewy, tastes like sweet bread.
Can i sub raisins for craisins?
Definitely.
My family loved this recipe!
I used gluten free oats since it was the only thing in the house. My dough was a little dry, I usually use Quaker but this was the only thing in the house (I have a GF allergy). I moistened my hands when rolling the dough and placing it on the pan. Thanks for a great recipe I will be using this one again and will try to replace the flour with King Arthur one to one gluten free!!!
I tried to double it and failed,it came out as a oatmeal raisin brittle,but delicious.It stead out across the whole sheet.Any tips to double
Hi Daniel! It is often best to make two batches of dough instead of doubling as it is easy to make measuring mistakes when multiplying and easy to over/under mix the dough. Here’s more tips for preventing cookies from spreading as well – make sure to use proper room temperature butter!
My family love love love these cookies. It has been added to my annual christmas cookie baking.
Oh my…! I never leave comments, but this is the BEST oatmeal cookie I have had in a very long time. I will definitely save this recipe. It came out soft and chewy just as you described and my husband loved the cinnamon and molasses!
Hi do you think I can use gluten free rolled oats? But keep all other ingredients the same. Still using apple flour
Hi Monique, those oats should be fine!
I don’t have unsalted butter. Is it ok to use salted butter and omit the additional salt? Thanks!
Hi Sharon, if salted butter is all you have you can use it and cut the salt back to 1/4 tsp. Enjoy!
Hello. I only have quick oats I need to use up. Would it be beneficial to soak them in warm water for a short time and still get a moist, chewy cookie?
Hi Kathy, you can use quick oats in a pinch, but no need to soak them first.
What are your thoughts on toasting the oatmeal before adding it to the cookie dough? Similar to toasting nuts.
Hi Martha, we haven’t tested it, but please do let us know if you try!
The texture and flavour of these cookies are absolute perfection! As I prefer my dessert less sweet, I modified to 2/3 cup brown sugar and 2 tbsp of white sugar. Still delicious.
However I’d like some tips on getting it to spread. My first two trays spread well whereas my second two trays did not (same batch of dough). Any tips on getting them to spread? Thanks
Hi Yi, we’re so glad you enjoyed these cookies! Sugar plays an important role in helping cookies to spread, so that could be contributing to the lack of spread. Also be sure to spoon and level (or use a kitchen scale) to measure your flour. This ensures it isn’t over measured, which can soak up too much of the wet ingredients and prevent the cookies from spreading properly. Hope this helps!
For sure. Just wondering in this specific scenario where the trays are from the exact same batch of dough, are there other ways to initiate spreading if all other variables remained the same?
Hi there, love you recipes. I think your gramms for unsalted butter is incorrect. When I did the recipe with 1 cup of better it came out perfect. Using 227 gramms it was not a success. I think butter should be around 170 gramms.
Hi Angelique, thank you for sharing. This recipe is best with 1 cup of butter, which is around 226-227g. I’m glad you found reducing the butter works better for you.
I only have blackstrap molasses. What’s the result if I use it?
Hi Sea, blackstrap molasses can be quite strong and overpowering. If you do enjoy it, though, feel free to use it!
Incredible. Did not think Molasses would be the secret sauce. Doubled the Molasses cut I thought 1 TBSP would hardly make its ire sense felt, out of the ball park. Also modified it with less brown sugar, omit white sugar, coconut oil instead of butter, and whole wheat flour instead of white.
Is the cinnamon optional
I’ve made this recipe several times and absolutely love it. If I just want to make oatmeal cookie dough without the raisins, do I need to change any of the measurements?
Hi Brittani, we’re so glad you enjoy these cookies! You can simply omit the raisins, knowing that the cookies will be just a bit thinner without any add-ins. Or, here are our iced oatmeal cookies—you could leave the icing off if desired.
Hi these turned out JUST like my grandma’s thank you so much! I used pecans because it’s what I had, more raisins and 2.5 cups rolled oats just because I was trying to capture the “look” of my grandmas. Those were my only alterations and I can tell they weren’t necessary. This one’s a keeper.
Great Cookies!
my boyfriend loved them! unfortunately i didn’t have molasses but they were still delicious! will grab some next time i go to the store… i’m sure it’s a game changer
Gosh! Mine didn’t spread in oven. :/ The written recipe is inconsistent with the intro before i gredients. It says to cool the dough for 30-60 mins in fridge or even more as it’s says. But going back I see it says in beginning not to cool longer than 30 mins or it won’t set.
Hi Lora, the recipe states to chill the dough for 30-60 minutes. If you chill for longer than 60 minutes, you should let the dough sit out at room temperature for about 30 minutes before scooping and rolling. If your cookies aren’t spreading in the oven, take the pan out a few minutes before the end of bake time and bang it on the counter 2-3x. Then return to the oven to finish baking. This helps initiate that spread. Hope the next batch turns out better!
Hello! Can I omit the molasses? If so, do I need to replace it with something?
Hi Kate, you can omit the molasses with no other changes.
Can you sub for quick oats? I have a ton I need to use!
Hi Morgan, quick oats will work in a pinch (same amount), but your cookies won’t be as chewy since they absorb more liquid.
Takes a bit, but so very delicious when they are done.
Question: if I use dried cranberries instead of raisins, do you recommend soaking them like the raisins? Thank you.
Yes, it certainly wouldn’t hurt!
I followed the recipe as written and the flavor was awesome! This cookies have a lot of chew. I took them out after 11 min while centers were still soft. I feel they got too dark.
Perfect Recipe. Added fresh grated nutmeg and instead of cinnamon I used one bag of Hershey’s cinnamon chips. Drizzled with a glaze of brown butter and confectioners sugar thinned with a splash of spiced rum