These Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are perfectly crisp on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside, exactly the way you would want them to be.
These Oatmeal Raisin Cookies hold a place near and dear to my heart. They were first published in 2020 when I made the announcement that my wonderful husband, Nathan, had left his left his position as a CTO to help me run my business and see where we can take it together. Since that announcement, my business has grown in the most beautiful way, and a huge piece of that is because of Nathan’s support.
These cookies really were the perfect way to make such an important announcement, because they are his favorite cookie. These Oatmeal Raisin Cookies went through a lot of rigorous testing until I got a cookie that as crisp on the outside, had the perfect amount of spread, and was buttery soft on the inside. I know that these are going to be perfect for celebrating in your house as well.
Oh My Word!!! Look no further. The best oatmeal raisin cookie receipe I’ve ever made. Followed receipe exactly. I’ll never use another receipe. Thank you soooo much.
How to Make Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
This is a brief overview of how simple it is to make these perfect classic cookies. For the full recipe, see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Mix together the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Don’t miss my instructions for measuring flour below.
- Cream the butter and sugar together. This should be done with a handheld mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer. Read below why this is such an important step.
- Add the eggs and vanilla.
- Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Do this all at once to ensure that you don’t over-mix the flour.
- Mix in the raisins in and oats. I like to do this step with a spatula.
- Form into cookies and bake.
Using White and Brown Sugar in Cookies
The crispy exterior, perfect spread, and delicious chewiness of this cookie is due to one main thing: the perfect balance of white and brown sugar.
The brown sugar gives it the chewiness, while the white sugar helps them spread and form their crispy exterior. The result is a perfect cookie.
Cookie Making Tips
These are great tips to follow for any type of cookie.
- Measure the flour correctly. This is such an important step that I have a whole section below about it. If the recipe doesn’t turn out, this is most likely the reason.
- Use room temperature butter. This ensures the cookies spread the right amount. You should be able to push a finger in to dent the butter but not all the way through. The butter should still feel cold to the touch.
- Ensure your baking soda is fresh. Test it by dropping a little in vinegar; it should bubble immediately.
- Thoroughly cream together the butter and sugar. During this process, the sugar adds air to the butter. This is and is essential for a good chewy cookie but it also expands the dough and makes for a recipe that yields more cookies.
- Use a good baking sheet lined with parchment paper. The baking surface changes how they bake. I love these sheets for Nordic Ware.
- Pour in all the flour at once. Mix on low just enough to get most of it into the batter, and then turn to high for a few seconds to incorporate the rest. This prevents over beating the dough.
- Use a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop. Not only does this make quick work of scooping cookies, it creates uniform sized cookies that will bake evenly.
Baking Sheets
Measuring Flour
As mentioned above, it is critical to this recipe that you measure flour correctly for this recipe to turn out correctly. We want to avoid scooping the flour from the container with the measuring cup as this can result in 25% too much flour.
Your best bet with flour and baking is always to weigh it. That being said, if you don’t have a kitchen scale, this measuring technique works great.
- Whisk the flour in the container you store it in. Whether that is a glass jar, a Tupperware, or the bag the flour came in, you want to whisk it in the container to help loosen it up.
- Use a spoon to scoop the flour out of your flour container. Scoop it into a dry measuring cup. That is a plastic or metal measuring cup that come together in sets of 1, 1/2, 1/3, and 1/4 cups. Do not use a glass measuring cup meant for liquids.
- Level off the flour. Once the flour is in the dry measuring cup, level it off with the flat edge of a spatula.
How to Measure Flour
Quick Cooking vs. Old Fashioned Oats
You will notice that these call for old fashioned oats. The difference between old fashioned and quick cooking oats is the size of the oat piece. Old fashioned oats are whole while quick cooking are broken down. I prefer the chewiness that old fashioned oats adds to this recipe, but the recipe will work just fine with quick cooking oats.
Freezing the Dough
You can bake these cookies right away without chilling or you can freeze the dough balls for later. Follow the steps below for freezing this as cookie dough.
- Form the dough into balls as instructed in the recipe card.
- Place the dough balls on a piece of wax paper in the freezer and freeze for 1 hour.
- Then transfer to an air tight container until you want to bake them.
- When ready to bake, place directly from the freezer onto a parchment lined baking sheet and into the hot preheated oven.
- Bake for 12 minutes at 350 degrees.
Storing
Eat these cookies warm from the oven or store in an air tight container for up to one week. This is a pretty solid cookie and would work for shipping if you are a sweet soul who does that sort of thing.
These can also be frozen as baked cookies. Simply freeze them in a single layer for a few hours before stacking them in an air-tight container and returning them to the freezer. They can be stored in the freezer for up to three months.
FAQ
In all likelihood there was too much flour in the recipe. Please be sure to follow the instructions above for measuring flour.
Absolutely! I do that in my Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, and they are delicious.
I prefer to use unsalted butter because the amount of salt in butter varies greatly from brand to brand. Using unsalted butter allows you to control for saltiness. That being said, yes! You can use salted butter and omit the salt.
Yes! Please find my freezing instructions above.
Other Delicious Cookies
If you make these soft oatmeal raisin cookies or any of my other recipes, please leave me a comment and let me know how it went!
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour see note (240 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 14 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature (197.8 grams)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (148.5 grams)
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar packed (159.8 grams)
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups old fashioned oats (178 grams)
- 1 cup raisins (149 grams)
Instructions
- Preheat to oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, until compltely mixed.2 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- In a large bowl, with a hand held mixer or using a stand mixer, beat together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This will take between 3 and 6 minutes.14 tablespoons unsalted butter, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- Add the eggs one at a time. Then add in the vanilla. Be sure to scrape down the edges of the bowl with a spatula before each addition.2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add in the flour mixture. With the mixer on it's lowest setting, beat the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until it just begins to combine. Then turn the mixture up and finish combinging it until it is just combined. Be careful not to continue mixing after the flour is combined in.
- Mix in the oats and then the raisins.2 cups old fashioned oats, 1 cup raisins
- Using a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the cookies and roll them into balls. Place 2 1/2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Bake for 11 to 12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies begin to turn golden brown. For best results, rotate the pan half way through. Remove fro the oven, let cool on the baking sheet for two minutes, and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Enjoy right away or store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Notes
Genevieve says
Ok, round 2. These are the best oatmeal raisin cookies you will ever sink your teeth into. I panicked when I couldn’t find your recipe, so I am following you..
I’m so glad that you enjoyed them!
Laurie says
I made these the other day and they did not disappoint…delicious…soft chewy…and from now on the only recipe I’ll use…thanks
I’m so happy to hear that Laurie!
Maryjo says
It’s interesting that no one sifts there flour anymore in order to get it light and airy. Therein is the extra 25% of flour.
I find that it’s an extra step that isn’t necessary in recipes if you scoop and level your flour.
David says
I think a lot of ‘how much flour’ could be solved by including the weight of flour to us. In ounces or preferably in grams.
It absolutely could, but I like to write for beginning cooks and they don’t have kitchen scales.
Jean says
Haven’t tried yet but when I do I’ll cook the raisins. My mother always cooked them and I’m keeping up the tradition. In a small sauce pan place the raisins and just enough water to cover. Over medium heat, bring almost to a boil. Remove pan from heat. Let sit for a minute or two then drain. After they have cooled, use as normal. This is good for older raisins that have stuck together and become hard.
Marian says
These are great…have made several times….I have made some modifications. I add an extra cup of oats, and about a cup of chopped pecans. I have also omitted raisins, but used choc chips instead. Lisa is correct to spoon flour into your measuring cup, rather than scoop. They spread so nicely. Delicious!! The only cookie recipe I use
I’m so glad you like this recipe as much as we do!
Theresa says
If you use the weight measurements it will solve all the measuring problem ! I strictly bake by weight & never have any baking issues 😊
I totally agree. But I’m writing recipes for beginners as well as advanced bakers/cooks. Not everyone has a kitchen scale.
Jennifer Brandon says
These turned out really well! Had no issue with them spreading. Followed recipe to a T and read all your tips! Also baked your peanut butter cookie recipe they turned out perfect!
I’m so glad that you liked these!
Donna says
Can I use quick cooking oats instead
Yes.
sylvia fabiani says
baked these cookies last evening . delicious. they make good dunkers as well
I’m so glad that you liked them!