These Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are super soft, thick, and loaded with oats and raisins. These cookies are easy to make and so delicious!
Is there anything better than a soft, thick, and chewy cookie? I’ve always been a huge fan of oatmeal cookies because there’s so many different things you can mix into them and they’re always delicious.
So today I wanted to share a simple and classic oatmeal raisin cookie recipe with you. This is by far my favorite recipe for soft and chewy oatmeal raisin cookies, they’re so easy to make, and they always bake up so beautifully.
And if you’re not a huge fan of raisins, you can easily replace them with some chocolate chips for an easy chocolate chip oatmeal cookie recipe. Or maybe even use chocolate covered raisins? Now that I think about it, I’m actually trying that next time.
To make these cookies, you’ll cream together a stick of unsalted butter with some brown sugar and granulated sugar. I love to use a bit more brown sugar than granulated sugar in cookies because it adds more flavor, moisture, and creates a chewier cookie. Brown sugar is one of my favorite ingredients to use in the kitchen and I go through it like crazy!
You’ll also mix in some of the usual ingredients like an egg, vanilla, flour, baking soda, and some salt. I also love to mix in a little ground cinnamon into oatmeal cookies because it adds a little something extra to them. If you’re a total cinnamon lover, you can feel free to increase the amount a bit.
You’ll also be mixing in some old-fashioned roll oats and raisins. I find that 1 cup of raisins is perfect to get a good amount of raisins in each cookie.
To keep the cookies from spreading, it’s best to refrigerate the cookie dough for about 30 minutes. By refrigerating the dough, the cookies bake up thicker and it allows the flavors to marry together. These cookies always bake up so perfectly and they may even change the mind of someone who thinks they don’t like raisins.
I mean, how can you resist a cookie that looks like that??
Baking Tips for Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- When measuring your flour, do not scoop it out of the container with the measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour around, spoon it into your measuring cup, and level it off with the back of a knife.
- Once you scoop the cookie dough and drop it on the baking sheet, roll them into balls, and slightly flatten each one.
- This recipe can also be doubled to make about four dozen cookies.
Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (115 grams) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 cups (150 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup (150 grams) raisins
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for 1-2 minutes until well combined. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until fully combined.
- Slowly mix in the flour mixture and continue mixing until just combined, then mix in the oats and raisins until fully combined, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Cover the cookie dough tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
- Once the dough is chilled, remove it from the refrigerator. Using a 1.5-2 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough and drop onto the prepared baking sheets. Roll the cookie dough into balls and very gently press down with your hand to flatten each ball of cookie dough slightly (make sure not to flatten them completely, just slightly). Make sure to leave a little room between each ball of cookie dough as they will spread a little while they bake.
- Bake in separate batches at 350°F for 10-12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are lightly golden brown and the top is set. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
Love oatmeal cookies?
Try my Apple Oatmeal Cookies next!
Or if you’re looking for a small batch recipe, my small batch oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are also a reader favorite!
I exactly followed your recipe. I even set the timer for the 5 minutes before moving them onto the wire rack. I was disappointed because my cookies were not soft. They were crunchy. Is there a difference between using the conventional and convection oven? I used convection. Please advise.
Thank you
Yes, convection will bake your cookies much quicker, which would explain why they were crunchy. If you are using convection, I recommend either reducing the oven temperature to 325°F or reducing the baking time slightly.
These are exactly what I wanted. Sooo yummy!
Second time making the cookies. Substituted raisins for pecans. Turned out great. Love the thick & chewy texture. Will definitely keep this as a go to.
Thanks!
Kristi
Hi! Thanks for the recipe!
In the process of making these but as I am using a scale I found the grams of butter to be off. A 1/4 cup of butter is about 113 grams but your recipe calls for 1/2 cup which would be 226 grams and not 115 grams. Or should I be using a 1/4 cup instead?
Thanks!
1/2 cup of butter is 113 grams, I just round up to 115. How are you measuring your butter?
I think the commenter was confusing pounds and cups. 1/4 pound of butter is 1/2 cup of butter.
Danielle, we love this recipe!!!!
Our family and friends gobble up your oatmeal chocolate chip cookies!!!
Doubled the batch this time, making oatmeal raisin and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies today for the holidays!!!
Thank you!!!!
Happy Holidays from Thailand!!!!
So happy to hear that, Robert! Happy Holidays to you too!
This is the best oatmeal raisin cookie ever! I made one batch that was gone in two days, now I’m making a double batch with cinnamon chips! The grandchildren love them!
I made these cookies and they were a hit with my husband and Mom. They both have coronary artery disease. I actually substituted the salt with a salt alternative. I was wondering what the nutritional information is on these cookies. I goggled low sodium and your recipes popped up.
So glad everyone enjoyed the cookies, Susan! I’m not sure about the nutritional information, but you can plug everything into an online calculator to get an estimate.
This recipe is sooo good! I have made this recipe twice this Christmas season and a couple times I do believe during this 2020 year. One of the times I made it rum raisin instead of vanilla ( cause I had run out) so I tried it again tonight…taste very yummy and will do it again
Can these cookies be frozen after they are cooked?
Yes, just be sure to let them cool completely before storing them in a freezer bag/container.
I made these and the whole family loved them! I made a batch where I replaced the sugars with Swerve (granular and brown) and they were just as good! Thanks for a great recipe- it’s a keeper for sure.
Can you use sugar substitutes for the sugar required in this recipe?
I haven’t tried it, but it would likely change the taste and texture of the cookies.
I made these with white chocolate chips and dried cranberries for Christmas which was so amazing that I’m making them again.
I’ve passed your recipe onto all of my baking friends and we all love it.
Thank you very much💕
❤️Debbie
Do you know what the carbs for this recipe are?
I’m not sure about the nutritional information, but you can plug everything into an online calculator to get an estimate.
This hit a homerun with my very picky spouse!
Thank you for a great recipe.
Would it make a difference to substitute quick outs for the old fashioned oats? I want to try your recipe but really don’t want to make another trip to the store.
That would be fine, the cookies just won’t be quite as chewy.
These are so yummy! Thank you for all the helpful tips😊
These cookies tasted absolutely WONDERFUL!! I do have a question, My cookies weren’t thick, they turned out thin. However, instead of putting my dough in the refrigerator for 30 mins, I put my dough in the freezer for 30 mins. Was that my issue???
The cookies actually should have been thicker if you froze the dough. Did you double check the measurements you used? Specifically the flour and oats?
Love this recipe. First time I made them I accidentally put 1 teaspoon of cinnamon rather than 1/2 a teaspoon and honestly, as a cinnamon lover,I prefer it! Other than that I follow the recipe verbatim. Perfect cookies !
The batter tasted on point, actually amazing! . But my cookies didn’t spread and I have no idea why, I double the recipe and use half of the required flour as whole wheat. I live in high altitude. 🤷🏻♀️
Whole wheat flour absorbs more moisture so that’s probably why they didn’t spread as well. Did you make sure to slightly flatten them before baking too?
I am going to try your oatmeal raisin cookies but you don’t list any granulated sugar or liquid in your recipe. How much of each?
whoops, went back and saw the sugar but only liquid was egg and vanilla? any other liquid?
The recipe is correct as written 🙂 The butter is another wet ingredient in the recipe.
Hello,
I noticed that you have both Gram and Cups measurements. The “cups” are a huge difference than Grams. Although some of the ingredients measure the same in grams and cups, For example butter is very different between Grams and cups .I’m wondering why the difference in volumes. And which makes a better cookie.
They turned out great. I used cups for butter but grams for the other ingrdients.
Thank you. WCC
Glad you enjoyed the cookies! I always recommend weighing your ingredients, especially if a recipe provides gram measurements, for best results.
Just made these. Being a cinnamon lover I increased to 1 t like recommended. Absolutely delicious! I cooked both cookie sheets at once in convection oven at 325 for 11 minutes and they turned out perfect! Thank you!!