These soft and chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are moist on the inside with slightly crisp edges. Sweetened with molasses and brown sugar, and laced with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg, these are the best oatmeal raisin cookies you’ll ever try!
If you love these easy cookies, don’t miss our Oatmeal Craisin Cookies made with dried cranberries and white chocolate!
The Best Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
These easy oatmeal raisin cookies are one of my favorite cookie recipes. They’re soft and chewy with sweet raisins and chopped walnuts in every bite. The cinnamon and nutmeg give them a warm flavor, while the brown sugar and molasses offer a rich, sweet undertone without making these overly sweet. They’re perfect for dunking in milk!
Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Recipe Ingredients
This recipe uses standard cookie ingredients, plus raisins, molasses, and a few warm spices.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Old-fashioned rolled oats – One of the main ingredients (see note below.)
- Raisins – Our other star ingredient. You can’t have oatmeal raisin cookies without raisins!
- Unsalted butter – I prefer unsalted butter so the cookies aren’t overly salty. The butter should be softened to room temperature but not overly soft (see note below.)
- Sugar – Both brown sugar and granulated sugar are used in this recipe for the perfect amount of sweentess.
- Eggs – To help bind the cookie dough. They should be room temperature.
- Molasses – Adds a deep, rich flavor to the cookies.
- Vanilla – For flavor.
- Flour – Simple all-purpose flour. Make sure it’s spooned and leveled when measuring, so you don’t end up with too much.
- Baking soda – A leavening agent, so the cookies aren’t too flat.
- Coarse salt – To enhance the other flavors.
- Cinnamon & nutmeg – Adds warm flavor to the cookies.
- Toasted walnuts – An optional addition to add some crunch to the cookies.
It’s important to use regular old-fashioned rolled oats when making oatmeal raisin cookies, not steel-cut oats or quick oats. Steel-cut oats don’t soften as easily and will deliver a tough texture, while quick-cooking oats will get too soft. Rolled oats will give that perfectly chewy, but not mushy texture you want.
If the cookies over-spread, it’s often a result of butter that’s a bit too soft. Allow butter to sit out for about 2 hours before using, not overnight. (The amount of time depends on the weather and how cool you keep your kitchen.) To test the butter, poke it with your finger. Your finger should make an indent without sinking or sliding down into the butter. The butter should not be shiny or greasy, cool to the touch, and not warm.
How to Make Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Homemade oatmeal raisin cookies come together quickly. Here’s a brief summary:
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Soak the raisins. Soak the raisins in very hot water for 10 minutes, until plump. Drain and blot dry.
- Make the dough. Cream the butter and both sugars together until smooth and creamy. Add in the eggs, molasses, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Add to the wet ingredients until combined. Beat in the oats, raisins, and walnuts.
- Chill. Chill the dough for 30 minutes.
- Bake. Roll balls of dough (about 1 3/4 to 2 tablespoons in size) and drop them on the baking sheet, 2 inches apart. Be sure not to overcrowd them. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes.
- Cool. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to a cooling rack. Enjoy.
Tips for Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
For the best chewy oatmeal raisin cookies, keep the following in mind.
- Properly measure the flour. Spoon and level when measuring the flour, instead of scooping. Too much flour will result in dry, crumbly cookies.
- Soak the raisins. Definitely take that extra 10 minutes to soak the raisins in hot water. It helps them soften and plump up, plus make them more flavorful.
- Do not chill the dough for too long. The dough should chill for just 30 minutes, not longer. If it chills for too long, the cookies won’t spread enough.
- Do not over-bake. The cookies will look soft and under-baked when you take them from the oven. The edges should be turning slightly brown, but the centers will look a little under-baked. They will continue baking once you remove them from the oven. If you over-bake them, they won’t have an optimal chewy texture.
How to Store & Freeze Oatmeal Cookies
- How to store. You can store these oatmeal raisin cookies at room temperature for up to a week. Just keep them in a ziploc bag or other airtight container.
- Can I freeze oatmeal raisin cookies? These cookies also freeze well. Once completely cool, transfer them to a ziploc freezer bag or freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter and enjoy!
More Easy Cookie Recipes:
- Easy Peanut Butter Cookies
- Easy Sugar Cookies
- Chocolate Sugar Cookies
- Molasses Cookies
- Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Kitchen Sink Cookies
- DoubleTree Cookies
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup unsalted butter , softened to room temperature
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs , room temperature
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour , spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/3 cup toasted walnuts , finely chopped (optional but recommended)
Instructions
- Place raisins in a bowl with very hot water and let them soak for 10 minutes until they're nice and plump. Drain and blot dry.
- Using a stand mixer or handheld electric mixer, in a large bowl, cream together the butter and both sugars until smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add in the eggs, molasses, and vanilla until combined, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula, as necessary.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
- Beat in the oats, raisins, and walnuts. (Dough will be thick and sticky.)
- Chill dough in the fridge for 30 minutes (but not longer.)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Using a cookie scoop, roll balls of dough (about 1 3/4 to 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie) and drop onto the baking sheets 2-inches apart.
- Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until they begin to turn golden brown around the edges. (The centers will look very soft and under-baked.)
- Remove from the oven, and allow to cool on the baking sheets for 3 to 5 minutes. Then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Enjoy with a tall glass of cold milk!
I have made these cookies twice! I’m not a oatmeal raisin cookie kind of person but I still find myself eating one after I bake them. They are packed full of flavor! I do have a question. Can I make them a bit bigger. So like Jumbo style?
You could probably make them bigger and just increase the bake time slightly. Try it!
Are we allowed to freeze the cookie dough?
Delicious. Thank you. Mine turned out a bit on the softer side. I will definitely make these again and follow the tips for crunchier cookies. My butter was too soft. I will add the nuts the next time.
LOVE this recipe!!