Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe
By Trevor Farias · Updated · 1 hour 15 minutes total · About 30 cookies
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In a nutshell
For chewy oatmeal raisin cookies, cream 1 cup of softened butter with brown and white sugar, beat in 2 eggs and vanilla, then mix in flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir in 3 cups of old-fashioned oats and 1 1/2 cups of plumped raisins, chill the dough for 30 minutes, and bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are golden but the centers still look soft.
A good oatmeal raisin cookie is soft and chewy in the middle, a little crisp around the edges, and warm with brown sugar and cinnamon. These are the old-fashioned kind, the cookies that disappear from the jar faster than you expect.
Two small steps make them better than most: soaking the raisins so they stay plump and juicy, and chilling the dough briefly so the cookies bake up thick instead of spreading thin.
Why this recipe works
- More brown sugar than white keeps the cookies moist and chewy, with a hint of caramel.
- Old-fashioned rolled oats give a hearty, chewy texture; quick oats make a softer, cakier cookie.
- Plumping the raisins in hot water keeps them soft and stops them from drawing moisture out of the dough.
- A short chill firms the butter so the cookies keep their shape in the oven.
- Taking them out while the centers look a little underdone keeps them soft once cooled.
Old-fashioned oats or quick oats?
Old-fashioned rolled oats are best. They keep their shape in the oven and give the cookies their classic chewy, slightly nubbly texture. Quick-cooking oats will work in a pinch, but the cookies will be softer, flatter and more uniform. Do not use steel-cut oats; they stay hard.
How to keep oatmeal cookies from spreading
Start with butter that is softened but still cool, about 65°F: it should hold a fingerprint without looking greasy. Measure the flour carefully by spooning it into the cup and leveling it off, or weigh it. Then chill the scooped dough for at least 30 minutes before baking. Always put dough on a cool baking sheet, not one still warm from the last batch.
How to store and chewy oatmeal raisin cookies
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. A slice of bread in the container keeps them soft.
- Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months. Freeze scooped dough balls on a tray, then bag them; bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes.
Variations to try
- Chocolate chip: replace the raisins with 1 1/2 cups of semisweet chocolate chips.
- Cranberry white chocolate: use 1 cup dried cranberries and 1 cup white chocolate chips.
- Spiced: add 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves with the cinnamon.
Frequently asked questions
- Why are my oatmeal raisin cookies flat?
- Usually because the butter was too warm or the dough was not chilled. Use butter that is soft but still cool, measure the flour carefully, and chill the scooped dough for at least 30 minutes before baking.
- Should I soak raisins before baking cookies?
- Yes. Ten minutes in hot water plumps them up so they stay juicy and soft, and stops them from pulling moisture out of the dough. Drain and pat them dry before adding.
- How do you keep oatmeal cookies soft?
- Use more brown sugar than white, take them out of the oven while the centers still look underdone, and store them airtight with a slice of bread to keep them moist.
- Can I use quick oats instead of old-fashioned oats?
- You can, but the cookies will be softer, flatter and less chewy. Old-fashioned rolled oats give the classic texture.
Recipe card
Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe
Soft, chewy oatmeal raisin cookies with crisp golden edges, brown sugar, cinnamon and plump raisins. The tricks for cookies that stay thick and chewy for days.
By Trevor Farias · Updated
- Prep
- 20 minutes
- Cook
- 10 to 12 minutes per batch
- Total
- 1 hour 15 minutes
- Makes
- About 30 cookies
Includes 30 minutes of chilling the dough
Ingredients
Equipment
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Large and medium mixing bowls
- Cookie scoop (2 tablespoons)
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Wire cooling rack
Instructions
Plump the raisins
Put the raisins in a small bowl, cover with very hot tap water and let stand for 10 minutes. Drain well and pat dry with paper towels.
Cream the butter and sugars
In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.
Add the dry ingredients
In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add to the butter mixture and mix on low speed just until combined.
Stir in oats and raisins
Stir in the oats, raisins and walnuts, if using, with a sturdy spoon until evenly mixed.
Scoop and chill
Scoop the dough into balls of about 2 tablespoons each and place them on a parchment-lined plate or tray. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 3 days.
Bake
Heat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the dough balls 2 inches apart. Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are golden but the centers still look soft and slightly underdone.
Tip: For flatter, crisper cookies, press each ball down slightly before baking and add a minute to the time.
Cool
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to set, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Use old-fashioned rolled oats for the chewiest texture.
- Do not skip chilling the dough; it keeps the cookies thick.
- Pull the cookies when the centers still look a little soft.
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
| Calories | 170 |
|---|---|
| Fat | 7 g |
| Saturated fat | 4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 26 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 15 g |
| Protein | 2 g |
| Sodium | 85 mg |
| Cholesterol | 30 mg |
Serving size: 1 of 30. Nutrition is calculated from standard ingredient data and will vary with brands and substitutions.
Recipe from Trevor's Kitchen · https://trevorfarias.com/recipes/oatmeal-raisin-cookies
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