Classic Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

These classic oatmeal raisin cookies are little bites of heaven; like a warm hug on a cold day. Nothing beats fresh hot out of the oven cookies! They are crispy on the outside and chewy and soft on the inside, with a hint of cinnamon to warm things up.

Whether you’re baking them for yourself or sharing them with friends and family, classic oatmeal raisin cookies are a treat that never gets old. The recipe feeds a crowd making them a great option for sharing or you can easily freeze that batter to have ready to bake cookies for a rainy day.

Ingredients

Large flaked oats
All-purpose flour
Unsalted butter
Brown sugar & granulated sugar
Eggs
Raisins
Vanilla extract
Ground cinnamon
Baking soda
Salt
Maldon salt (optional)

Variations

Oatmeal cookies are great cookies to use as a base and to then add your favourite nuts, chocolate or fruit. Use this cookie batter as your starting point and try adding new combinations of flavours.

Chocolate chips
Walnuts
Pecans
Apricots
A combination of raisins
Coconut

Tips for the Perfect Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Bake time is very important in achieving the perfectly chewy oatmeal cookie. You want to underbake the cookies as they will continue to bake once out of the oven. It’s okay for the centre of the cookies to look a little underdone.
If you like a crisp cookie bake the cookies 1-2 minutes longer.
Weigh your ingredients if you have a scale. Oatmeal cookies can easily get caky with too much flour, using a scale will help avoid this issue.
Use large flaked oats and avoid using instant oats!
Make sure your butter and eggs are at room temperature. This will help with the texture and flavour of your cookies by avoiding overmixing and by incorporating the batter properly.

Golden Raisins vs. Sultan Raisins

When it comes to baking with raisins the type you use will affect your results. Golden raisins are a great option for people who want a milder more delicate flavour, whereas sultans are bolder and a little more tart. Both golden raisins and sultan raisins can be used interchangeably in recipes but sultans will stand out in a recipe.

Should I soak my raisins before baking with them?

If your raisins are old and dried up soaking them will help plump them back up. This can also help prevent raisins from burning during baking, which can easily happen if they are too dry. If your raisins are fresh and already plump it’s not necessary to soak them. To soak raisins, add raisins to a bowl of water (or orange juice for more flavour) for approx. 15-30 minutes.

How To Make Classic Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Step One: Make your batter. Add dry ingredients to a bowl and mix together. Cream butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla together. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mix in raisins. Place the cookie dough into the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Step Two: Spoon the batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Using a fork press down on the tops of each cookie ball and gently press down and slide the fork over the top. Bake until just starting to brown and the middle is still a little gooey. Let the cookies cool on a cooling rack.

Classic Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

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These classic cookies are everything you want in your oatmeal cookies; they are hearty and wholesome with bursts of sweet raisins!

Author: Alie Romano
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 4 dozen 1x
Category: Cookies
Method: Baking
Cuisine: British

Ingredients

Units Scale

3 cups large flaked oats
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups raisins
Maldon salt (optional)

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Instructions

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl add oats, flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Mix to combine ingredients and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl beat butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Using a spatula scrape the bowl as needed. Add the eggs one at a time and the vanilla, beat until smooth and well incorporated.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, approx. one cup at a time, again scraping down the bowl as necessary.
Add raisins and mix to combine.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place the batter into the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350˚F.
Once the dough has chilled spoon tablespoon size of batter onto the cookie sheet, leaving lots of room in between each cookie. Using a fork press into the cookie dough and slide over the top of each cookie.
Bake for 9-10 minutes in the oven or just until the sides start to brown and the middle is still a little gooey.
Remove cookies from the baking sheet and let cool on cooling rack.
Add a pinch of Maldon salt to the tops of each cookie (optional).

Notes

Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze them for up to one month.

You can cut this recipe in half to make a smaller batch.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1
Calories: 102
Sugar: 6.4g
Sodium: 82mg
Fat: 4.5g
Saturated Fat: 2.6g
Unsaturated Fat: 0
Trans Fat: 0
Carbohydrates: 14.1g
Fiber: 0.9g
Protein: 1.6g
Cholesterol: 18mg

FAQ’s

Can I freeze oatmeal cookie dough?

Yes, this recipe makes a lot of cookies which makes it a great option to make up your cookie dough ahead and then freeze half the dough for later. Roll the cookie dough into 1 tablespoon size balls and place in a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost and bake as the recipe instructed.

Should I flatten my oatmeal cookies before baking?

It really depends on how you like your cookies, but I’d suggest slightly flattening them. Slightly flattening your cookies can help with even baking and to control spreading (especially if the cookie dough has been in the refrigerator and is firm).

Do I need to chill the oatmeal cookie dough before baking?

No, it’s not necessary to chill oatmeal cookie dough before baking. Chilled dough can be easier to handle if the dough is too wet and it can help control spreading as the cookies bake.