This is my family’s favorite recipe for classic Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. They’re richly flavored, soft and chewy, and very easy to make—no mixer required. The recipe includes a how-to video.
Raisin Lovers, Rejoice!
Oatmeal raisin cookies don’t always get the love they deserve, but when made right they’re a wonderful alternative to chocolate chip cookies. These are soft, hearty, and lightly spiced—perfect for anyone who wants a cookie with depth of flavor. Even if you’re not a big raisin fan, the combination of brown sugar, molasses, cinnamon, and butter brings the whole cookie together in a pleasing way.
These cookies are a softer, richer take on classic oatmeal cookies and closely related to oatmeal chocolate chip versions, but specifically balanced to complement raisins. They’re flavorful and chewy, and stand up well beside traditional chocolate chip recipes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- Simple to prepare—no mixer needed.
- Full, comforting flavor from brown sugar, molasses, cinnamon, and butter.
- Formulated to highlight raisins rather than just adding them to any oatmeal cookie dough.
- Can be prepared ahead or frozen for later.
- Remains soft and chewy when baked correctly.
What You Need
These ingredients create a cookie with great flavor and texture. A few key items make a difference:
- Molasses. A tablespoon deepens the brown sugar flavor and keeps the cookies soft and chewy without overpowering them.
- Oats. Use old-fashioned rolled oats for the best texture; quick oats can make cookies dry or crumbly.
- Dark brown sugar. Adds a richer, more molasses-forward flavor; light brown sugar can be used if needed, but dark is preferred.
- Unsalted butter. Melted and cooled butter gives the cookies extra chew and a pronounced buttery taste. Unsalted butter lets you control the salt level precisely.
SAM’S TIP: Don’t skip chilling the dough. Because we use melted butter, chilling firms the dough so it scoops and bakes without excessive spreading. Chilling also deepens the flavors for better-tasting cookies.
This overview explains why the ingredients were chosen. The full recipe and instructions follow below.
How to Make Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Combine cooled, melted butter with dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon until well blended.
- Add the eggs and stir until combined, then mix in molasses and vanilla.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients—flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt—then gradually stir them into the wet mixture.
- Fold in old-fashioned oats and raisins, cover the dough, and chill. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10–12 minutes, removing when the edges are set and centers still look slightly undone. Let cookies finish on the baking sheet to stay soft and chewy.
SAM’S TIP: Remove the cookies from the oven while centers are still a bit underbaked. They’ll finish cooking on the baking sheet and cool to a perfect soft texture. Overbaking in the oven risks a dry, crisp cookie.
Frequently Asked Questions
Soaking isn’t required, but it will plump and sweeten raisins. If desired, soak in warm water for 10–15 minutes, drain and pat dry before folding into the dough.
The right ingredients and proper baking are key: dark brown sugar, molasses, and melted butter help retain chew, and removing cookies from the oven when centers are slightly underbaked prevents them from drying out.
You can swap in chocolate chips, but this particular dough is balanced for raisins. For chocolate chips, consider a recipe designed for them for the best result.
I think you’ll agree with the many taste testers that this is an excellent oatmeal raisin cookie recipe. They’re reliably soft, chewy, and full of warm flavor.
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! I’ll walk you through the steps in the written recipe and video below. If you try this recipe, tag me on social media so I can see your results.
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Recipe includes a how-to video.
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Print Recipe
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Baking sheet
- Cookie scoop
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 cup (200 g) dark brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 large eggs, room temperature preferred
- 1 Tablespoon molasses (unsulphured)
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon table salt
- 3 cups (290 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 1/2 cups (225 g) raisins
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine melted, cooled butter, dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon; stir until smooth.
- Add eggs and mix well, then stir in molasses and vanilla until fully incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until combined.
- Fold in rolled oats and raisins until evenly distributed.
- Cover the dough and refrigerate for 30–60 minutes (or longer if desired).
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop rounded 1 1/2-Tablespoon portions of dough and place on the prepared sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10–12 minutes. Remove when edges are set and centers look slightly underbaked. Let cool completely on the baking sheet to finish cooking—this yields soft, chewy cookies.
Notes
Making dough in advance
Dough can be made up to 5 days ahead if refrigerated in an airtight container. If it becomes very firm, let it sit at room temperature 15–20 minutes before scooping. You can also scoop and freeze portions for up to 3 months.
Storing
Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature; they stay fresh for at least 5 days.
Nutrition
| Calories: 186kcal
| Carbohydrates: 29g
Nutrition information is an approximation.
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