Best Recipe for Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

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5 from 6 votes

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These oatmeal raisin cookies are ultra chewy, extra buttery, and spiced with bold molasses flavor. This recipe has been tested and perfected over nearly a decade and is sure to rival any gooey bakery style oatmeal raisin cookie you can get your hands on!

A photo of a hand grabbing an oatmeal raisin cookie.

TESTED & PERFECTED: THESE ARE THE BEST OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES

Back in 2014, I shared this very (well, a starting point version) recipe on my birthday. It was my first birthday as a food blogger, and I wanted to share a stellar, perfect, and downright best oatmeal raisin cookie recipe I could.

Why? Because out of all of the classic cookies in the world and all of the eccentric and extra cookies that exist alongside them, I will always be an oatmeal raisin cookie gal through and through. 

They’re my absolute favorite. They’re jam packed with texture, full of warm spices, filled with plump raisins, and when done right, can leave you with that eyes-rolling-to-the-back-of-your-head, can’t help but “mmmm” feeling.

A stack of chewy oatmeal raisin cookies.

And that’s what this new and improved and better-than-ever recipe is. A perfected version of my already pretty darn awesome original recipe, influenced by years of learning how to make a great recipe. 

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Why you’ll love these Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Though I have many readers and taste testers who adore the original recipe that I published back in 2014, I am confident this updated recipe will knock your socks off.

Here’s what I improved:

MORE BUTTER: more butter is rarely a bad idea, but it can make things tricky in the oven. I increased the butter by 25% which still lets the cookies maintain their structure, but it gives more of a buttery flavor and helps them spread a bit more while baking without totally flattening them out.

MORE MOLASSES: I am a huge fan of molasses, and just a touch more of it in these cookies amped up the flavor just the right amount. I didn’t want to add more cinnamon but was rather looking for that deep bold almost burned (in a good way!) caramel flavor. 

DOUBLE THE SIZE: I wanted the updated recipe to be like the gooey bakery oatmeal raisin cookies I recognize when I see them. They almost flop over when you pick them up without falling apart, and you just know one bite is going to be soft and cushy. There are still instructions for making standard size cookies, but I will say that the larger size is most definitely a superior cookie. 

NO CHILLING: historically, all of my oatmeal cookie recipes have required chilling, not only to allow the oats to hydrate, but to allow the cookie dough to become cohesive enough not to spread in the oven. If you find that your oven is causing more spread than you wish, this is your first troubleshooting tip (which I will get to in a bit). We found in our extensive testing, however, that chilling is not a crucial step. 


Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Recipe ingredients

​Pay careful attention to the types of each ingredients specified for the best results!

Aerial photo of ingredients for chewy oatmeal raisin cookies with text overlay.

For the oatmeal raisin cookie dough, you will need:
• raisins
• all-purpose flour
• baking soda
• ground cinnamon
• salt
• unsalted butter
• light brown sugar
• granulated sugar
• egg 
• vanilla extract
• molasses
• old-fashioned oats 

How to make Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Be sure you’re following this step-by-step recipe to ensure success. 

SOAK THE RAISINS

This is a crucial step. Do not be tempted to skip this step!

STEP #1

In a small bowl of warm water, soak the raisins for 10 minutes, then drain them and blot until dry.

MAKE THE COOKIE DOUGH

STEP #2

Next, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, then set this mixture aside. 

STEP #3

Cream the butter and both sugars together until smooth, then add the egg and beat on high until combined. Add the vanilla and molasses and beat on high again until completely combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. 

STEP #4

With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat until combined. With the mixer still on low, add the oats and the raisins.

Chewy oatmeal raisin cookie dough in a large bowl with a spatula and paddle beater in it.

ROLL COOKIE DOUGH BASED ON YOUR SIZE PREFERENCE

STEP #5

Using a cookie scoop, drop TWO scoops of dough (for larger cookies– use just one scoop for standard size cookies) onto the baking sheet, one directly on top of the other, then bake until edges are just set.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe variations and substitutions

MOLASSES: in a pinch, honey will work as a substitute for molasses, but the taste will not be the same in the slightest. The closest substitution would be maple syrup, but even that won’t give you the same flavor. You can also use dark corn syrup or golden syrup if molasses isn’t available where you live.

RAISINS: I am a huge raisin lover, so of course, I wouldn’t suggest you leave them out of these cookies! If you don’t love them as much as I do, you can always use dried cranberries or golden raisins if you like those better than regular raisins. If you are going to omit them completely, you’ll just have some really delicious chewy oatmeal cookies. 

OTHER ADD-INS: you can add chocolate chips and/or nuts to this cookie recipe without much issue. I’d use about ½ cup of chocolate chips and/or ¼ cup of chopped nuts. See my chocolate chip oatmeal cookies with walnuts recipe if you’re interested in this combo!

DOUBLE THE RECIPE: you’ll see in the recipe card that this recipe yields 8 large cookies. The recipe doubles beautifully, so you can have 16 large cookies without issue. Again, you can make these cookies standard size, which will give you 16 standard size cookies by just using one standard scoop. Pay close attention to the bake time! I cannot stress enough that overbaking them will dry them out. 

Tips for Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

While this is certainly an easy recipe, I still want you to be mindful of a few things so that you don’t wind up disappointed in this cookie recipe. 

SOAK THE RAISINS: I’ve said it already and I will say it again… Do not skip this step! Soaking the raisins will ensure they are as plump and hydrated as possible. This is especially helpful if you are using sad raisins (no shame!) that need some life brought back to them. Even if you’re using fresh raisins, you still want to soak them.

WEIGH THE FLOUR: I mention in all of my cookie recipes that weighing flour is one guaranteed way to get the exact results you want time after time. The consistency of weighing ingredients is unmatched when it comes to baking. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, I urge you to get one, and in the meantime, learn how to measure properly.

DO NOT USE INSTANT OATS OR STEEL CUT OATS: not all oats are equal. Instant oats are far too fine for chewy oatmeal cookies, and using them runs the risk that you lose all of your moisture to the oats and not the flour. Steel cut oats are far too rigid and will not hydrate without being cooked. Old fashioned rolled oats only!

CHILL IF NEEDED: while my testing did not require chilling of the dough for a successful cookie, your mileage may vary. If you find that your cookies are spreading in the oven, chill the cookie dough for about 1 hour, and then try again.

DO NOT OVERBAKE: I cannot stress to you enough that overbaking this oatmeal cookie recipe will result in crunchy cookies, which is not what we’re aiming for here. Be sure to pull them out of the oven just when the edges are set. You’ll still want to see some gooeyness on the tops and you may even be able to spot some bubbles from the baking soda doing its thing.  

A hand holding a chewy oatmeal raisin cookie that has been broken in half so you can see the gooey inside.

These cookies are just the right amount of sweetness with a touch of saltiness, they have at least a couple juicy raisins in each bite, and they really do rock my I-could-eat-these-for-the-rest-of-my-life world.

This recipe is a great version of a classic and the result is a really really good oatmeal raisin cookie, which can be hard to come by. Follow my recipe exactly and you’re all set for success. 

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies FAQs

The chewiness level in cookies usually lies in the butter, so pay attention to baking time on these cookies so they don’t dry out. These oatmeal raisin cookies are mega chewy, and if you overbake them, you start to lose the chewiness intended for the end result of this bake.

Be sure not to overbake these cookies. They will continue to bake on the hot baking sheet once removed from the oven, so stop baking when you see the edges are just set. You may see some bubbles on the tops of the cookies from the reaction with the leavener and the molasses. This is what you want!

This recipe, originally published in 2014, used to include chilling the cookie dough. After years of making these cookies and testing different ingredients and methods, I found that chilling the dough wasn’t totally necessary. That said, if you find that your cookies are spreading too much in the oven, you can chill it to firm up the butter.

Love oatmeal cookies as much as I do? Try any of my oatmeal cookie variations next: oatmeal chocolate chip walnut cookies, oatmeal monster cookies, funfetti white chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, and white chocolate cranberry oatmeal cookies.

Or… See this comprehensive list of all of my oatmeal cookie recipes.

A photo of a hand grabbing an oatmeal raisin cookie.
5 from 6 votes
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Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

These oatmeal raisin cookies are ultra chewy, extra buttery, and spiced with bold molasses flavor. This recipe has been tested and perfected over nearly a decade and is sure to rival any gooey bakery style oatmeal raisin cookie you can get your hands on!
Prep Time15 minutes
Bake Time14 minutes
Total Time29 minutes
Recipe Author Lynn April
Servings: 8 large cookies

Ingredients

  • ½ cup (80g) raisins
  • ¾ cup + 1 and ½ Tablespoons (102g) all-purpose flour be sure to measure properly
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
  • ½ cup (100g) firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 Tablespoons (30mL) unsulphered molasses do not use black strap
  • 1 and ½ cups (120g) old fashioned oats do not use quick oats

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
  • In a small bowl of warm water, soak the raisins for 10 minutes, then drain and blot until dry.
  • In a medium size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside. 
  • In a large bowl with a hand mixer, or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and beat on high until combined. Add the vanilla and molasses and beat on high again until completely combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. 
  • Reduce the mixer speed to low, then slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat until combined. With the mixer still on low, add the oats and the raisins.
  • Using a cookie scoop (I use this #50 cookie scoop for all of my standard size cookies), drop TWO scoops1 of dough onto the baking sheet, one directly on top of the other. Bake cookies for 12-14 minutes2 or until edges are just set. Remove from oven and allow to rest on baking sheet for at least 10 minutes. Cookies will look underdone, and will "set" as they cool on baking sheets. Store cookies covered tightly at room temperature up to 5 days. Baked cookies freeze well, as does unbaked rolled dough (up to 2 months). Do not thaw and add an extra minute to baking time.

Notes

  1. Dough ball sizes: if you want standard size cookies, only use one scoop. Bake time is 10-12 minutes.
  2. Bake time: it is imperative you don’t overbake these cookies, which will dry them out. They will look very underdone and you may see some bubbles on the tops of the cookies from the reaction with the leavener and the molasses. This is what you want!
 
Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker
Did you make this recipe?Mention @freshaprilflours on Instagram or tag #freshaprilflours!

Nutrition Disclosure

All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 296kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 160mg | Potassium: 247mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 293IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 2mg

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16 Comments

  1. Happy (belated) Birthday Lynn!! I hope you had a wonderful day 🙂
    I LOVE that question. My answer? Chocolate chip cookies. Don’t give me fancy cakes, or delicate pastries, I just want cookies with big chunks of dark chocolate and soft chewy dough. Just like Mum makes….mmmmm….
    When I saw these cookies I knew we were made to be friends! A chewy oatmeal cookie is a thing of true beauty! I love raisins too, and the idea of soaking the raisins before adding them to the dough – what a great way to make sure they are soft and chewy! You can be sure that a gluten free version of these will be baking in our kitchen very soon! I can’t wait to see what you’ve got planned for the rest of that molasses 🙂
    Hope you had a sweet weekend 🙂

    1. You’re a cookie girl too! I love that about you! A GF version of some oatmeal cookies would be great to add to my collection… So bring it on! Thanks again for all the the wishes, Amy! So glad to have you as a bloggy friend 🙂

  2. 5 stars
    I made these gluten free over the weekend, and with a little twist of my own. To be featured on the blog this week! Such an awesome recipe thanks Lynn 🙂
    Also, couldn’t stop myself eating the raw cookie dough. So. Good.

  3. 5 stars
    I made these cookies for my family tonight. I have done a lot of baking for Christmas but my teenagers told me tonight that the holidays were not complete yet because I had not made them Molasses Oatmeal cookies yet. I found your page when I was goggling for Molasses Oatmeal cookies. My kids did not want any raisins or nuts though. This looked to be like a recipe I had lost a few years ago that I loved. These were wonderful! Thanks for sharing.

  4. I was looking for a chewy oatmeal cookie recipe and these look perfect! However, 1 stick of butter (1/2 of a cup) doesn’t seem like enough in relation to the rest of the ingredients. Especially when compared to other recipes I was considering. Is 1/2 a cup correct or should it be 1 cup of butter? Thanks a lot!

  5. 5 stars
    Also made these today and they were very good! Since molasses isn’t a known thing here in Belgium I had to replace it with agave syrup. Will definitely try your other oatmeal cookies

  6. 5 stars
    The molasses makes all the difference in these cookies, along with soaking the raisins! They are a family favorite!