These soft and chewy oatmeal raisin cookies are seriously divine! They are easy to make and loaded with quick oats, vanilla, apple sauce, cinnamon and sweet raisins. Each bite has all the best flavors and textures!
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The Best Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
There’s nothing like an old fashioned oatmeal cookie. They’re crisp and chewy around the edges, with a soft and tender center. But do you know what makes them even more delicious? Making oatmeal cookies with raisins. The pop of sweetness from the raisins makes each bite that much more amazing. If you love loaded cookies with a bit of everything including oats and chocolate chips, try this cowboy cookies recipe!
My friend Melissa made this easy oatmeal raisin cookie recipe for me awhile back and I’ve been obsessed with them ever since. They have tons of flavor and the absolute perfect texture. They’re everything that oatmeal raisin cookies should be!
She made hers with cinnamon chips instead of making chocolate chip oatmeal cookies and let me tell you, they took these cookies to a whole new level. The sweet and rich cinnamon flavor adds another layer of deliciousness that is seriously addicting. Holy cow. Trust me when I say these are the ultimate oatmeal raisin cookies!
Recipe Ingredients
- All purpose flour: This provides structure for the cookies so they can maintain their shape while baking.
- Ground cinnamon: A warm spice that gives oatmeal cookies their signature taste.
- Baking soda and salt: Baking soda is a leavener that gives the cookies a slight rise while salt enhances the taste.
- Quick oats: While you can use old fashioned rolled oats, I prefer quick oats in my cookies.
- Sugars: Granulated sugar helps gives the cookies a crisp edge while brown sugar keeps them soft and chewy.
- Butter: Unsalted butter is the norm for baking recipe, but if you have salted butter just decrease the amount of salt added.
- Eggs: 2 large eggs bind ingredients together. Room temperature is best so they incorporate fully with the cookie dough batter.
- Applesauce: By adding applesauce these cookies have less butter but still have a soft, rich taste.
- Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract for best taste.
- Raisins: One cup of raisins ensures there are some in every bite! If you are not a fan, decrease the amount or omit.
- Optional: Cinnamon baking chips and chopped walnuts.
Variations
- Swap the raisins for dried cranberries and use white chocolate chips in place of cinnamon chips to make oatmeal cranberry cookies.
- Omit the raisins and add butterscotch chips for oatmeal butterscotch cookies.
- You can also sub with dried cherries, M&M’s or add in about 1/2 cup of nuts (walnuts are my favorite) for an extra crunch.
- Make a simple icing and transform them into an iced oatmeal cookie!
How to Make Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large mixing bowl, blend together the butter and sugars with beaters until smooth. Then beat in eggs one at a time. Add in vanilla and applesauce. Mix just until combined.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine oats, flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
- Combine wet and dry: Next you will combine the dry ingredients to the sugar mixture. Stir just until smooth. Then fold in raisins and cinnamon chips if desired.
- Bake: Drop by the spoonful or use a cookie scoop onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Press in a few extra raisins and chips on top if desired. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350°F, or until edges are lightly brown. Remove from the oven and cool on pan for a few minutes then remove to the cooling rack.
Baking Tips
The key to the best oatmeal cookies is achieving the perfect consistency. They should be a combination of soft with a chewy texture, crisp and tender. Below are a few tips for the best results.
- Type of oats. I prefer to use quick oats because they have a finer consistency and result in a softer (less chewy) cookie. If you like your oatmeal raisin cookies on the chewier side, feel free to use old fashioned oats instead.
- Measuring the flour. Use the spoon and level technique to measure your flour accurately. Using too much or too little flour can create cookies that are dry, dense or crumbly.
- Softened butter. The butter should be at room temperature before using. I like to set mine out on the counter about an hour beforehand. For a quicker option, learn how to soften butter in the microwave.
- Top your dough. Right before baking, feel free to add a few extra raisins and cinnamon chips (if using) on top of the cookie dough balls. This helps make your cookies look extra pretty.
FAQs
Yes! By soaking the raisins in warm water beforehand, this helps make them softer and more plump. It’s an easy step that makes a big difference in flavor and texture.
This recipe for oatmeal cookies with raisins does not need to be chilled before baking. If you are making more than one batch of cookies, though, I’d recommend that you chill the remaining dough in the fridge until ready to scoop. You don’t want the butter to get too warm, or else your cookies will spread. It also helps to use a separate baking sheet for your next batch.
If you have measured the ingredients inaccurately or overbaked your cookies they will be dry. To avoid overbaking your cookies, the centers should look a little underdone when you remove the cookies from the oven. Let them sit on the pan for a few minutes before moving to a cooling rack (they will continue to cook as they set). This will give you the perfect soft center with crisp edges.
How to Store
These oatmeal raisin cookies will stay fresh at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You may also freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or pop them in the microwave to warm through.
You can also freeze the cookie dough and then bake from frozen. Simply scoop the dough onto a baking sheet and then flash freeze until hard, about 30 minutes to an hour. Then transfer to a freezer bag and store in the freezer for about 2-3 months. When ready to bake, let the frozen cookie dough sit on the baking sheet as the oven preheats. Then bake as directed, adding 1-2 minutes of baking time if needed.
Love oatmeal cookie recipes? Try banana oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal M&M cookies or Neiman Marcus cookies.
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Easy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar , packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup apple sauce
- 3 cups quick oats
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup raisins , more if desired
Optional
- cinnamon chips , I use about 1 1/2 cups
- walnuts , if adding I add about 1/2 cup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Gather ingredients.
- In a large mixing bowl, blend together the butter and sugars with beaters until smooth. Then beat in eggs one at a time. Add in vanilla and applesauce. Mix just until combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine oats, flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Next you will combine the dry ingredients to the sugar mixture. Stir just until smooth. Then fold in raisins and cinnamon chips if desired.
- Drop spoonful’s onto pan lined with parchment paper. Press in a few extra raisins and chips on top if desired.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until edges are lightly brown. The middle should still look slightly soft. Remove from the oven and let sit on the pan for a couple minutes. Then remove to the cooling rack.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: American, Christmas, Cookies, Desserts, Freezer-Friendly, Nut-Free, Oatmeal Cookies, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is also the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook. Here you will find easy family-friendly recipes for every occasion.
J’ai adore ! Merci
Ilove your recipes 😋
I love making these soft and chewy oatmeal raisin cookies that are easy to make and loved by the whole family! These cookies are on repeat!
So happy to hear they are a hit with your family :)
these cookies are so chewy, its amazing! thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
You are so welcome, Jess!
I make these for my dad, because they are his favorite!! I love how chewy they are!! Such an easy & yummy recipe!
I’m so glad they were a hit!
Sooooo good! One of our favorites.
So happy to hear that! Thanks for your comment and review, Scott :)
So soft and chewy. We loved the cinnamon chips!
These look great and I have saved the recipe but what makes me smile is all the talk about cinnamon chips. I found these a couple of years ago, bought a bag, sprinkled them on rice crispy treats made with multigrain “o”s , won my nephews heart and then could not find them again! I live in east San Diego county and the only store to have them on occasion is Ralph’s. My hope is all the talk will open the eyes of enough people to these amazing little morsels and stores will start to carry and not just during the holidays. Cinnamon chips scones are the best ever…just saying!!
Its look sooo delicious. Perfect dish!
thanks for sharing recipes with us here.