Best Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe

These oatmeal raisin cookies are the most deliciously soft and chewy version of the amazing, classic cookie combo!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Recipe

Peanut butter, molasses, and a combination of white and brown sugars are the secret ingredients in this fun spin on a classic cookie. You get all of the familiar flavors of an oatmeal raisin cookie with a deeper depth of flavor, and the best part is a soft and chewy finish! 

Is it easy to make oatmeal raisin cookies?

This recipe is really easy to follow! The hardest part, in my opinion, is letting the dough chill long enough before baking up the cookies (the dough is aromatic and smells divine! It’s hard to delay eating these cookies!). 

How long does it take to make oatmeal raisin cookies?

It takes about an hour and a half to make this recipe from start to finish, including the hands-off time to soak the raisins and chill the dough. Active, hands-on time is about 25 minutes. 

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Ingredients 

Here’s what you’ll need to make these epic oatmeal raisin cookies:

• Butter – to start your dough, you’ll need ½ of a cup (equivalent to 1 stick–I have to web search this every time) of softened butter. 
• Brown Sugar – the molasses content in 1 cup of brown sugar makes for a really chewy cookie.
• White Sugar – 1 cup of white sugar further sweetens the dough and helps set the dough during the baking process. 
• Eggs – 3 eggs add richness and help hold the dough together. 
• Vanilla Extract – 1 ½ teaspoons of vanilla extract add a nice subtle warmth to the dough.
• Molasses – 1 tablespoon of molasses makes these cookies perfectly soft. 
• Peanut Butter – 1 ¼ cups of chunky peanut butter add a nutty twist on the classic flavor. 
• Baking Soda – 2 teaspoons of baking soda provide just the right amount of leavening to the dough.
• Rolled Oats – oatmeal cookies wouldn’t be OATmeal cookies without the OATS! You’ll use 2 ¼ cups of quick-cooking rolled oats and…
• Old-Fashioned Oats – …2 ¼ cups of old-fashioned oats to provide two different textural components to the cookies. 
• Raisins – 1 cup of raisins give a plump texture and sweet pop to each bite. 
• Cinnamon – to give warmth and mouthwatering aromatics to the cookies, you’ll use 1 teaspoon of cinnamon along with… 
• Nutmeg – …½ of a teaspoon of nutmeg and… 
• Ginger – …½ of a teaspoon of ginger to really take the cookies to the next level of flavor. 

Ingredient Modifications

• Omit the raisins – not a fan of raisins in your baked goods (or in general)? Feel free to omit them from the batter entirely. 
• Soak in bourbon or rum – looking to add an adult flavor spin in the cookies? Soak your raisins in bourbon or rum for a boozy raisin treat. 

Supplies Needed to Make this Recipe

• Large Mixing Bowl
• Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
• Baking Sheet

How to make Oatmeal Cookies with Raisins

Here’s how you’ll make and bake these oatmeal raisin cookies to soft and chewy perfection:

1. Soak the raisins – about 15 minutes before you start your cookie dough, place your raisins in a bowl and cover them with hot water. Let the raisins soak for 15 minutes while you are making your dough, then drain the liquid before folding them into the dough. 
2. Cream the butter and sugar – add your butter and sugars to a large mixing bowl or your stand mixer and beat on high for about 2-3 minutes until they are creamed together. 
3. Add the eggs – add the eggs one at a time and mix on medium speed for about 5 minutes until the mixture is pale and fluffy.
4. Add ingredients – add the vanilla, spices, baking soda, and molasses and beat for 1 minute. Then add the peanut butter and mix until well combined. 
5. Add the oats and raisins – carefully add your oats one cup at a time, mixing well after each cup. Drain your raisins and gently fold them into the dough, mixing until completely incorporated.
6. Chill your dough – cover your dough with plastic wrap and place the bowl into the refrigerator. Let the dough chill for at least 15 minutes, 30 minutes if you can!
7. Preheat the oven – while your dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350℉ and line your cookie sheet with parchment paper. 
8. Scoop the dough – using a spoon or a cookie scoop, make 2” balls with the dough and place on your cookie sheet. 
9. Bake – bake for 15-18 minutes until the edges are just set. The center will still be soft and look underdone, but trust me you want to pull these out when they’re still gooey!
10. Let cool – let your cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
11. Serve and enjoy!

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