Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe

Our all-time favorite Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. These are big, soft, and chewy with melty chocolate morsels. There’s one simple trick that will keep your cookies and raisins moist for days.

Oatmeal cookies are healthier than traditional Chocolate Chip Cookies because they are packed with 2 cups of oats which is the main ingredient here.

Oatmeal raisin cookies on a baking sheet

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

These are a nice way to round out your holiday cookie platter along with classic Sugar Cookies, our irresistible Russian Tea Cakes, and if you haven’t tried them, Candied Pecans are a fun addition.

Oatmeal Cookies Recipe

You’ll love the texture of these oatmeal cookies – they are the perfect balance of thick, chewy, gooey, and soft. They also keep well and stay soft for days. All you need to go with these is a tall glass of milk.

Soft center of an oatmeal cookie with chocolate chips

Ingredients for Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

All-purpose flour – helps the cookie hold together
Baking soda and baking powder – combining 2 leavenings gives these rise and a softer texture
Cinnamon and salt – add flavor and balance the sweetness
Butter – use unsalted and softened at room temperature.
Sugar – combining packed brown sugar and granulated sugar gives these just the right amount of sweetness and golden color.
Egg – adds moisture and helps to bind the cookie dough together
Vanilla extract – adds flavor and aroma to the cookies
Rolled oats (also called “old-fashioned” oats) – give the cookies their signature chewy texture.
Raisins – add moisture and a tangy sweetness
Semi-sweet chocolate chips – make the cookies gooey and irresistible without being too sweet.

Ingredients for making oatmeal chocolate chip cookies with raisins

Our Best Tip for Soft & Moist Oatmeal Cookies

Presoak your raisins! It’s a quick step and doesn’t add extra time – I usually do that first while I’m measuring out my other ingredients and preheating the oven. It will make all the difference in how your cookies turn out. Raisins can get really tough and chewy in the oven but pre-soaking ensures they will come out plump and soft. They also keep more moisture in your cookie.

Also, as with any cookie recipe, if you love a soft cookie, make sure you don’t over-bake.

How to Make Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Prep – line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and pre-soak raisins in warm water for 15 minutes then drain and pat dry.
Whisk together dry ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Cream butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture.
Add oats, raisins and chocolate – mix until combined.
Scoop dough – Make 2-inch cookie dough balls and place dough balls on prepared baking sheets. Press them down slightly with the back of a measuring cup.
Bake one cookie sheet at a time for 12-14 minutes at 350˚F. Do not overbake. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Step by step how to make oatmeal cookie dough

Pro Tip: for easier and even portioning, use a 3 Tbsp or 2 oz cookie scoop to portion and make cookie dough balls.

Forming cookie dough for oatmeal raisin cookies

To Store Cookies

Once cookies are at room temperature, store them in a sealed airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Cookies cooling on racks ready for storing in airtight container

Oatmeal Cookie Variations

We love the addition of chocolate chips and raisins, but this oatmeal cookie dough is a great base for a variety of oatmeal cookies. These variations will produce a sweeter cookie compared to using semisweet chocolate, but they are tasty:

White chocolate chips and dried cranberries
Dried Cherries and white chocolate chunks
M&M’s – use colorful M&M chocolate candy and try seasonal colors to make these festive instead of using chocolate chips.
Raisins with toasted and chopped pecans

Variety of oatmeal cookies on a serving platter

Common Questions

Can I use quick-cooking oats?

You can substitute with quick-cooking oats instead of old-fashioned rolled oats if that is what you have on hand. We prefer rolled oats because they are thicker and have more texture. I have even used extra-thick rolled oats with these cookies.

Do I need to chill the cookie dough?

As long as you’ve measured the ingredients correctly, you should have very thick cookie dough and there is no chilling required with this recipe.

Are oatmeal cookies healthy?

As far as cookies go, this is one of the healthier cookie options because it has a lot of oats and fiber, but it is still a cookie and should be enjoyed in moderation.

Oatmeal raisin and oatmeal cranberry cookies on a serving platter

All-Time Favorite Cookie Recipes

If you love fresh home-baked cookies, then you won’t want to miss these top-rated cookie recipes:

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are definitely a worthy contender for the Christmas cookie platter. I hope this becomes a new favorite cookie recipe for you.

Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.