These Old Fashioned Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are straight from grandma’s recipe box. They are crunchy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside, with the perfect ratio of oats, raisins, and cinnamon. Enjoy with an ice cold glass of milk.
For more of grandma’s recipes, try this Basic Muffin Recipe, English Pea Salad, or her Rhubarb Snack Cake!
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are one of the first things I remember my grandma baking. She always had them in the cookie jar because grandpa loved them. He would come home after a long day on the farm and sit down at the kitchen table with a glass of milk and a few cookies.
He loved how they were super chewy, not too sweet, and packed with raisins. Grandma loved them because they were easy, didn’t cost very much to make, and she always had the ingredients on hand. I love them for all those reasons… and the memories. Plus they are . . .
- a one bowl, no fuss recipe
- better than Betty Crocker (not kidding!)
Here’s A Quick Bite To Entice You!
Ingredients For Old Fashioned Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Grandma’s Oatmeal Raisin Cookies recipe are made with mostly pantry ingredients. Below are a few notes and potential substitutions on each ingredient.
- Unsalted Butter: Always use softened to room temperature butter. If you use salted butter omit the added salt below or your cookies will be way too salty.
- Sugar: This recipe uses both granulated sugar and light brown sugar in this recipe. The brown sugar gives them a tender softness while the granulated sugar gives the cookies a chewy texture .
- Egg: Make sure it is brought to room temperature.
- Vanilla Extract: Use pure or homemade extracts. Imitation vanilla is made with weird ingredients and not as flavorful.
- Flour: I use all-purpose flour or Gluten Free 1:1 flour depending on who I am making these for. Feel free to use either.
- Baking Powder and Soda: Essential leavening agents for texture and rise.
- Ground Cinnamon: An absolute MUST for oatmeal raisin cookies.
- Salt: To balance sweetness levels and boost flavors.
- Rolled Oats: Make sure you opt for old fashioned rolled oats. They make the cookies chewy and full bodied.
- Raisins: Again, an absolute MUST! If they are clumped together, use slightly wet hands to work the clumps and break them apart.
SWAP THE RAISINS OR ADD chocolate chips to make Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies. You can also add nuts like chopped walnuts or pecans. Other dried fruits like cranberries, cherries, and apples are fun too.
Equipment Needed:
- Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer: Make sure you are using the beater attachment for this recipe. I prefer the stand mixer because it makes these cookies even easier to make.
- Cookie Scoop: For scooping even amounts of cookie dough. I use the medium sized scoop.
- Cookie Baking Sheet: Prepared with either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Do not bake these cookies on a bare baking sheet.
- Wire Rack: For cooling the cookies.
How To Make Old Fashioned Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Here is a quick overview. The recipe card below will have complete details and even an option to double or triple the recipe!
1. CREAM TOGETHER the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until lightened in color and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add in the egg and vanilla until combined.
2. ADD THE DRY INGREDIENTS; flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Mix together until almost all the flour has absorbed into the cookie dough. At the very end, fold in the old fashioned oats and raisins. Your dough should be thick and sticky.
3. CHILL THE COOKIE DOUGH for 30-60 minutes. Don’t skip this part, your cookies will be as flat as a pancake!
4. PORTION AND BAKE until the bottom edges are slightly browned (they may look under cooked but they will not be once they cool and set up outside the oven). Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring the cookies to a wire rack
Storing Information
Always store these Oatmeal Raisin Cookies in an airtight container or they will dry out. At room temperature they will last up to 4 days and in the refrigerator up to 7 days.
These cookies can also be frozen for up to 3 months with no issues. Let the cookies thaw at room temperature prior to eating.
4 Secrets To Perfect Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Always use room temperature butter and eggs so the cookie dough mixes up properly.
- Make sure your leavening agents are not expired– this would be your baking powder and baking soda. Check out this guide for more guidance on testing your leavening agents.
- CHILL your dough! This makes it easier to scoop or roll into a ball without too much stickiness. AND most importantly, it keeps your cookies from spreading too much while baking and becoming flat and overly crunchy.
- Allow the baked cookies to cool on your cookie sheet for five minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. This helps them to firm up and caramelize on the bottoms.
What Type Of Oats Should I Use?
If you have been to the grocery store, you know the oatmeal isle is quite extensive. There are steel cut oats, old fashioned oats, quick oats, instant oats. ALWAYS use old fashioned oats because they keep their texture but still cook when you bake the cookie.
Quick oats and instant oats tend to get lost in the cookie because they are made thinner and made to cook quicker. Steel cut oats make the cookie too tough and seem to not cook in the cookie at all because they are thicker. Stick with the old fashioned oats, they won’t let you down!
Frequently Asked Questions About Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
This is all in the temperature of the dough before it is baked. The colder it is, the more it will keep it’s shape. I recommend freezing oatmeal raisin cookie dough for 1 hour prior to scooping and baking. In between baking cookies the dough should be kept in the refrigerator.
That is entirely up to you. I add raisins to cookie dough right out of the package and see not taste or texture issues. Some people prefer to soak their raisins in hot water for 15 minutes. Be sure to drain and dry the plump raisins prior to adding them to cookie dough.
This is typically because the cookies were baked too long, or they were not stored properly. Be sure to remove the cookies from the oven just as the bottom and sides are slightly browned. Always store them in an airtight container once they are completely cooked.
For More Cookie Recipes, Try These:
- Lemon Blueberry Cookies
- Snickerdoodles (without cream of tartar)
- Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cookies
- Chocolate Filled Cookies
- Dark Chocolate Matcha Cookies
- Red Velvet Oreo Cookies
- Old Fashioned Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Browse all my cookie recipes (including holiday themed ones), here!
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Old Fashioned Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
EQUIPMENT
- stand mixer or hand mixer - fitted with paddle attachment. I use a stand mixer.
- Cookie Scoop - medium sized
- baking sheet - prepared with parchment paper or silicone mat
- wire cooling rack - I like this one that comes with the baking sheets.
INGREDIENTS
- ½ cup unsalted butter - room temperature
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg - room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour; - gluten free 1:1 flour works well too
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups old fashioned rolled oats - I only use Bob's Red Mill
- 1 cup raisins
INSTRUCTIONS
- Using a stand mixer or hand mixer with the beater attachment, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granular sugar together until light and fluffy. This takes about 3 minutes on medium-high speed.
- Scrape down bowl and add the egg and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed until combined, about 1 minute.
- Add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt to the mixture. Beat on low speed until almost all of the flour is absorbed, about 2 minutes.
- Scrape down bowl and add the old fashioned rolled oats and raisins. On low speed mix until incorporated. The dough will be thick and sticky.
- Place dough in the refrigerator to chill for thirty to sixty minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 °F and center the oven rack. Prepare two large cookie sheets with either parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Once the dough has been chilled and is no longer sticky, use a cookie scoop to make two tablespoon portions of cookie dough.
- Space the cookie dough portions around two inches apart on the cookie sheet to give them room to bake.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the bottoms and edges are golden brown. NOTE: The tops will look slightly wet and underdone but will continue to bake and set up after they are removed from the oven.
- Remove the Old Fashioned Oatmeal Raisin cookies from the oven. Allow them to cool on the cookie sheet for five minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
VIDEO
RECIPE NOTES
Storing Information:
- Covered at room temperature for 7 to 10 days.
- In a freezer-safe gallon bag in the freezer for 2 to 3 months.
Freezing the Cookie Dough and Baking from Frozen:
- You can scoop the dough into balls and freeze for 1 month in a freezer-safe gallon bag. When you are ready for 1 or more bake at the temperature specified above but for 13 to 16 minutes.
Variations:
- Swap the raisins for chocolate chips, nuts like chopped walnuts or pecans, and even other dried fruits like cranberries, cherries, and apples.
Metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.
These are totally the oatmeal raisin cookies from your childhood. So much nostalgia in each bite. Nothing better with a glass of milk!
Kids love to have these cookies with their fav chocolate shake! While My mom loves to serve these with tea. Either way, these cookies are so decadent and delightful!
I love these cookies! They’re crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. They’re perfect for dunking in milk.
I made these with a GF 1:1 flour as you said we could and they came out amazing! Nobody knew they were GF and my son inhaled them. We’re going to make some for his teachers this weekend! Thanks so much.
I became an oatmeal raisin cookie fan later in life so I’ve been trying out lots of different recipes. This is my favorite one so far because of the texture. It’s chewy and moisty, with just a bit of crisp on the outside. I like them best hot out of the oven, but I usually freeze half the batch and enjoy them later.
This recipe was very good and very easy to make.
Thank you for trying it! So glad you enjoyed it!
~Elizabeth
Can’t miss with a classic cookie! MMM
Nothing better! Thank you for the rate and comment!
~Elizabeth
They look yummy! I’m going to make some of those.
Thank you! They are very yummy and fairly easy to make too.
Enjoy!
~Elizabeth