Food

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe: How to Make Oatmeal Cookies

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Oct 5, 2024 • 3 min read

Baking oatmeal raisin cookies is a great way to use leftover raisins or extra oats from your pantry.

Learn From the Best

What Are Oatmeal Raisin Cookies?

Oatmeal raisin cookies contain raisins, oats, sugar, and spices in the dough. Old-fashioned oats are the most common oats to use in oatmeal cookies, as the rolled oats are hearty and hold their shape in a cookie dough. Another option is quick oats, which are thinner, more tender, and break down easier with the introduction of liquid and heat.

When it comes to the sugar in the recipe, brown sugar results in a chewy cookie, while white sugar produces a crispier cookie. Half brown sugar and half white sugar result in crispy edges and a moist, chewy inside. The ingredients you use are up to you, as the best oatmeal raisin cookies ultimately come down to personal preference.

3 Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Variations

Mix in other ingredients to put a spin on a classic oatmeal raisin cookie.

  1. 1. Chocolate chips: The sweetness of chocolate chips pairs well with the tartness of the raisins in the cookie dough. Chocolate chips have a different texture from raisins, and are either silky and smooth when hot, or a bit snappy when cool, compared to the chewiness of raisins. Use milk chocolate, white chocolate, or dark chocolate for oatmeal raisin chocolate chip cookies.
  2. 2. Other dried fruits: Bulk up the cookie dough with other dried fruits, such as dried cranberries, dried cherries, or chopped dried dates. Each dried fruit has a level of sweetness and tartness that balances out the cookie dough. Note that adding bulk to the cookie dough will add a couple of minutes of baking time.
  3. 3. Peanut butter: Replace half of the butter in an oatmeal raisin cookie recipe with peanut butter to combine the flavors of a peanut butter cookie with the flavors and textures of an oatmeal raisin cookie. Adding peanut butter also ensures chewy oatmeal raisin cookies.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Recipe

11 Ratings | Rate Now

makes

About 30 cookies

prep time

10 min

total time

24 min

cook time

14 min

Ingredients

  1. 1

    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  2. 2

    In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon). At this stage, add only 1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour.

  3. 3

    In a separate bowl, add the raisins and remaining 2 tablespoons of flour. Toss the two ingredients together until the flour coats all of the raisins. Set that aside.

  4. 4

    In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl for a handheld electric mixer, add the softened butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Whip the butter and sugars together for about 10 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.

  5. 5

    Next, add the eggs, one at a time. Fully incorporate one egg before adding the next one. Beat that mixture for another 5 minutes.

  6. 6

    Add the vanilla extract and mix it in just until it combines with the rest of the wet ingredients.

  7. 7

    Add the flour mixture all at once, combining it with the wet ingredients on a low speed. Mix it all together until there are no visible flour spots in the batter, about 30 seconds.

  8. 8

    Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and stir in the raisins by hand with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.

  9. 9

    With a large spoon, tablespoon, or cookie scoop, place about 12 cookie dough balls on the cookie sheet, leaving room between each cookie to account for spreading.

  10. 10

    Bake the cookies until they are golden brown around the edges, about 12–14 minutes.

  11. 11

    Remove the cookies from the oven and transfer them, one by one, to a wire rack to cool. Continue to scoop and bake cookies until there is no more cookie dough.

  12. 12

    Store the baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature or in the freezer.

Become a better baker with the MasterClass Annual Membership. Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by the world’s best, including Dominique Ansel, Joanne Chang, Gordron Ramsay, Chef Thomas Keller, Mashama Bailey, and more.