I have no idea where this oatmeal raisin cookie recipe came from. I found it awhile back in my scrappy old recipe book, and I haven’t looked back since. This recipe produces the best crispy oatmeal raisin cookies, with just the right amount of chew in the middle. Whenever I need a trusty recipe for some perfect oatmeal raisin cookies, this is the one.
What you will need to make these Crispy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Butter – at room temperature
- White and brown sugar – for the right balance of crisp and chew
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract – the real stuff or artificial (I doubt you’ll notice a difference!)
- All-purpose flour – for structure
- Baking soda – for poof
- Baking powder – for more poof
- Salt – to balance out the sweetness
- Oats – I have used both instant oats and old fashioned oats here. Both work!
- Raisins – ahh those juicy morsels.
Instructions
As it was written (probably by my grandma), the recipe only included ingredients and no instructions whatsoever. Fortunately, I know that when confronted with a cookie recipe sans instructions, it’s usually safe to apply the basic creaming method.
How to use the creaming method
- Cream room temperature butter with sugar. Creaming just means mixing until smooth. You can mix it at this stage as much as you want. If you want a lighter airier cookie, you can really whip this butter sugar mixture until it’s pale in colour.
- Add eggs, one at a time, and vanilla. Ideally your eggs will also be at room temperature, so they incorporate nicely with the butter. Adding the eggs one at a time makes it much easier to get the mixture nice and smooth.
- Stir in the dry ingredients. At this stage, you need to be a bit careful not to over mix. Once the flour is in there, there is a risk of over developing the gluten which would make for a tough cookie.
Once you know the creaming method, keep it in your back pocket. Now you can make basically any cookie you want! Now that everything is mixed together, scoop the dough into golf ball sized balls, and bake right away or chill/freeze to bake later.
The right amount of crisp and chew
I’m a bit particular about cookies. I don’t like them cakey, which is often a problem with cookie recipes I find online. I don’t like them too crunchy either. The best cookies, in my opinion, hit that perfectly chewy, crispy-edged sweet spot.
This is a great recipe for those of you like me, who love chewy AND crispy oatmeal raisin cookies. For extra chewiness, I recommend using old-fashioned oats rather than quick oats, but either kind will work in a pinch.
Because I know some of you are cup measuring people and some of you are weight measuring people, I’ve included both measurement styles here. That means there is nothing stopping you from chewy crispy oatmeal raisin cookie paradise.
This isn’t to say that I don’t have an opinion on the weights vs cups debate. More on that here.
Don’t like raisins?
Although I don’t relate to people with a strong dislike for raisins, I know you are out there. If I were to make these for some raisin-averse friends (you know who you are), I’d simply swap out the raisins for chocolate chips.
Side note: These cookies spread out quite a bit, making them quite thin and lacy. This is not only a delightful style of cookie for eating straight up, but they also make a very good contender for sandwich-izing with vanilla ice cream.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use instant oats instead of old-fashioned oats in these cookies?
Yes, you can use instant oats as a substitute for old-fashioned oats. However, keep in mind that the texture of the cookies may be slightly different.
Can I freeze oatmeal raisin cookie dough?
Yes, you can freeze oatmeal raisin cookie dough for later use. Simply scoop the dough into cookie-sized portions, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and freeze. Once frozen, transfer the dough portions to a sealed container or zip-top bag and store in the freezer. When ready to bake, you can bake the frozen dough directly—just add a few extra minutes to the baking time.
How do I store oatmeal raisin cookies to keep them fresh?
To keep your oatmeal raisin cookies fresh, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Adding a slice of bread to the container can help to keep them soft.
Bonus recipe: Crispy Oatmeal Raisin Cookie ice cream sandwich
To take these cookies to the next level, make an ice cream sandwich with two cookies and a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.
If you’re going this route, make sure you freeze the sandwiches after they’re assembled for at least a couple of hours before diving in. Otherwise the ice cream will just squish out like crazy upon your first bite. If you have a deep freeze (chest freezer) you’re in even better shape. You want that ice cream rock solid.
Let me know if you make these cookies, and how they work out for you. You can catch me here, via email, or on Instagram, and YouTube.
Looking for more sweet treats? Try these next!
Crispy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients:
- 225 grams butter, room temperature
- 340 grams white sugar
- 200 grams brown Sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
Dry Ingredients:
- 240 grams all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 270 grams oats
- 225 grams raisins
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Cream the butter and sugars together until smooth. You can do this by hand, or with a mixer. Whatever floats your boat.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring each one in before the next.
- Stir in the vanilla.
- Sift in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Mix the flour mixture in thoroughly before adding the oats and raisins.
- When the flour is well combined, add the oats and raisins and mix well. You might want to use your hands here, the dough is pretty thick!
- Use a portion scoop if you have one, or use two dessert spoons to make golf ball sized cookie dough balls and spread them out on a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Squish the dough balls down slightly to flatten.
- Bake at 350 for 10-14 minutes, or until they are golden brown around the edges but still soft in the middle.
- Let them cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
- If you love cinnamon in your oatmeal raisin cookies, feel free to add 1 1/2 teaspoons to this recipe!
- If your dough feels quite warm after scooping, throw the cookie balls into the fridge to chill for 20-30 minutes to prevent them from spreading too much in the oven.
- A few readers have had success reducing the amount of sugar in this recipe. I am currently in the process of testing a few versions. I will update when I’ve found the sweet spot!
I ran out of white sugar.😱..I ended up using aunt Jemima pancake syrup…The cookies turned out a bit puffy an not as sweet but …They’re ok still good with coffee !
Awesome! I can see the Aunt Jemima making them turn out a bit cakier. Glad they were good either way!
Please advise: Do I soak raisins first and…does imitation vanilla make much of a difference in this cookie. Thank you and I will let you know how we like them.
Please advise: Do I soak raisins first and…does imitation vanilla make much of a difference in this cookie. Thank you and I will let you know how we like them.
Hi! No need to soak the raisins, and between you and me, it would probably be very hard to tell whether the vanilla you use is real or imitation 😉
Aloha Paula. I love this recipe! Your instructions are very easy to follow. Cookies were exactly as you described it…crispy on the outside and chewy in the middle. And delicious. I will check out more of your recipes!! MAHALO NUI.
That’s great to hear Bernadette! Thanks for letting me know 🙂
Hi Paula. I have a couple of questions.
1. I made the recipe exactly as you listed. My hubby & I both like the texture and general flavour, but for us they are too sweet. In other cookie recipes that have both brown & white sugar I tend to cut out the white sugar altogether, but I know from experience that it makes the cookies more brittle. What is your suggestion for making these with less sugar, but still keeping the softness? Is it possible?
2. Before adding the oatmeal & raisins, I divided the dough in half. I put 1/2 the oatmeal & raisins into one of these, and 1.5c chocolate chips into the other. For the choc chip batch, the cookies really spread out. I’m guessing this is because I did not put in the oatmeal and the recipe relies on the oatmeal to make the dough the right consistency (e.g. I had too much butter for the amount of dry ingredients). What do you suggest for making these as choc chip cookies?
Thanks!
Hi Chris! For both of these questions, I would just find different recipes altogether! I won’t be offended! 🙂
Thanks Paula. I’ll see what I can find. I appreciate your honesty. I love all the other recipes I’ve tried of yours! Will definitely be back for other ideas! 💐
Thanks Chris! I forgot to give a little shoutout to my Chocolate Chip Tahini Cookies. You might like them! (I certainly do 🙂 https://howtomakedinner.com/blog/tahini-chocolate-chip-cookies/
These are the most delicious oatmeal raisin cookies I’ve ever made. I used Saigon Cinnamon and the full teaspoon of sea salt that’s recommended in your recipe. The 13 minute baking time was spot on. Thanks for sharing!
Just Super!!!! The texture of these cookies is just fantastic with crispy being the best description but still having some substance. My husband does not like chewy, cakey cookies and I actually found this recipe by choosing the picture on the images page. My new favorite cookie. I did add a teaspoon of nutmeg which gave it subtle flavor but didn’t overwhelm the taste. Thanks so much for this recipe!
A bit of nutmeg sounds lovely! So glad you liked the cookies 🙂 They’re my go-to as well. Thanks for the review!
This is the best recipe for Oatmeal raisin cookies I have tried. I will be using this recipe for now on. Thank you
Maybe a dash more fish sauce? I do that often because I’m a major salt-tooth 🙂 Glad you liked the recipe! Stay cozy!
These were great! I used golden raisins, next time I might try cranberries. I love the crispy and chewy texture. Thanks!
So glad to hear it!
Hi, fabulous cookie recipe which I just used and subsequently pinned. Tell me please, can the cookies be frozen after baking? Many thanks 😋😋
Definitely! I love throwing a frozen cookie into a kid’s lunch box too (or a grownup’s lunch box). It defrosts just in time for lunch!
Awesome ! We loved this recipe 😊
Flavor was good, but cookies spread way too much! How do I prevent this?
Oof sorry to hear that. They should spread somewhat, but if they spread too much the butter might have gotten too warm. You could try chilling the dough for 30 mins before baking (easiest to do in their scooped format, rather than chilling the whole bowl). I’ll add those instructions to the blog post.
BEST oatmeal craisin cookies ever. My husband and I prefer craisins so that’s what I used in the same amount as the raisins. We also prefer crispy to soft, with the chewy center. YOUR recipe delivered perfectly. However, I remembered why I don’t make OR cookies often – they are labor intense. But yours are worth it. Excuse me – I hear a cookie calling my name. Cominnngggg!
My husband is absolutely addicted. The best oatmeal cookies he’s had. I now make up a batch or two and put the uncooked balls in freezer bags. That way I can pull out what’s needed and bake.
Great recipe thank you. I reduced the white sugar by a 100 grams and did a mixture of raisins and dried cherries. Turned out great. Thank you again
Very nicely crispy & crunchy, but is really only sweet with raisins. I did the cinnamon, 1/4 cup chocolate chips and 1/2 cup raisins (half recipe) and I don’t think there’s enough in it. I wanted to love these, but I won’t be making them again…just too sweet.