These Easy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are soo simple, yet so incredibly delicious! Made with quick oats, and basic pantry ingredients, it's the brown sugar that really makes them sing! These classic drop cookies are so simple you won't believe how incredibly delicious they taste! And you can whip them up in a snap.
Oatmeal raisin cookies are popular all year round. They are also soft and chewy, freeze well, and make a great snack or lunch box addition!
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If you love oatmeal cookies, be sure to give my Oatmeal Apricot Cookies a try!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Best oatmeal and raisin cookie ever, love them!
- Ann
My Auntie Sue made these raisin oatmeal cookies when we were kids and I remember loving them so much that I just had to get the recipe from her. They were also my Uncle Garry's favorite!
I have tried a lot of raisin cookies over the years and nothing compares to these. These cookies are, hands down, the best oatmeal raisin cookies I have ever tasted!
One of the best things about this easy oatmeal cookie recipe with few ingredients, is that you will already have most of the ingredients on hand!
🥘 Ingredient Notes
Like I said, SIMPLE! But it's the brown sugar that really makes these simple oatmeal raisin cookies stand out from the crowd! All you need for these oatmeal-raisin cookies is:
- Quick oats. Quick oats are smaller than old fashioned and create a softer texture.
- Eggs. Eggs are the binder in this recipe
- Unsalted butter. I use unsalted butter so I control the salt in my baking.
- Raisins. I use any type of raisin I have on hand for this recipe.
- Brown sugar. Brown sugar really elevates the taste of these cookies with its rich molasses flavor and contributes to a moist and chewy cookie!
📖 Variations & Substitutions
- Chocolate Chip Cookies: The raisins in these cookies can be switched out for chocolate chips, if you want to mix things up (or are simply having a chocolate craving)!
- Raisins: You can use Sunalta (also known as golden raisins) instead of regular black raisins (Thompson Seedless)
- Brown Sugar: You can use dark brown sugar or a light brown sugar
- Quick oats: Do NOT substitute instant oats for quick oats, as they are much finer in texture, and therefore behave more like flour instead of oatmeal in baking.
- And if you want to make quick oats from old-fashioned oats, you can find directions HERE!
🔪How to Make Simple Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
PREP: Heat oven to 375 degrees F ( 190 degrees C).
In a large bowl, with an electric mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment), beat (on medium speed) room temperature butter and sugars together until light and fluffy.
Beat in egg and vanilla.
In separate small bowl, mix flour and baking soda.
Then add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and beat together.
Stir in quick cooking rolled oats and raisins.
Mix well with a large spoon/wooden spoon.
Drop by teaspoonful (or use a cookie scoop) onto an UNGREASED cookie sheet or baking sheets (you can line with parchment paper if you wish) about 2 inches apart.
Bake cookies for about 8-10 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown.
*If using a medium cookie scoop, bake 10 - 13 minutes.
Let cool for 5 minutes until moving to a wire rack to continue cooling.
👪 Serving Size
This recipe makes 20 oatmeal raisin cookies. However, you can half, double, or triple the recipe by clicking on the serving number and selecting the number of servings you'd like. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust. You'll just need additional cookie sheets. Trust me, you'll want to make a second batch (at least) because these will go fast!
🌡️How to Store
Keep these soft oatmeal raisin cookies on the counter (in an airtight container or cookie jar) for 2-3 days or put them right into the freezer! I put them straight into the freezer, then I take them out and by the time I go to eat them at work, they are defrosted. Or you can pop them into the microwave for 15-20 seconds to defrost. They will keep in an airtight container or freezer bag in the deep freezer for up to 6 months.
Top Tip
Freezing Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Dough: You can also freeze the cookie dough for up to 3 months if you don't want to bake them right away.
- Place dough by spoonful on a parchment lined cookie sheet (as if you were going to bake them) and place in freezer for 30 minutes.
- Remove dough balls from the cookie sheet and add them to a plastic freezer bag or airtight container.
- Label the Ziplock freezer bag or sealed container with the date, name and the baking temperature and place back in the freezer.
- When you are ready to bake the cookies, remove the frozen cookie dough balls from the freezer. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and place the dough balls on a parchment lined cookie sheet or ungreased cookie sheet.
- Since the dough is frozen, you'll need to bake the cookies for at least 2 minutes longer (about 12 minutes) or until lightly browned on the bottom.
❔Recipe FAQ's
It's not necessary to soak your raisins (I never have), although some bakers prefer to do this because they think
Yes, you'll just need to pulse them a few times in the food processor to break them down. Or you can leave them as is and you'll just have a much chewier cookie!
Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Dough
If you're like me and love baking, sometimes you just gotta bake, right! But then again, sometimes you just want cookie dough. And for those times, I've got you covered! This safe, eggless and delicious Oatmeal Raisin Edible Cookie Dough only takes a few minutes and will satisfy that cookie dough craving.
And then there are those times when you want raisin cookies, but you want them for breakfast (yet you can't justify eating cookies for breakfast.) Oh boy, do I have the solution for you. My Raisin Cookie Overnight Oats in a Jar are just like having healthy oatmeal raisin cookies for breakfast! So go ahead.. indulge!
So if you're looking for simply delicious Easy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, then you'll love these!
And if you're looking for more easy and delicious cookie recipes, then check out my other drop cookies recipes: Rhubarb Cookies and Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies!
🍪More Cookie Recipes
⭐ COMMENTS & REVIEWS
Did you know that commenting and rating recipes is one of the best ways to support your favorite recipe creators? If you loved this recipe, please comment and rate it in the recipe card or share photos on social media using the hashtag #foodmeanderings or tagging @foodmeanderings !
📋 Easy Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup white sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- ⅔ cup all -purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ cups quick cooking rolled oats
- 1 cup raisins
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375 degrees F ( 190 degrees C).
- In a large bowl, with an electric mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment), beat room temperature butter, sugars and egg together until light and fluffy (on medium speed). Add vanilla.
- In separate small bowl add flour and baking soda, then add dry ingredients to wet ingredients.
- Stir in quick cooking rolled oats and raisins.
- Mix well.
- Drop by teaspoonful (or use a cookie scoop) onto an UNGREASED cookie sheet or baking sheets lined with parchment paper, about 2 inches apart.
- Bake cookies for about 8-10 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown.*If using a medium cookie scoop, bake 10 - 13 minutes..
- Move to a wire rack to cool.
Notes
- Place dough by spoonful on a parchment-lined cookie sheet (as if you were going to bake them) and place in freezer for 30 minutes.
- Remove dough balls from the cookie sheet and add them to a plastic freezer bag or airtight container.
- Label the Ziplock freezer bag or sealed container with the date, name, and the baking temperature and place back in the freezer.
- When you are ready to bake the cookies, remove the frozen cookie dough balls from the freezer. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and place the dough balls on a parchment-lined cookie sheet or ungreased cookie sheet.
- Since the dough is frozen, you'll need to bake the cookies for at least 2 minutes longer (about 12 minutes) or until lightly browned on the bottom.
- Chocolate Chip Cookies: The raisins in these cookies can be switched out for chocolate chips, if you want to mix things up (or are simply having a chocolate craving)!
- Raisins: You can use Sunalta (also known as golden raisins) instead of regular black raisins (Thompson Seedless)
- Brown Sugar: You can use dark brown sugar or a light brown sugar
- Quick oats: Do NOT substitute instant oats for quick oats, as they are much finer in texture, and therefore behave more like flour instead of oatmeal in baking.
- And if you want to make quick oats from old-fashioned oats, you can find directions HERE!
Krysta says
This was a great quick and easy recipe for these cookies and I will definitely make them again in the future just sayin 👍
Terri Gilson says
Happy to hear that, Krysta!
Cassie Livingston says
These came out pretty perfect, and I will be making them again!
Terri Gilson says
Glad to hear that, Cassie!
Melinda says
In all of my years of baking cookies I have NEVER had them come out FLAT AS A PANCAKE 😡
Could you possibly explain to me why this happened ?
Not impressed.
Terri Gilson says
Hi Melinda,
I’m so sorry to hear your cookies didn't turn out as expected! It is definitely frustrating when a bake doesn't go as planned.
Since this is a community favorite that has been tested hundreds of times with great results, a 'pancake' spread usually points to a few specific kitchen variables. The most common reasons for this are:
Butter Temperature: If the butter is too soft or 'greasy' before mixing, the cookies will spread too quickly in the oven.
Over-mixing: Beating the butter and sugar for too long incorporates excess air, which causes the cookies to puff up and then collapse flat.
Baking Surface: Placing dough on a warm cookie sheet or using too much non-stick spray can also cause excess spreading.
I’d love for you to get the results everyone else is raving about! Next time, try chilling the dough for 15 minutes before baking and ensuring your butter is just barely soft to the touch. Happy baking!
Terri
Estelle Rice says
I made these cookies and I knew I had better double the ingredients because my family of three all of us are cookie monsters I filled up the cookie jar and the rest in a see through cake container my son walks in the door and right away says Oow cookies lol they last three days they’re delicious thank you
Terri Gilson says
Hi Estelle,
So happy to hear you and your family enjoyed them as much as we do 🙂
Terri
Terri Gilson says
Hi Estelle,
So happy to hear you and your family enjoyed them as much as we do 🙂
Terri
Ricky and Pamala says
Thank you for the recipe. Made the cookies and they are chewy good
Terri Gilson says
You are welcome - glad to hear you loved them 🙂
Dawn Bode says
Loved this, worked great with the quick oats also added cinnamon.
Heather says
Very soft and very good
Terri Gilson says
Hi Heather,
Glad to hear it!
Terri
Yolanda C Whitford says
❤️ the recipe thank you.
Terri Gilson says
Hi Yolanda,
You are welcome! Glad you loved it!
Terri
Linda says
I made these for my best friend & Sister in Christ. She had told me she liked oatmeal raisin cookies better than chocolate chip cookies. She loved them. I’ll keep this recipe & use it a lot. So easy & clean up was a breeze!
Terri Gilson says
Hi Linda,
I'm so glad to hear your friend loved them! Thanks for taking the time to comment and rate!
Terri
Claudette says
These were so good. I added my touch. Like toasted pecans. And a tablespoon. Of molasses did it. I'm about to go fix the rest. With a big glass od milķ.
Terri Gilson says
So happy to hear you love them and added your own touch 🙂
Terri
Pamela Metcalf says
These cookies I can honestly say are the best oatmeal cookies I have ever made and had. I googled an easy recipe and I picked this one because it had only 9 ingredients which I had all of them. I so thankful for this recipe. THE BEST so moist and not chewy. I doubled the batch and I was able to make two parchments rolled up cookie dough that are in my freezer. When I use them I will let it unthaw and scoop with an ice cream scooper cuz I don't want flat cookies I was able to make them a nice size YUMM!!!
Terri Gilson says
Hi Pamela,
I'm so glad to hear you loved them as much as we do!
Terri
Doc 1 says
Easy and very delish! I did add 1/4 c more oats to make them puffier and a couple of tbsps of cinnamon. My husband's new favorite cookies!
Terri Gilson says
Glad to hear you love them! The extra oats are a good idea 🙂
Terri
Lorraine White says
These are great. I added some cinnamon and dried cranberries along with the raisins. This is a great recipe to use as a bases and then add things to make it your own.
Terri Gilson says
Hi Lorraine,
I'm so glad you loved them! Cranberries sound like a delicious add-in!
Terri
Glenn Warme says
I made the recipe my 12-year-old daughter never eats raisins never liked raisins until today and I made this cookie recipe hey my wife liked it as well and me and my dog easy recipe and yummy
Terri Gilson says
Hi Glenn,
I'm so glad to hear this! Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Terri