This oatmeal cookie recipe makes cookies that are soft in the middle, a little chewy on the outside and full of warm flavors like cinnamon and vanilla. The cookies are very easy to make and you don’t need any fancy equipment – only a hand mixer.
We love easy cookie recipes like this one. Plus, it’s easy to adapt — we like using regular and golden raisins, but you could add dried cranberries, dried cherries, nuts or even chocolate chips.
How to Make Our Chewy Oatmeal Cookie Recipe
This really is an easy cookie recipe. It all starts with beating butter and brown sugar together until creamy. Then, in another bowl, we mix together flour, spices and the oats. The two mixtures are combined and then we stir in our raisins.
For the raisins, we add an extra step. We cover them with hot water and let them sit for 10 minutes or so to plump up. That way when they bake inside the cookies, they stay plump and juicy. So good!
Support for Cookies for Kids’ Cancer
We have partnered with OXO to help raise awareness about a wonderful charity dedicated to fighting pediatric cancer. We were not paid for this recipe or post, however, OXO products have been provided for use in the making of our recipe and video. We’re honored to be a part of this opportunity.
A little about Cookies for Kids’ Cancer
Cookies for Kids’ Cancer is committed to raising funds to support research for new and improved therapies for pediatric cancer, the leading cause of death by disease for children under the age of 18. Through the concept of local bake sales, Cookies for Kids’ Cancer provides the inspiration and support for individuals, communities, and businesses to help fight pediatric cancer.
To learn more, please visit Cookies For Kids’ Cancer. You can also learn more about OXO’s involvement (two of their employees started it) as well as ways you can help.
Did you like our Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Cookie Recipe? If so, we you’ll love these:
- Chocolate Walnut Cookies from Inspired Taste
- Andes Mint Chocolate Cookies from Inspired Taste
- Thick Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Recipe from Smitten Kitchen
- Soft Ginger Cookies With Chocolate Chips from Inspired Taste
- White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookie Recipe from Inspired Taste
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 1 cup hot water
- 3/4 cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature (1 1/2 sticks)
- 1 cup (210 grams) packed light brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (110 grams) all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 cups (270 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Add raisins to a small bowl then cover with hot water. The hot water helps the raisins to become plump and juicy. Set the bowl aside for about 10 minutes.
- In a large bowl, beat the room temperature butter and sugar with a hand blender until creamy, about 2 minutes. (You can also use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment).
- Add the egg and 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract then beat until combined, about 1 minute.
- In another bowl, use a whisk to combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Next, add the oats then stir until well combined.
- Now, add the oat mixture to the butter and sugar mixture in thirds, beating after each addition until incorporated.
- Drain the raisins then gently press down or squeeze them to remove any extra water. Stir them into the cookie batter. (Use a spatula or spoon for this, not the mixer).
- Drop dough by two tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. (You can also use a large cookie scoop for this). Then, wet the tips of your fingers with water and gently press cookies down until they are about 1/2-inch thick. If some of the cookies have no raisins showing on top, steal a few raisins from the bowl and add to the tops of the cookies (they are prettier this way).
- Bake cookies 10 to 14 minutes or until the edges are light golden brown, the center is still soft. Cool cookies on baking sheet for 10 minutes then move to a cooling rack and cool completely.
Don’t forget to watch our Chewy Oatmeal Cookie Recipe Video on our YouTube page.
About the Author
Joanne
I'm Joanne Gallagher and alongside my husband, Adam, I develop, test and share favorite recipes from our kitchen. I'm completely in love with food and you'll most likely find me covered in flour, chocolate or both.
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I love using golden raisins (and the TJ’s medley blend is my fave!) love your cookies!
Thank you for this recipe. I am going to add them to a post which links back to your site. Thanks!!
these are amazing cookies…so glad I found them on Pinterest.
How would I do this recipe if I used cranberries instead of raisins?
Just replace the same amount of dried cranberries for the raisins – it should be delish!
this look really yummy!
Why do you press the cookies down before you bake them?
Thanks
Hi Jo, The cookies should spread by themselves, but to help them out a little, we push them down. We’ve found they take a nicer shape this way and cook a little more evenly.
Hope you don’t mind me sharing a much much healthier and completely guilt free version of this cookie which uses 2 ripe bananas and unsweetened applesauce instead of butter and brown sugar.
1-1/2 cup of oats
1 tablespoon of cinnamon
2 ripe bananas
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries (we like it best with dried cranberries)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Bake on cookie sheet in oven at 350 degrees 15 minutes, turn them over and cook another 10 minutes.
You can eat to your hearts content with out gaining a pound: oats are super heart healthy and reduce cholesterol, walnuts have omega 3′s, bananas and applesauce are good-for- you fruits and cinnamon is good for keeping blood sugar regulated and has also been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol.
My husband and I became Vegans two years ago to reverse heart disease and wanted a cookie recipe that did not have butter or dairy or oil, but tasted just as good. We love these heart healthy cookies and hope you will give them a try. Just put the oat in a bowl and then mash in the bananas really good with a fork, then add the applesauce and mix some more and then add in the cinnamon, walnuts and cranberries, flatten into cookies with your hands and bake. Really Yummy!!!
We’ve cleaned out our arteries and made ourselves “heartattack proof” by eating vegan and I lost 20 pounds and my husband lost 40 pounds in the process. The weight just came off and we eat ALL the time with no more dieting! We just veganize all our favorite foods. I sure wish I would have discovered this way of eating at a much younger age!
i love them nice
One of my favorite cookies! I am a big fan of cherries so I use dried tart cherries in my cookies (and I soak them in warmed orange juice!). I will have to compare your recipe to mine as they look very close.
I just made these as a treat for my husband. He prefers some cookie with his raisins so I added a 1/2 cup more raisins than the recipe calls for plus I added in a 1/2 cup craisins too. They were a big hit. He LOVES them! Half of the batch is already gone and it’s just been one day. Moist, chewy and oh so good. I won’t be able to make these too often – they are dangerous!
Haha — dangerous cookies! So glad you liked them
I was reading Jenni’s post about them being chewy and moist and wondered why mine didnt turn out like that. The cookie tasted good just not chewy. It was more like a oatmeal cookie cake… my husband loved them, I also doubled the raisins. The flavor profile was good but I was just looking for more of a almost stick to your teeth super chewy oatmeal cookie.I followed the recipe, so I thought… I didnt use rolled oats, I used quick oats and my husband just pointed out that I used baking powder not baking soda…. Could that be the problem, because mine turned out REALLY cakey, I think I am going to try to do it “right” tomorrow ( I only baked 8 cookies and froze the rest)
Hi Melissa — Yes, the baking soda will puff the cookies up then as they cool it sinks back onto itself (making them a little chewy). Hope things work out for you next time