Soft and chewy oatmeal raisin cookies are loaded with oats, raisins, and plenty of warm spices! Golden brown butter and brown sugar make the oatmeal raisin cookie dough extra flavorful. A great recipe anytime of year, but especially popular in our house during the holiday season! We always have rolled oats and raisins on hand so we can make them any time the craving strikes.

The BEST Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Recipe?

These easy oatmeal raisin cookies are the real deal. They’re soft and chewy, loaded with brown sugar and spices, plenty of rolled oats, and just enough juicy plump raisins.

My brother – a notoriously picky eater – just polished off a dozen of these cookies in an hour. And requested I bake more for our family Christmas party! I call that a win!

Why these Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Cookies are the best:

• Brown Butter: It’s no secret I love baking with this secret ingredient! But I especially love using it in cookies! Golden brown butter enhances the flavor of the oatmeal raisin cookie dough! Adding subtle caramel and nutty notes.
• Raisins and Walnuts: The subtle crunch of walnuts compliments the chewy raisins in the most delicious way. But if you have an allergy, please feel free to omit them completely. Or feel free to use pecans instead! You can soak the raisins in rum or vanilla for 20 minutes before use if desired.
• Vanilla Extract: Almost all oatmeal raisin cookies call for a tiny splash of vanilla. But this recipe actually uses an entire tablespoon of vanilla extract! This generous addition adds richness and the loveliest flavor! Trust me, it’s worth being heavy handed here!
• Cinnamon and Nutmeg: I tested these cookies with and without these spices. But my taste testers all agreed adding spices were the way to go!
• White Sugar and Brown Sugar: Combining dark brown sugar (which contains molasses) with granulated sugar adds depth of flavor. And makes these cookies taste out-of-this-world delicious. Light brown sugar will work in a pinch, but dark brown sugar is better!

Golden Brown Butter: My Secret Ingredient!

• If you’ve never browned butter before, don’t fret because it’s super simple. And if you can melt butter, you can brown butter.
• You’ll need a pan, two sticks of butter, and a touch of patience – that’s it! You’ll start by melting the butter in a skillet. Once the butter melts, you will continue cooking it until it turns into a golden brown color. The melted butter should also smell slightly nutty.
• Just be sure you stay stove side once the butter has melted. Brown butter can turn into burnt butter extremely fast. Unfortunately if you do burn the butter, there’s no saving it. You’ll need to discard it and start again.

How to Use Brown Butter in Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Dough

• Bring your browned butter back to room temperature before incorporating it into the oatmeal raisin cookie dough.
• To do this, scrape the butter into a heatproof bowl. Place the bowl in the refrigerator and bring the butter back to room temperature. This will take about 2 to 2 and 1/2 hours! If you chill it longer than that, you may need to soften the butter a bit.
• You want it solid, but soft enough that when you gently press it with your finger it leaves an indentation. It’s very important that your butter is at the proper temperature before you begin baking. If it’s too warm, your cookies will bake up flat and spread all over the pan. If it’s too cold, you’ll struggle to get your cookies to spread as much as they should.

How to Make Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

1. Baking Prep: Like most cookie recipes, you’ll want to preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Be sure to do this at least 30 minutes prior to baking! Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Put them aside until you need them.
2. Bust Out The Electric Mixer: You’ll need an electric mixer for this recipe. A large bowl and electric hand held mixer will work, but so will a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. You’ll need a high power mixer to get the butter and sugar light and fluffy.
3. Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Dough: Beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt) and mix to combine. Stir in the oats, raisins, and nuts.
4. Roll the Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Dough: Use a medium cookie scoop for smaller cookies or a large cookie scoop for larger ones. No need to roll the dough, just scoop it directly onto the parchment paper lined baking sheets.
5. Bake the Oatmeal Raisin Cookies: For about 10 to 12 minutes. Depending on the size of the cookies, you’ll need to increase or decrease the bake time by a few minutes. They’re ready when they’re lightly golden brown on top and firm around the edges. Don’t over bake, they’ll firm up a lot as they cool!
6. Cool the Cookies: Allow the oatmeal raisin cookies to cool on the baking sheet. Placed on top of a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before serving.

More Oatmeal Cookie Recipes:

• Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies
• Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
• White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
• Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Brown Butter Cinnamon Chip Oatmeal Cookies

The Best Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Ashley Manila

Soft and chewy oatmeal raisin cookies are loaded with oats, raisins, and plenty of warm spices! Golden brown butter and brown sugar make the oatmeal raisin cookie dough extra flavorful. A great recipe anytime of year, but especially popular in our house during the holiday season! We always have rolled oats and raisins on hand so we can make them any time the craving strikes.

4.95 from 37 votes

PRINT RECIPE PIN RECIPE

Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Chill Time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 3 hours hrs

Course Dessert

Cuisine Baking, Cookies

Servings 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

 

• 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter melted until browned, then brought back to room temperature (please see post for more on this) YOUR BUTTER MUST BE SOLID.
• 1 and 1/2 cups (319g) light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup (99g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons (21ml) milk
• 1 tablespoon (14ml) vanilla extract
• 2 and 1/4 cups (270g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 and 1/2 cups rolled oats (not instant oats)
• 2 cups raisins
• 3/4 cup walnuts finely chopped

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 (F). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, cream together the browned butter and both sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides as needed. Beat in the milk and the vanilla extract until combined.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. On low speed, gradually beat the flour mixture into the butter/sugar mixture until just incorporated. Turn mixer off. Using a wooden spoon or strong spatula, stir the oats, raisins, and walnuts. into the cookie dough, stirring just until incorporated.
• Scoop 2-inch balls of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 and 1/2 inches between so they have room to spread.
• Bake, one sheet at a time, in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until cookies are golden and set at the edges and still slightly soft in the center. Repeat with all cookie dough.
• Cool cookies on baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Keyword oatmeal cookies, christmas cookies, cookies, cookie recipes

Tried it and loved it?Snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram @Bakerbynature and by using the hashtag #BakerByNature