Description
These Best Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are soft in the center, chewy around the edges, and bursting with rich buttery flavor and warm spices. Packed with hearty oats and plump raisins, they strike the perfect balance of sweetness and texture for a nostalgic, bakery-quality cookie experience. Simple to make with pantry staples, these cookies become thick and chewy thanks to chilling the dough and a precise bake time, making them ideal for snacks, gifts, or any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Mix-ins:
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 ½ cups raisins
- Optional: ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions
- Prep Your Ingredients: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, and optional nutmeg until well combined. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. This traps air and gives the cookies their tender texture. Then add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, followed by the vanilla extract.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, stirring just until combined to avoid overmixing. Fold in the old-fashioned rolled oats and raisins, along with nuts if using, with a spatula to evenly distribute.
- Chill the Dough: Cover and refrigerate the dough for 30 to 60 minutes. Chilling helps control spreading during baking and intensifies flavors, resulting in thicker, chewier cookies.
- Scoop and Bake: Use a cookie scoop or spoon to portion 2-tablespoon-sized balls of dough and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges turn golden but the centers still look slightly soft to ensure a chewy texture.
- Cool and Enjoy: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes to firm up, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or store in an airtight container. Enjoy fresh, chewy oatmeal raisin cookies anytime!
Notes
- Do not overmix after adding the flour to keep cookies tender.
- Use room temperature butter for proper creaming and air incorporation.
- Chill dough to prevent thin, flat cookies and maintain thickness.
- Underbake slightly as cookies continue cooking on the pan and stay chewy.
- Use old-fashioned rolled oats for ideal texture rather than quick or instant oats.
- Space cookies adequately on the baking sheet to allow even spreading.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
- Category: dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: oatmeal raisin cookies, chewy cookies, soft cookies, classic cookie recipe, cinnamon cookies, baking cookies, homemade cookies, raisin cookies
