Old Fashioned Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (thick and chewy)

These Old Fashioned Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are moist, thick, soft, and chewy.  These classic treats bring grandma’s baking to your kitchen!

Baked old fashioned oatmeal raisin cookies on a wire cooling rack.

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Why You’ll Love These

  • Classic Comfort – This oatmeal raisin cookie recipe is a beloved classic that brings a warm, homey aroma, and textbook chewy texture making them incredibly comforting and satisfying.
  • Easy – This oatmeal cookie recipe is relatively easy to prepare!
  • Sharing – These cookies are perfect for sharing with friends and family or for gifting to others. They are a crowd-pleaser at gatherings or a thoughtful homemade gift for the holidays.

Some of our other favorite cookie recipes are Butterball Cookies, Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, Peanut Butter Cup Cookies, Shortbread Pan Cookie Recipe, and Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies.

Ingredients for old fashioned oatmeal raisin cookies.

Key Ingredients

See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and instructions.

  • Unsalted butter – Always use room temperature butter. If you are using salted butter cut the salt to about 1/4 teaspoon.
  • Brown sugar and granulated sugar – The use of both brown and white sugar provides sweetness and structure to the cookie. Brown sugar contains more moisture and a little molasses flavor. Plus it produces a little softer cookie.
  • Eggs – Acts as a binder.
  • Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt – These ingredients add amazing flavor to the cookies.
  • Vanilla extract – Use good quality vanilla for great flavor.
  • All-purpose flour and baking soda – For structure.
  • Old-fashioned Oats and raisins – Tons of rolled oats for a chewy texture.

Pro Tip

Do not use steel-cut oats or quick oats. Steel-cut oats will stay too hard and quick oats will become too soft.

How to Make Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. In a large bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the butter and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
Dry ingredients for the old fashioned oatmeal raisin cookies mixed together in a silver bowl with a whisk.
Butter and sugars creamed together for old fashioned oatmeal raisin cookies in a glass bowl.
  • Add eggs and vanilla extract; beat well. Add dry ingredients, and mix just until some flour remains unmixed.
Creamed ingredients for oatmeal raisin cookies being mixed in a glass bowl.
Flour folded in to creamed ingredients for oatmeal raisin cookies in a glass bowl.
  • Add old-fashioned oats and raisins and stir to combine well. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto parchment/silicone mat-lined cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.
Old fashioned oats and raisins stirred into the cookie dough in a glass bowl on a dark surface.
Old fashioned oatmeal raisin cookie dough balls on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
  • Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes on cookie sheets; remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Baked old fashioned oatmeal raisin cookies on a wire cooling rack.

These only lasted one day at my house.  So you might want to double this great recipe if you expect to eat any yourself.

Tips

  • The use of old-fashioned oats gives a thick, chewy texture to these cookies.
  • Raisins might be clump together in the box. Dampen your fingers to break them apart.
  • You can soak the raisins in warm water for about 10 minutes for plumper raisins. Be sure to dry them off before adding them to the dough. You don’t want added moisture.
  • Omit the raisins if you prefer.
  • Always measure your flour properly. Spoon it into the measuring cup then level off with the back of a knife.
  • I use a medium cookie scoop for these cookies.
  • Don’t overbake these cookies. The tops should still be soft and they will continue to cook on the baking sheet.
  • Oatmeal raisin cookies are highly customizable. You can adjust the recipe to your liking by adding chopped nuts, chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, or other mix-ins if desired.

FAQs

Can I use quick-cooking oats?

You can but old-fashioned rolled oats give a thicker and chewy texture in this oatmeal raisin cookie recipe.
Old-fashioned oats are thicker and larger compared to quick oats. When used in cookies, they provide a heartier and chewier texture. These oats retain their shape during baking and absorb only some of the moisture which prevents them from becoming too soft or mushy.

Do I need to chill the dough?

This cookie dough does not require chilling. So bake away!

Storage

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Freezing the baked cookies

You can freeze the baked cookies stored properly for up to 3 months.

Freezing the Dough

Portion out the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for about 30 minutes, until hard. Then place in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake straight from the freezer, and add 2-3 more minutes of cooking time.

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Baked old fashioned oatmeal raisin cookies on a wire cooling rack.

Old Fashioned Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe

These are the best moist, soft, and chewy oatmeal raisin cookies you will ever eat.
4.67 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Cookie, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 36
Calories: 123kcal
Author: Leigh Harris

Ingredients
 

  • 1/2 cup Unsalted butter, softened plus 6 tablespoons butter
  • 3/4 cup Dark brown sugar packed
  • 1/2 cup Granulated sugar
  • 2 large Eggs
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon Baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon Ground nutmeg (I use fresh ground)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 3 cups Old fashioned oats uncooked
  • 1/2 cup Raisins

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
  • In a small bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
    1 1/2 cups All-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon Baking soda, 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon Ground nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy.
    1/2 cup Unsalted butter, softened, 3/4 cup Dark brown sugar, 1/2 cup Granulated sugar
  • Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
    2 large Eggs, 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • Add flour mixture, mix well.
  • Add oats and raisins; mix well.
    3 cups Old fashioned oats, 1/2 cup Raisins
  • Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto parchment/silicone mat lined cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.
  • Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered. (Note baking time will depend on the size of your cookie. Bake until golden brown.)

Notes

Do not use steel-cut oats (too hard) or quick oats (too mushy). 
Don’t overbake the cookies. The tops should still be soft and they will continue to cook on the baking sheet.
Storage – Place completely cooled cookies in an airtight container or bag and store them at room temperature for up to 1 week. Or freeze them for up to 3 months.
Originally Published 11/17/2015 

Nutrition

Calories: 123kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 92mg | Potassium: 57mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 155IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg

Adapted from isavea2z

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9 Comments

  1. Great cookie! taking me down memory lane! Thanks for sharing on My 2 Favorite Things on Thursday!! Hope to see you tomorrow!! Pinned!

  2. These look so delicious I have a soft spot for delicious oatmeal raisin cookies. Could use some with a hot cuppa right now. lol Will pin recipe for later. Thank you for stopping by LTM and linking up to SWM. I hope to see you again tomorrow for another great round of #sharewithme5 stars

  3. These look soooo good. I could eat one right now. I love the look of the texture of them and so simple to make.

    Thanks for coming along and joining in #LifeLovingLinkie and sharing your wonderful recipe. I showed my other half and he looked keen to try these out too!

    Sally @ Life Loving
    #LifeLovingLinkie

  4. Oatmeal cookies are my husband’s favorites. I’m going to have to try this recipe. It sounds yummy! Thanksgiving blessings!

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