Soft Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe – A Christmas Classic

As the holiday season rolls around, it’s time to think about baking cookies for family, friends, and maybe even Santa, and soft oatmeal raisin cookies are always at the top of my list of favorites.

A classic cookie recipe that is simple to make, requires just a few basic ingredients, and always turn out perfectly soft and chewy if you follow a few key tips. In addition, unlike sugar cookies or shortbread, they’re hearty and satisfying, making them an excellent addition to any cookie tray.

They’re also versatile, with endless possibilities for add-ins if you want to customize them for your holiday gatherings. That way everyone gets a cookie that they will love!

Best Oatmeal to Use

The type of oatmeal you use plays a big role in the texture of your cookies. I recommend sticking with old-fashioned rolled oats. These oats are larger and thicker than quick oats, giving the cookies the perfect chewy consistency.

Using quick oats can result in a more uniform and compact texture, but they won’t provide the same chew. At all costs, avoid steel-cut oats for this recipe as they’re too hard and won’t soften enough during baking.

Keys to Keeping Cookies Soft

The secret to soft oatmeal raisin cookies is in the method and timing. There are a few important tips to follow to make sure they have perfectly set, yet soft and chewy.

1. Use Room Temperature Butter and Eggs
Room temperature butter creams better with sugar, and room temperature eggs incorporate more evenly. This step might seem small, but it makes a big difference in the texture of the cookies.

2. Cream the Butter and Sugar Well
When you cream the butter and sugars together, make sure you do it long enough. This step traps air in the mixture, giving the cookies a light and tender texture. Using a stand mixer on medium-high for about four minutes works perfectly.

3. Don’t Overbake
The cookies should come out of the oven looking slightly undercooked. This is key to keeping them soft. They’ll continue to bake and set as they cool on the hot baking sheet. Baking them for no longer than 9 minutes will ensure they stay chewy.

4. Let Them Rest After Baking
Allow the cookies to sit on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes after removing them from the oven. This resting time helps them finish baking gently without drying out.

Possible Cookie Add-Ins

While raisins are the star ingredient in this recipe, you can get creative with other mix-ins. Here are some ideas to try:

• Nuts: Add chopped walnuts or pecans for a bit of crunch.
• Dried Fruit: Swap raisins for dried cranberries, cherries, or chopped apricots for a holiday twist.
• Chocolate Chips: If you want a sweeter option, mix in some semisweet or dark chocolate chips.
• Coconut: Unsweetened shredded coconut adds texture and a little subtle flavor.
• Spices: If you want even more flavor add a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, or cloves.

When adding extra nuts/fruit/chocolate, keep the total amount to about 1-1 ½ cups so the dough doesn’t become too overloaded.

Storing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Proper storage is key to keeping your cookies soft and fresh.

Room Temperature

Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To help retain moisture, place a slice of bread in the container with the cookies. The cookies will absorb the moisture from the bread, keeping them soft longer.

Refrigerator

For longer storage, you can refrigerate the cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. They’ll stay fresh, but you might want to bring them to room temperature before serving to bring back their softness.

Freezer

These cookies freeze beautifully. Once cooled, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Then transfer them to a freezer bag or airtight container, separating layers with parchment paper.

They’ll keep for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw at room temperature or microwave for 10-15 seconds.

Troubleshooting Tips For Soft Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Baking cookies can sometimes be tricky, especially if you’re aiming for the perfect texture. Here are some common issues and how to fix them:

Cookies Spread Too Much

• Make sure your butter isn’t too soft or melted. It should be at room temperature but still hold its shape.
• Chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking to help the cookies hold their shape.

The Cookies Are Hard or Dry

• Check your oven temperature with an oven thermometer. Overbaking or baking at too high a temperature can dry out cookies.
• Measure flour correctly by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off with a knife. Too much flour can make cookies dense and dry.

Cookies Don’t Brown Enough

• Bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven for even browning.

Soft Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Recipe

*Specific measurements and complete recipe instructions are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to continue to read the tips and tricks to making this recipe below.

Ingredients Required

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 1/3 cups raisins

Instructions

Just like with any cookie recipe, start making your soft oatmeal raisin cookies by bringing the butter to room temperature. Once it is nice and soft, add the butter, white sugar and brown sugar to a large mixing bowl and beat until light and fluffy.

One of the biggest mistakes that many novice bakers make is that they don’t cream the butter and sugar mixture long enough. When I use my KitchenAid stand mixer, I use the paddle attachment and mix on medium-high speed for about 4 minutes.

Then when the mixture is nice and fluffy, add the eggs, one at a time until each one is incorporated. *I prefer to use room temperature eggs, although this is not absolutely necessary.

Next add the vanilla and mix one more time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Set the mixture aside and gather your dry ingredients.

Prepare the Dry Ingredients

In another large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and rolled oats. It is important here to use rolled oats and not quick oats to achieve that soft and chewy consistency when the cookies are baked.

Now slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed until the flour and oat mixture becomes somewhat incorporated.Then continue to mix on medium speed until the dry ingredients are completely mixed with the wet ingredients.

Now it is time to stir in the raisins. I find it best to mix in 1/3 cup of raisins at a time rather than dumping the entire amount in at once. That way the raisins can adhere to the oatmeal raisin cookie dough rather than to each other.

Once everything is mixed together it is time to form you dough balls!

Prepare To Bake

Using a medium size cookie scoop, place dough balls on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Leave about 2 inches between each cookie dough ball.

Bake in a preheated oven for no longer than 9 minutes. WARNING – the cookies will look undercooked. However, once you remove them from the oven, they continue to sit on the hot baking sheet for 5 – 10 minutes.

This allows the cookies to continue baking a bit but without becoming hard and crunchy. You will also notice that they will also continue to brown a little while they are resting.

Once the 5 – 10 minutes are up, carefully transfer the soft oatmeal raisin cookies to a cooling rack. Allow them to completely cool before storing them in an air-tight container.

These cookies can be stored at room temperature, in the refrigerator or in the freezer.

Soft oatmeal raisin cookies are a classic treat that works for any occasion, but they shine during the holidays. Their simple ingredients and straightforward baking method make them a reliable recipe to add to your baking rotation.

For other great Christmas cookie recipes see my Most Popular Christmas Cookie Tray Recipes article where I have my favorite recipes that I love to share with my family and friends.

Enjoy! Mary

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