Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (Soft & Chewy)

Oatmeal raisin cookies do not get the glory they deserve. While chocolate chip gets all the attention, this old-fashioned classic quietly delivers everything a cookie should: buttery chew, warm cinnamon spice, hearty oats, and sweet, plump raisins in every bite.

The trick to keeping them soft and chewy — never cakey — is melting the butter, using more brown sugar than white, and pulling the cookies from the oven while the centers still look a touch underdone. They set into perfectly chewy rounds as they cool.

This is the cookie jar staple worth baking on repeat: simple pantry ingredients, one bowl, and a batch on the table in under 30 minutes.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Soft and chewy, never cakey — melted butter and brown sugar do the heavy lifting
• Warm cinnamon spice — the classic flavor that makes these irresistible
• One bowl, no mixer — everything stirs together by hand
• Freezer friendly — bake now or stash dough balls for later
• Lunchbox legend — they stay soft for days in an airtight container

Ingredients

• 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 3 cups (270 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 1/2 cups (220 g) raisins

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Instructions

1. Heat the oven. Heat to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.
3. Add the dry ingredients. Sprinkle the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt over the top and stir until just combined.

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4. Fold in oats and raisins. Add the rolled oats and raisins and fold until evenly distributed. The dough will be thick.
5. Scoop. Drop rounded 2-tablespoon portions of dough about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets. Flatten the tops slightly with damp fingers.

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6. Bake. Bake 11–13 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden but the centers still look soft.
7. Cool. Rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. The centers firm up as they cool.

Tips for Success

• Melted butter = chewy cookies. Softened creamed butter traps air and bakes up cakier; melted butter keeps them dense and chewy.
• Plump the raisins. Soak them in hot water for 10 minutes and pat dry — they bake up juicier and never burn on the edges.
• Do not overbake. Even one extra minute turns chewy cookies crisp. Pull them when the centers look slightly underdone.
• Use old-fashioned oats. Quick oats make the cookies softer and less textured; steel-cut oats stay too hard.
• Rest the dough (optional). A 30-minute rest hydrates the oats for an even chewier texture.

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Variations

• Oatmeal chocolate chip: swap the raisins for an equal amount of semisweet chocolate chips.
• Cranberry white chocolate: use dried cranberries and white chocolate chips, and add 1/2 teaspoon orange zest.
• Apple cinnamon: replace the raisins with 1 cup finely diced dried apples.
• Gluten-free: use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and certified gluten-free oats.

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Storage

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days — add a slice of bread to keep them soft. Freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months, or freeze scooped dough balls and bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes. Refrigerate dough up to 3 days before baking.

FAQ

Why are my oatmeal cookies hard instead of chewy? Overbaking is the usual cause, followed by too much flour. Measure carefully and pull the cookies while the centers still look soft.

Can I use quick oats instead of rolled oats? Yes, but the texture will be softer and less hearty. Old-fashioned rolled oats give the classic chewy bite.

Do I have to soak the raisins? No, but it helps. A quick soak in hot water plumps them so they stay juicy through baking instead of drying out.

Can I make the dough ahead of time? Absolutely. Refrigerate the dough for up to 3 days — the flavor and chew actually improve — or freeze scooped balls for up to 3 months.

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Emma Carter

Hi, I’m Emma! I’m the cook and recipe developer behind Sizzle & Sage. From my sunny home kitchen, I share easy, flavor-packed recipes for real life — quick breakfasts, cozy weeknight dinners, and simple bakes anyone can make. Pull up a chair and stay a while!