Easy Soft Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe Perfect for Beginners
This recipe delivers soft, chewy oatmeal raisin cookies with plump raisins and a warm cinnamon aroma. Perfect for beginners, it uses simple pantry staples and yields comforting, delicious cookies every time.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups (135g) rolled oats (old-fashioned, not instant)
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (can substitute whole wheat or gluten-free baking blend)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened (can substitute coconut oil or vegan butter for dairy-free)
- ½ cup (100g) packed brown sugar (light or dark)
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature (or flax egg for vegan: 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (115g) raisins, soaked in warm water for 5 minutes, drained and patted dry
- Optional: ½ cup (60g) chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Soak ¾ cup raisins in warm water for 5 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
- In a large bowl, whisk together rolled oats, all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, beat softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes).
- Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fully combined.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
- Fold in soaked raisins and nuts if using.
- Drop rounded balls of dough about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets using a cookie scoop or tablespoon.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges look set but centers are still soft. They will firm up as they cool.
- Let cookies rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Do not overbake; remove cookies when edges are golden but centers still look slightly underdone. Soaking raisins keeps them juicy. Use old-fashioned rolled oats for best chewy texture. Chill dough for 15 minutes if too sticky. Store cookies in airtight container with a slice of bread to keep soft longer. Cookies freeze well.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 100
- Fat: 4
- Saturated Fat: 2.5
- Carbohydrates: 18
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 2
Keywords: oatmeal raisin cookies, soft cookies, chewy cookies, easy cookie recipe, beginner baking, homemade cookies, cinnamon cookies, raisin cookies