Classic Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

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I realized recently that I’ve been woefully neglect of including oatmeal cookies in the DisplacedHousewife family. Chocolate? Yep, plenty of that. But oatmeal? No love. The loss was weighing heavily on our hearts. An emptiness that just couldn’t be filled. We had to rectify the situation.

I set out on a journey to make us PERFECT oatmeal raisin cookies. It was a journey I didn’t take lightly and I had a very specific oatmeal cookie in mind. While I love girth in my cookies it just didn’t seem right here. Nope. I wanted her to be thinner than most of my cookies, but not too thin, lacy or crispy. None of that is welcome. I futzed with flours and futzed with sugars and futzed with eggs…no cinnamon and too much cinnamon. Meanwhile, this was going on whilst I was trying to perfect the pumpkin muffin (translation: eat Libby’s entire current stock of canned pumpkin). Suffice it to say getting dressed for dinner the other night had its challenges.

BUT, it was all totally worth it. Here she is…after weeks of testing. She’s not too bulky, not too cakey, perfectly chewy, with the correct raisins to oats to cookie dough ratio. Plus, she’s easy as hell to throw together. Yep, she’s a keeper. You guys, it’s almost fall!!!

Before We Get Started:

  • Butter. You can melt the butter or you can brown the butter…I’m going to leave that up to you. Both options are marvvy. Really depends on the amount of time you have to invest in getting said cookies mixed + baked.
  • Usually, after you melt your butter, I make you wait until it cools down a beat. Not this time. Just dump yo sugar in there and make it happen.
  • You HAVE TO refrigerate this dough, prior to separating it into dough balls…for at least 30 minutes. You’ll thank me. The dough is quite sticky and the fridge time will make it easier to shape. Take a bath or a quick cat nap while it chills. You deserve it. Or, not nearly as sexy, clean the kitchen so you can just climb in bed with your oatmeal raisin cookies when they’re done. You eat cookies in bed, right?
  • Flour… So I have you use 1/2 bread flour and 1/2 all-purpose flour. I tested them with all bread flour and they turned out fine…you’ll just have a cake-ier cookie. I also tested them with all-purpose flour…they turned out, but there was lots of spread…if you do opt to use 100% all-purpose flour I highly recommend putting the dough balls in the freezer for at least 15 minutes prior to baking to keep spread to a minimum.
  • I always have you futz your dough balls into perfect little spheres. Not this time. Gently futz into balls and then press down a bit, so you have more of a disc. Yep, that’s right. You got this.

Let’s get our bake on…

Classic Oatmeal Raisin Cookies | Recipe via DisplacdHousewife | the classic cookie from your childhood...not too cakey, not too thin, just the right amount of chew + hella raisins!
Classic Oatmeal Raisin Cookies | Recipe via DisplacdHousewife | the classic cookie from your childhood...not too cakey, not too thin, just the right amount of chew + hella raisins!
Classic Oatmeal Raisin Cookies | Recipe via DisplacdHousewife | the classic cookie from your childhood...not too cakey, not too thin, just the right amount of chew + hella raisins!
Classic Oatmeal Raisin Cookies | Recipe via DisplacdHousewife | the classic cookie from your childhood...not too cakey, not too thin, just the right amount of chew + hella raisins!

Grab My Favorite Cookies Tips for Perfect Cookies, make these Crinkly, Fudgy Brownie Cookies (they’re so good!) or try my favorite, small-batch (one bowl! no rest!) Mega Vanilla Chocolate Chip Cookies!!

Classic Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Makes About 2 Dozen Cookies

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 stick, 4 ounces, of unsalted butter, melted or browned
  • ½ cup sunflower seed oil, or other neutral oil
  • 1 cups packed brown sugar or muscovado
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 cup bread flour
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 1/2 cups oatmeal (I use Quaker Old Fashioned)
  • 2 cups raisins (I like the dark ones)

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Make sure you have a rack in the top third of your oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.
  2. In a large bowl, mix your melted butter, oil and sugars until nice and smooth.
  3. Add the eggs + vanilla and mix until everything is well blended.
  4. In a small bowl whisk together the all purpose flour, bread flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt.
  5. Dump the flour mixture into the butter mixture and mix until the cookie dough is barely blended….you’ll still see streaks of flour. Add your oatmeal and raisins and finish mixing with just a few strokes.
  6. Lay some plastic wrap on the counter and dump the dough on top. Wrap tightly and stick in the fridge for at least 30 minutes…it will make it easier to work with. This is a wet cookie dough, your hands will get messy. Prepare yourself. Side Note: You can put the dough, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, in the fridge for several days at this point, if you want to make the oatmeal raisin cookies another day. Additionally, you could also roll the dough into balls (and gently press down into little discs), freeze in a single layer on a cookie sheet and then shove them in a resealable plastic bag and put back in the freezer to have oatmeal raisin cookies on-demand…just add a minute or two to the bake time.
  7. Once the dough is chilled, pull out of the fridge and gently roll into balls of about 2 tablespoons each and allow about 2 inches of space between the dough balls. Press the dough down a bit (not too much) so that they are like little discs.
  8. Bake the oatmeal raisin cookies in the top third of the oven for about 11-12 minutes. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes post baking and then move to a cooling rack to finish cooling down.
  9. I hope you love them and thanks for making these oatmeal raisin cookies! Be sure to tag me @displacedhousewife #displacedhousewife so I can see your creations!!
Classic Oatmeal Raisin Cookies | Recipe via DisplacdHousewife | the classic cookie from your childhood...not too cakey, not too thin, just the right amount of chew + hella raisins!
On My Mind

–Rebecca xoxo

Comments

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24 Comments

  • Ana N. December 2, 2020 at 11:14 PM

    Hi there! These look great and I want to try to make them. I was wondering why add the oil instead of using all butter for the fat? Can I use all butter and if so, how would the cookies be different? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Rebecca Firth December 2, 2020 at 11:48 PM

      Hey Ana, thank you! I like to add oil to my cookies as it helps keep them soft (I don’t like crispy cookies…typically). So it’s a texture thing. You can replace it with butter…I haven’t made this cookie with all butter, but if I was going to I would probably use 8 tablespoons (113 g or 4 oz) of butter to replace the oil. If you make it this way let me know how it goes and reach out with any other questions. Have fun!! xoxo

      Reply
  • Veronique June 17, 2020 at 9:58 AM

    This looks delicious! Your recipes are so tempting! Going to try a few. Do you happen to have the ingredients list for this one in grams and ml? Thank you :O)

    Reply
    • Rebecca Firth July 11, 2020 at 2:21 PM

      Hi Veronique! Unfortunately I do not — I’m so sorry. I’m trying to work my way through my older recipes to add weight measurements. I can tell you that typically 1 cup of all-purpose flour in my recipes is 135g (I may lower this to 130g for my next book…but that’s a whole ‘nuther conversation about weights and conversions ;)). Have fun!! xoxo

      Reply
  • Geraldine | Green Valley Kitchen October 3, 2016 at 3:25 PM

    Our office brings in a variety of cookies every couple of weeks as a treat – most people are all over the chocolate chip cookies but I just love the oatmeal ones. This recipe looks perfect – a classic, raisin filled oatmeal cookie – love it! I haven’t read The Grandmas – will have to look it up. I recommend The Nightingale – it was really good and moving.

    Reply
    • DisplacedHousewife October 3, 2016 at 3:40 PM

      Geraldine–I agree!! I love both…I couldn’t pick favorites…I don’t think. ;) I will check out that book, thank you for the rec!! xoxo

      Reply
  • Jessica @ Jessica in the Kitchen October 2, 2016 at 5:21 PM

    So I’m definitely an oatmeal cookie girl over chocolate chip which seems to be rarer than I thought! Something about their delicious chewiness is so much more welcoming to me! I love who gorgeous these look: I have some on track for Christmas time but these would be perfect for my dad who is the ultimate raisin guy!

    Reply
    • DisplacedHousewife October 3, 2016 at 3:43 PM

      Jessica–I love the chewiness of the oatmeal cookies, they’re so good!! I hope you give them a try!! xoxo

      Reply
  • traci | Vanilla And Bean September 29, 2016 at 4:28 PM

    I’m so glad you futz with the balls… else they wouldn’t be nice and fluffy! Ohhh the flour matters, right? Gluten is magic when one doesn’t have to stay away from it. I love how you’ve tested this recipe over and over to make it just right because, even though it’s a classic, doesn’t mean we can’t improve it! Delicious work my dear and thank you for all those cookie links! My GOODNESS!!

    Reply
    • DisplacedHousewife September 29, 2016 at 9:33 PM

      Traci–The flour totally matters!!! I love to mess around and see who the gluten + protein of a flour affects a cookie or cake or whatever. xoxo

      Reply
  • Tessa | Salted Plains September 29, 2016 at 2:37 AM

    Love oatmeal raisin cookies so much! Oatmeal raisin cookies are the quintessential comfort food, in my opinion. ;) These tips are great, Rebecca, and thinking about browning the butter sounds crazy good. xoxo

    Reply
    • DisplacedHousewife September 29, 2016 at 9:38 PM

      Tessa–It is completely a nostalgic, comfort-cookie…I totally agree!! Brown butter is ALWAYS a good idea!! xoxox

      Reply
  • Cathy | whatshouldimakefor.com September 24, 2016 at 6:12 PM

    i love all of your futzing to achieve the perfect oatmeal cookie! i will definitely give it a go, though i usually leave the raisins out. i know i know! but i live in a house with peculiar men. and i suggest catastrophe on amazon. witty dialog/banter and just the right amount of offbeat. check it out.

    Reply
    • DisplacedHousewife September 27, 2016 at 11:59 PM

      Cathy–Thanks for the show rec, I will check it out. I know the raisin dilemma..I used to be one of those people. We like each other now. Maybe there’s hope for them? xoxo

      Reply
  • Alida | Simply Delicious September 24, 2016 at 11:32 AM

    I think those are the most perfect oatmeal raisin cookies I have ever laid my eyes on. Swoon!

    Reply
  • Laura | Tutti Dolci September 24, 2016 at 3:34 AM

    These *so* look like the perfect oatmeal cookie. Love!

    Reply
  • Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen September 21, 2016 at 6:00 PM

    My son Sean is a connoisseur of oatmeal cookies Rebecca since he does not like chocolate. I know, I just said that, he does not like chocolate. He must have been switched at birth! He will be up from Charleston in a few weeks, so I will most definitely try these out on him and get back to you with his report! I’m sure he’s going to LOVE them!

    Reply
    • DisplacedHousewife September 21, 2016 at 6:18 PM

      Mary Ann–I would love to hear his thoughts!!! I don’t even understand not loving chocolate…it’s like you just started speaking Russian to me. I’m kidding. I hope you guys love them and have fun on his visit!!! xoxox

      Reply
  • Dawn @ Girl Heart Food September 21, 2016 at 2:54 PM

    These cookies look perfect to me and just to be sure, I can taste test them for ya, lol :D
    For shows? I love Narcos and Stranger Things. Both are on Netflix and are totally awesome!

    Reply
    • DisplacedHousewife September 21, 2016 at 3:38 PM

      Dawn–Always in need of cookie testers!! I will check out those shows, thanks for the recs!! xox

      Reply
  • Karen @ Seasonal Cravings September 21, 2016 at 2:25 PM

    I feel a bit guilty but I’ve never liked the oatmeal cookie. Not sure why bc I love oatmeal. I’ll bet your perfect version here will make me a Belieber! I want to experiment with my gluten free cookies and see if putting the dough in the fridge helps them. Thanks for the tip lady!

    Reply
    • DisplacedHousewife September 21, 2016 at 2:41 PM

      Karen–I hope you look back at this and see that you have to put your GF cookie dough in the fridge — it’s a massive game changer. I have a GF Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe where I talk about this…hold on…digging up the link…

      Here it is: http://www.displacedhousewife.com/?p=2510

      Loads of GF cookie-making tips. Happy baking!! xoxo

      Reply