There is just something about a good oatmeal raisin cookie. They’re soft, chewy, a little bit cinnamon-y, and packed with sweet raisins. And this is one of those recipes I’ve had around for a long time, as you can probably tell from my well-loved, stained, handwritten copy!
The original recipe came from Food Network Kitchen, but over the years I’ve made it my own. Most importantly, I almost always make a triple batch. If I’m going to make cookies, I’m going to make cookies!
These oatmeal raisin cookies stay wonderfully soft thanks to the apple butter, and soaking the raisins before adding them to the dough keeps them plump instead of dry and chewy. They’re perfect with a glass of milk, tucked into lunches, or just sitting on the counter waiting for someone to grab another one.
Why These Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Are So Good
The secret to these cookies is the combination of rolled oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and apple butter. You get that classic oatmeal cookie flavor, but the apple butter adds extra moisture that helps keep the cookies soft and chewy.
Another little trick is soaking the raisins in boiling water before adding them to the dough. It only takes about five minutes, but it plumps them up and makes a noticeable difference in the finished cookies.
And because my version makes a big batch, there are plenty to share. Or freeze. Or eat. No judgment here.
Apple Butter or Applesauce?
The recipe calls for ¾ cup apple butter, which is what I recommend when you have it.
But I have a substitution written right on my old recipe: 1 cup of apple butter can be replaced with 1½ cups of applesauce.
For this batch, that means you can substitute approximately 1⅛ cups applesauce for the ¾ cup apple butter.
Keep in mind that applesauce doesn’t have quite the same concentrated flavor as apple butter, so the cookies may taste slightly different. They’ll still be delicious!
Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Place the raisins in a small bowl and cover completely with boiling water. Let them soak for about 5 minutes. Drain well and set aside to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the apple butter, softened butter, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until combined.
- With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated.
- Stir in the rolled oats and drained raisins until evenly distributed.
- Scoop the dough into large, generous dollops and place them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving plenty of room between each cookie. You should get approximately 18 large cookies from the batch.
- Bake for approximately 16–20 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers no longer look wet. Because these cookies are intentionally large, begin checking them around the 16-minute mark and add time as needed.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips for the Best Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Don’t skip soaking the raisins. It may seem like an unnecessary extra step, but those few minutes in hot water give you plumper, softer raisins throughout the cookies.
Use old-fashioned rolled oats. Quick-cooking oats have a different texture and won’t give you quite the same hearty, chewy cookie.
Don’t overbake them. Take the cookies out once the centers no longer look wet. They’ll continue to set as they cool.
Make the big batch! This recipe makes a lot of cookies, but that’s kind of the point. You can always freeze some for later.
How to Store Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Once completely cooled, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They should stay soft for several days.
For longer storage, freeze the cooled cookies in a freezer-safe container or bag. Separate layers with parchment paper if you’re stacking them. Let them thaw at room temperature whenever you’re ready for one.
You can also warm a thawed cookie for just a few seconds in the microwave if you want that fresh-from-the-oven softness again.
A Cookie Worth Making in Bulk
There are some recipes you try once and forget about, and then there are recipes you keep around long enough for the printed page to get stained, wrinkled, and covered in handwritten notes.
This is definitely one of the latter.
I’ve been making these oatmeal raisin cookies in big batches for years, and they’re still worth pulling out that old recipe every time. Soft, chewy, sweet, cinnamon-y, and packed with raisins — exactly what an oatmeal raisin cookie should be.