Chewy, spicy and delicious, these Oatmeal Raisin Cookies a perfect little bite of sweetness!
I’ve always loved Oatmeal Raisin Cookies since I was a kid. Who doesn’t? Sorry mom, but my favorite oatmeal cookies were those we had while staying at the Gordon Ranch in Wyoming. From the age of two up until my early 40’s, my family spent one to two weeks each summer on a ranch belonging to close family friends, Kay and Crow Gordon. I learned many things about good food, cooking and entertaining while on the Ranch. (I also learned about things like snipe hunts, but that’s a subject for another post!) When the Gordon kids Valerie and Mark Gordon inherited the ranch after their parents’ passing, they graciously shared the Ranch’s recipe box with me. I was beyond thrilled, especially when I found the recipe for these Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.
You’ll Love these Mini Oatmeal Cookies as Much as I do!
The cook on the Ranch (Mrs. Mack) made them larger than I do, but I like the minis – they are so cute! These Oatmeal Raisin cookies are chock-a-block full of oats, raisins and nuts, making them super chewy and flavorful. Cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg add even more depth. They are also moist – from the addition of milk, something you don’t see in most oatmeal raisin cookie recipes.
Ingredients for this Chewy Oatmeal Cookies Recipe
Here’s what you’ll need to make this little bites of chewy deliciousness (and chances are you already have most/all of these in your pantry):
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Table salt
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground cloves
- Ground nutmeg
- Butter
- Light brown sugar
- Large eggs
- Milk (regular or coconut milk)
- Quick-cooking rolled oats
- Raisins
- Chopped walnuts or pecans
How to Make the Best Chewy Oatmeal Cookies
Here’s how you can easily put these delectable cookies together:
- Prep oven and cookie sheets.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line to cookie sheets with parchment paper. - Mix dry ingredients.
In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Set aside. - Cream sugar and wet ingredients.
In the bowl of an electric mixer using the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and brown sugar until well blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add milk and blend well. - Add dry ingredients, oats, raisins and nuts.
Slowly mix in flour mixture just until combined; do not overmix. Stir or blend in oats, raisins and nuts. - Shape cookies.
Using a small spring-loaded scoop, place balls of dough on prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart. (Alternatively, you can drop dough by spoonfuls.) Gently press down on each ball of dough into a disc shape. You can also leave them in a ball, for a more rounded cookie. - Bake; cool.
Bake for 10 to 13 minutes or until edges are set (center may still be soft). Remove from oven and let cookies sit for a minute or two on the sheet, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Chewy Oatmeal Cookies Tips
Here are my tips for ensuring your cookies come out perfectly moist and chewy every time:
- Sift the flour and other dry ingredients together. Sifting breaks up any clumps, makes the flour lighter through the addition of air and ensures more even mixing with the other ingredients.
- Make sure the butter and sugar are well mixed before adding eggs. I cream them together with an electric mixer for at least 5 minutes. If not beaten until light and fluffy, the resulting cookies will be flatter, thinner and more crispy than chewy.
- Don’t overmix once you add the dry ingredients. Overtaxing will result in tough cookies. I put my electric mixer on low (“stir” or “1”) and then slowly add the dry ingredients and process just until combined, not longer. You can pick up any stray bits when you stir in the oats, raisins and nuts.
- Line cookie sheets with parchment paper instead of greasing. The paper will cause the cookies to spread more slowly, resulting in a chewier cookie.
Serving Mini Oatmeal Cookies
I like to serve these cookies on a platter with a glass of milk for a snack, or with vanilla, cinnamon, or sea salt caramel ice cream for dessert.
How to Store Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will last for one week. Alternatively freeze them for up to 2 months.
Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Recipe FAQ
There are a number of different factors that make a cookie chewy vs. crispy – primarily the ingredients used:
– Brown sugar will produce a chewier, moister cookie than granulated (white) sugar.
– Egg yolks will make a chewier cookie.
– Adding baking soda or baking powder will produce a chewier cookie.
– Butter will produce a chewier cookie that shortening.
To ensure these cookies stay soft, store them in an airtight container. And, you can place a piece of fresh white bread in with them as well. The moisture from the bread will keep them moist without adding flavor.
There are 68 calories in each mini cookie (see detailed nutritional information at the bottom of the recipe card).
I’ve never soaked raisins before adding them to cookies. Some cooks like to soak them in water or beaten egg to make them plumper. It’s a personal choice.
More Favorite Cookie Recipes
- Layered Oatmeal Chocolate Bars
- Toffee Chocolate Chip Toll House Cookie Bars
- Pecan Snowball Cookies
- Cheesecake Squares
- Pecan Chocolate Toffee Bars
Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Recipe
Chewy, spicy and delicious cookies – a perfect little bite of sweetness!
- Yield: Makes around 4 1/2 dozen small-ish cookies 1x
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk (can use regular or coconut milk)
2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line to cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer using the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and brown sugar until well blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add milk and blend well. Slowly mix in flour mixture just until combined; do not overmix.
- Stir or blend in oats, raisins and nuts.
- Using a small spring-loaded scoop, place balls of dough on prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart. (Alternatively, you can drop dough by spoonfuls.) Gently press down on each ball of dough into a disc shape. You can also leave them in a ball, for a more rounded cookie.
- Bake for 10 to 13 minutes or until edges are set (center may still be soft). Remove from oven and let cookies sit for a minute or two on the sheet, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Category: Desserts, Snacks, Cookies
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 68
- Sugar: 5.6 g
- Sodium: 49.7 mg
- Fat: 2.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 10.2 g
- Fiber: 0.6 g
- Protein: 1.3 g
- Cholesterol: 9.3 mg
