My family's favorite recipe for chewy oatmeal raisin cookies. It makes life simple for bakers in families with raisin-lovers and raisin-haters. Have it both ways! Stir raisins (or my favorite currants or the chocolate-covered raisins called Raisinets) into half the cookie dough, leave the other half plain.
For all the debate, it might be a presidential election. For all the ferocity, it might be a battle between good and evil. You see, some folks are mighty single-minded about the role of raisins in oatmeal cookies.
One loud camp insists that an oatmeal cookie is only worth eating when packed with wrinkles of dried grape. Another maintains raisins are ruinous to an otherwise decent oatmeal. Then there’s the sassy set that looks to introduce – insert hand-wringing histrionics – chocolate chips into the equation.
Lucky for all, this cookie recipe rides a fence that crosses camps. Love raisins? This is your cookie. Abhor raisins? This is your cookie. Love raisins and chocolate? I recommend Raisinets, the chocolate-covered raisins found at movie-theater snack counters.
It’s a classic oatmeal raisin cookie, sweet but not too sweet, crisp on the edges but moist and chewy in the middle. Whatever your reception to raisins, it’s one great cookie.
For lighter baked goods, fluff the flour to aerate before measuring. Cinnamons are not created equal. This summer, I’ve become addicted to Penzey’s Extra Fancy Cassia Cinnamon. This recipe easily doubles and even triples. The dough freezes beautifully so consider mixing a double batch, one to bake now, one to bake later. But if you’re tempted by raw cookie dough, it’ll be hard to resist!
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OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES
Total time: 45 minutes
Makes about 30 cookies
- 1/2 cup (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter, room temperature (see ALANNA’s TIPS)
- 1/2 cup (111g) white sugar
- 1/2 cup (105g) brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon (yes, tablespoon!) vanilla
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, fluffed to aerate before measuring or 135g
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (see TIPS)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 1-1/4 cups (115g) oatmeal (old-fashioned or quick, not instant)
- 1 cup raisins, currants (my favorite) or Raisinets (optional)
Preheat oven to 350F.
In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugars well with an electric mixer. Add the egg and vanilla and combine well. (Caution: What follows is an unorthodox but mixing shortcut.) Add flour, cinnamon, soda and salt to bowl without mixing into butter mixture. With a spoon, lightly combine them on top, still without incorporating. Finally, use the mixer to combine well. With a wooden spoon, stir in the oatmeal and, if you’re a raisin-lover, the raisins, currants or Raisinets.
Using two spoons, one to scoop and one to scrape, fill a baking sheet, leaving room for spreading, shaping dough a bit to make round. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes; watch the first tray carefully, the time seems to vary from batch to batch and depends much on whether baking on non-stock cookie sheets, silicone mats or on parchment. In general, bake for shorter time for chewy cookies, a longer time for crispy cookies. Let cool slightly, then transfer to paper towels or wire racks to finish cooling.
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Vaiashali ~ Do try them, even without raisins they're really good, can't think how many years I've been making them and I I counted that far, I'd be providing way too many hints about my age!
Genie ~ I realized recently that I have a TON of recipes in Kitchen Parade that call for currants. But I haven't done my famous "Alpha Gam" currant scones yet. But I will ... some time, no doubt!
Thanks for taking the time to write. I'm so glad the cookie's a hit for you. You've got me wanting to set out some butter to make a batch in the morning. Hmm. I think I will.
I am wondering what I did wrong. I was making these cookies rather than my traditional ones for someone on weight watchers. They tasted great but they spread super thin and were difficult to get off the cookie sheet (I have not had this problem before) and essentially broke into pieces. The kids loved them crumbs and all but they were not presentable to give anyone. Would like to try again...please advise. Thanks!!
Stuff happens. Just last night my ever-perfect cornbread turned out really funny and I have no idea why there, either. Who knows?
So it's hard to know, I wish I could be more specific.
As for the reader who commented that they crumble for her, I find that as well, but only if I try to take the off the cookie sheet immediately after they come out of the oven. If you let them cool on the tray for about 10 minutes first, they become stable enough for me to place on a paper-towel-lined plate for the rest of the cooling time.
My only issue with them is that they were a little sweeter than I'd like. That's not necessarily a bad thing, since it's stopped me from eating them all right away. ^_^ I think I'd use a bit less sugar next time though.
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Thank you for taking a moment to write! I read each and every comment, for each and every recipe. If you have a specific question, it's nearly always answered quick-quick. But I also love hearing your reactions, your curiosity, even your concerns! When you've made a recipe, I especially love to know how it turned out, what variations you made, what you'll do differently the next time. ~ Alanna