My quest for these incredible oatmeal raisin cookies started a long time ago. Said journey with cookies started horribly. My cookies were the worst…they were worse than cheap store-bought cookies. They were flat, crunchy, and kind of like snacking on cardboard. Poorly flavored cardboard.
Then I bought a book. One single book about cookies. (I had tried other ones…this one was actually good). Now I make the best cookies you will ever taste. They’re flavorful. They’re moist and soft. They’re decadent. This recipe is a slight adjustment from that book.
I’ve also included some tips on how to make perfect cookies. (The parchment paper and when to pull them out of the oven are particularly important!
So, without further ado: (drumroll): soft and chewy oatmeal raisin cookies!
In case you’re interested, the pretty dark chocolate cookies in the background can be found in “Perfect Black and White Chocolate Chunk Cookies.”
And the beautiful golden ones in the front can be found in “White Chocolate Chunk Macadamia Cookies.”
Recommended:
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If there was one single book on baking, I would recommend, it would be this: 400 Sensational Cookies.
• It’s not just recipes. It has an entire section on ingredients in cookies, what they do, and how/if to make adjustments. I’ve transferred these tips to other baking. (For example, my fabulous “Homemade White Bread” uses butter and shortening because they have different effects).
• It has a tip sections. (Are you using the right cookie sheets? How long are you cooling before moving? Etc.)
• And the recipes are fabulous! I’ve tried four in the book…3 were more fabulous than any cookies I’ve ever eaten. The fourth was good, just not to our taste.
Tips for the Perfect Cookies:
- Use flat cookie sheets. NOT the sheets with the 1″ lip on the side (technically called jelly-roll pans). This will affect air flow and how the cookies bake.
- Know how to measure ingredients. See “How to Measure Ingredients Accurately” post. Cookies are a delicate substance. Flour in particular needs to be measured via the correct method.
- Use parchment paper. Trust me. It makes it very easy to slide them right off the pan after cooking (no trying to lift them with a spatula). This means you can:
- Pull out the cookies before you think they’re done. They’ll still be soft and look a little underdone. Since they’re on parchment paper, you can slide them on the cooling rack without having them fall apart.
- Follow the ingredients exactly on this recipe. Don’t try to substitute margarine or a sugar substitute for the sugar. Cookies are delicate and every substitution has dramatic results on the final result.
- Cook one sheet at a time.
Soft & Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 C. all-purpose flour
- 1 & 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 & 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 C unsalted butter softened
- 1 & 1/3 C granulated white sugar
- 2/3 C light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 C Quaker rolled oats quick cooking type
- 1 & 1/3 C raisins
- 3/4 C chopped pecans optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until well-mixed.
- In a stand mixer (or large bowl if using traditional mixer), cream together butter, sugar, and brown sugar approximately 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down bowl.
- Beat in vanilla. Scrape down bowl.
- On low speed, add flour mixture gradually, approximately 1/3 cup at a time. Beat until just blended (don't over-mix!).
- Stir in oats, raisins, and pecans.
- Drop large tablespoons full of dough onto parchment-lined cookie sheets. Make sure you leave room between cookies for them to expand.
- Bake- one sheet at a time- for 10 to 12 minutes. Pull out the cookies before they look entirely done (they will harden as they cool).
- Slide parchment paper onto cooling rack. Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies from parchment paper onto another cooling rack and allow to cool.
I liked reading your tips. These look amazing. Great with cold milk.
Thanks! I swear my cookies improved more from learning about HOW cookies work and the tips (especially to pull them out of the oven before they look done) than from actually having a great recipe. Even these don’t turn out all soft and chewy if you let them cook too long.