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Oatmeal Cookies with Raisins & Pecans

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Crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, these are the end-all-be-all oatmeal cookies.

Oatmeal cookies with raisins and pecans on parchment paper.

I love to find end-all-be-all recipes for classic American desserts. This oatmeal cookie recipe is one of them (see also my favorite chocolate chip cookies and my go-to brownie recipe). You bakers out there know that it can take many attempts to get it just right, but once you find that perfect recipe, it’s your go-to forever. These are not your ordinary oatmeal cookies. The recipe calls for way fewer oats than most, which, strangely, makes for much better oatmeal cookies. They are also sweetened entirely with brown sugar, which gives them rich flavor and makes them slightly crispy on the outside and deliciously chewy on the inside. Be careful not to overcook these; oatmeal cookies get very crispy if baked too long and you’ll enjoy them so much more if they are slightly chewy.

What you’ll need to make Oatmeal Cookies with Raisins & Pecans

ingredients for oatmeal cookies

How to make Oatmeal Cookies with Raisins & Pecans

To begin, combine the oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.

combining dry ingredients in bowl

Whisk well.

whisking dry ingredients in bowl

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and brown sugar.

butter and brown sugar in mixing bowl

Beat on medium speed until creamy, about 3 minutes.

beating the butter and brown sugar

Add the egg and vanilla.

adding the egg and vanilla

Beat until smooth, about 30 seconds.

beating in the egg and vanilla

Add the flour/oatmeal mixture.

adding the dry ingredients

Mix on low speed until just combined.

mixing the dough

Add the pecans and raisins.

adding pecans and raisins

Mix until just combined.

oatmeal cookie dough in bowl

Drop the dough into 1-1/2-tablespoon mounds onto the prepared baking sheets.

oatmeal cookie dough balls on baking sheet

Bake until the edges are slightly golden but the centers are still pale, 11 to 13 minutes.

oatmeal cookies on baking sheet

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then either slide the papers off the pans onto cooling racks or transfer the cookies with a spatula.

oatmeal cookies cooling on rack

Once cool, store the cookies in an air-tight container.

how to make oatmeal raisin cookies

YOu may also like

Oatmeal Brown Sugar Cookies with Raisins & Pecans

Crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, these are the end-all-be-all oatmeal cookies.

Servings: Makes about 32 cookies
Total Time: 45 Minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (do not use quick cooking or instant oats)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened but still cool
  • 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup coarsely chopped pecans
  • ¾ cup raisins or currants

Instructions

  1. Position two racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then add the egg and vanilla and beat again until smooth, about 30 seconds.
  4. Add the flour and oatmeal mixture and mix on low speed until just combined; add the pecans and raisins and mix again until just combined. Do not over-mix.
  5. Drop the dough into 1½-tablespoon mounds about 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway through, or until the edges are slightly golden but the centers are still pale. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then either slide the papers off the pans onto cooling racks or transfer the cookies with a spatula. Once cool, store the cookies in an air-tight container.
  6. Note: The recipe can easily be doubled, but keep in mind that oatmeal cookies are best enjoyed fresh on the day they are baked.
  7. Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The Cookie Dough can be Frozen for up to 3 Months: Scoop the dough into balls, let set on a baking sheet in the freezer, then place in a sealable bag and press out as much air as possible. Bake as needed directly from the freezer. (Allow 1 to 2 minutes longer in the oven.) To Freeze After Baking: Let the cookies cool completely and store in an airtight container separating layers with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Before serving, remove the cookies from the container and let them come to room temperature.

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Serving size: 1 cookie
  • Calories: 105
  • Fat: 5 g
  • Saturated fat: 2 g
  • Carbohydrates: 15 g
  • Sugar: 9 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 1 g
  • Sodium: 13 mg
  • Cholesterol: 52 mg

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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Comments

  • I have a #40 and a #20 cookie scoop. I know that the first will yield about a 2.75 cookie diameter. If I use the #40, (which should yield a 3.5″ cookie diameter?) will these bake any differently, time-wise, and/or consistency? Thanks!

    • — Jane on March 21, 2024
    • Reply
    • Hi Jane, if you use the larger cookie scoop, the cookies will take a little longer to bake, but it shouldn’t impact the consistency. Enjoy!

      • — Jenn on March 21, 2024
      • Reply
  • This is the best oatmeal cookie I have ever made! So easy and perfection every time. The only thing I do different is that I toast my pecans. I have started doing this in any recipe that calls for pecans and it makes these cookies even better!!

    • — Heather on March 19, 2024
    • Reply
  • This is a terrific cookie recipe. Since my husband is not a huge fan of oatmeal cookies I decided to plump the raisins with 3 TBSP dark rum for one hour. I drained them and added them to the mixture . They came out well and he was very happy to eat several. Thank you for this one. It’s a keeper!

    • — Suzanne G on March 10, 2024
    • Reply
  • Can I use margarine instead of butter? I expect the flavor to change but will the texture be affected?

    • — Melanie on February 22, 2024
    • Reply
    • Hi Melanie, Yes, you should be able to get away with margarine as long as it’s stick margarine (not from a tub). Please LMK how they turn out!

      • — Jenn on February 22, 2024
      • Reply
      • Hi Jen, Do you mean that I can use margarine instead of butter? And do you think these cookies will work in the air fryer? In this case, at what temperature. Thanks.

        • — Ana María on March 2, 2024
        • Reply
        • Yes! I apologize for the confusion — I fixed my typo. 😊 And I don’t own an air fryer so unfortunately, I can’t tell you confidently whether or not these would work in one. Sorry!

          • — Jenn on March 7, 2024
          • Reply
  • Can I use light brown sugar instead of dark?

    • — Charlotte G on February 17, 2024
    • Reply
    • Sure – enjoy!

      • — Jenn on February 18, 2024
      • Reply
  • It is a good recipe however, mine did not turn out plump like yours. They were flat 🙁

    • — Theresa on February 6, 2024
    • Reply
    • Hi Theresa, I’m sorry these came out flat for you. are you making any adjustments to the recipe? If not, what brand of flour are you using?

      • — Jenn on February 7, 2024
      • Reply
      • Mine turned out perfectly I used walnuts instead of pecans so very delicious!!!!

        • — Julie Williams on February 20, 2024
        • Reply
        • Mine came out flat as well. I followed the directions exactly

          • — pattycakes on March 12, 2024
          • Reply
  • Jennifer, I have not made the cookies yet but I was wondering if it would be OK to bake them as a bar cookie. If so, what size pan would I need to use? Thank you, Jennifer T.

    • — Jennifer Turnbow on January 29, 2024
    • Reply
    • Hi Jennifer, I think you could make them into bars — I’d recommend a 9-inch square dish. Not sure about the baking time so keep a close eye on them. Please LMK how they turn out if you try it!

      • — Jenn on January 29, 2024
      • Reply
  • Thanks so much to the other reviewers who noted the sweetness. I cut the sugar in half and still found them plenty sweet. Husband agreed. That said,they’re very tasty. I did plump the raisins,toasted the nuts and added cinnamon and five spice powder. Just on a whim added that five spice powder which gave it a really nice flavor.

    • — Jennifer Hughes on January 19, 2024
    • Reply
  • I don’t even like oatmeal cookies. BUT….I think these are the berries as my mom would say! I tried these for my husband and now these are the only ones I will make. Thank you!

    • — Tish on January 18, 2024
    • Reply
  • This is a knock out of the park receipe. I doubled it and froze in packs of 4. So good!!!

    • — Lindylou on January 15, 2024
    • Reply
  • Jennifer…the oatmeal, raisin, pecan cookies really are “The be all, end all “ oatmeal cookies. We loved them….and we are very very particular about our oatmeal raisin cookies. Thanks so much…another once upon a chef addition to my recipe binder, and there are many.

    • — Lena Cole on January 5, 2024
    • Reply
  • I know that leaving a comment if you’ve made changes is kinda like cheating but I really have to share this.
    First, it’s an amazing recipe!
    So easy to make, your directions are perfect and even with changing things up, the cookies are crazy delicious.
    So what did I change?
    I wanted it to be a bit healthier so I used whole wheat flour and instead of pecans I added sunflower and pumpkin seeds.
    They turned out like granola cookies 😀
    Like I said…amazing!
    Thanks so much

    • — Elona on January 1, 2024
    • Reply
  • The best oatmeal raisin cookie Ever!

    • — Lisa J on December 25, 2023
    • Reply
  • These are absolutely delicious! Swapped out nuts with chocolate chips and they were perfect!

    • — Jill on December 13, 2023
    • Reply

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