Best Oatmeal Cookie Recipe
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Meet your new go-to oatmeal cookie recipe: just the right texture, that nostalgic flavor you love, and a dough that’s easy to whip up whenever the craving hits. They’re a must-bake for any cookie lover!
I love discovering end-all-be-all recipes for classic American desserts (see also my favorite chocolate chip cookies and make-on-repeat 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. This isn’t your average oatmeal cookie recipe—it uses way fewer oats than most, which, surprisingly, makes for much better oatmeal cookies.
I also opt for using all brown sugar instead of granulated sugar or a combination of the two. This gives the cookies a rich flavor, a slightly crisp exterior, and a perfectly chewy center.
Like chocolate chips in your oatmeal cookies? I’ve got you covered—my oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are always a hit.
“Golden brown, crispy, chewy perfection! This is now my forever recipe. I can’t wait to try different mix-ins!”
What You’ll Need To Make The Best Oatmeal Cookies
- Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats: Give the cookies their signature chewy texture and toasty oat flavor. Stick with rolled oats—quick-cooking oats won’t give you the same hearty texture.
- All-Purpose Flour: Adds structure to the dough so the cookies hold their shape. For best results, scoop it into your measuring cup with a spoon and level it off with a knife.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: Work together to help the cookies rise.
- Unsalted Butter: Brings richness and moisture, plus that classic buttery flavor we all love in a good cookie.
- Dark Brown Sugar: Adds deep, molasses-like sweetness and helps keep the cookies soft. Be sure to pack it tightly when measuring.
- Egg: Holds everything together and gives the cookies a bit of lift.
- Vanilla Extract: Rounds out the flavors with warm, sweet notes.
- Coarsely Chopped Pecans: Add a nutty crunch and buttery flavor. You can swap in walnuts or skip the nuts altogether if you prefer.
- Raisins or Currants: Bring natural sweetness and chewiness. Other dried fruits like cranberries or chopped apricots work great, too. Pro Tip: If your dried fruit is overly dry or firm, you can soak it in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain well—this keeps it soft and plump in the cookies.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Whisk the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk the oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
Step 2: Cream the butter and sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use a hand mixer and large mixing bowl), combine the butter and brown sugar. Butter that’s just a touch cooler than room temperature blends more easily and helps achieve a uniform creamy texture—if it’s too cold, the mixture may be clumpy.
Step 3: Beat until creamy. Mix on medium speed until the mixture looks creamy and light, about 3 minutes. Aim for a pale, fluffy mixture.
Step 4: Add the egg and vanilla. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until smooth, about 30 seconds.
Step 5: Add the dry mixture. Add the flour and oat mixture to the bowl and mix on low speed until just combined. Overmixing at this stage can make the cookies tough—stop as soon as the dry ingredients are incorporated.
Step 6: Stir in the mix-ins. Add the pecans and raisins and mix just until evenly distributed—don’t overdo it.
Step 7: Portion the dough. Drop the cookie dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets in 1½-tablespoon mounds, spacing them a couple of inches apart. It’s not necessary, but if you have a cookie scoop, use it to make easy work of portioning out the dough.
Step 8: Bake and cool. Bake at 350°F for 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges are golden but the centers are still pale. Be careful not to overcook oatmeal cookies; they get very crispy if baked too long, and you’ll enjoy them so much more if they are slightly chewy. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then slide the parchment onto wire racks or use a spatula to transfer the cookies. Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Enjoy!
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Oatmeal Cookies
Old-school in the best way, these oatmeal cookies are tender, golden around the edges, and full of classic oatmeal-raisin goodness.
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
- Position two racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cookie dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. Scoop into balls, freeze on a baking sheet until firm, then transfer to a sealable bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Bake directly from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the baking time. The baked cookies can also be frozen. Once cooled completely, store in an airtight container with parchment or foil between layers. Let them come to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition Information
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- 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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I don’t have parchment paper what should I do?
Hi Nuray, You can grease a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
One of my favorites, added it to my bookmarks years ago and keep referring back when I feel like baking cookies at home. It’s easy to swap out ingredients – I’ve used dried cherries or blueberries and almonds, pecans or walnuts, depending upon what I have on hand. The standard recipe with raisins and pecans is the best so far.
I thought these were delicious. The only thing I did was leave out the raisins – personal preference. But I think I will put chocolate chips in with them next time. Great recipe.
jjsell76 at yahoo dot ocm
I would never try another recipe again!
These are the best oatmeal cookies I have tried. Thanks.
Thanks for the reply, I really appreciate it.
These look great! Do you think i could sub some ww flour for some or all of the white? Thanks!
Hi Laura, I don’t see why not, although you might want to use a tad less as whole wheat flour tends to dry out baked goods.
This is my new favorite oatmeal cookie. I made these for a potluck and ate almost half of them myself before I even got there! I ended up needing to make another batch in a big hurry. Fantastic with a glass of cold milk.
I will not make another oatmeal cookie again! these are addicting. I used the next day cookies and put into homemade apple pie ice cream for the “crust”- so good!
I just made these and they turned out fabulous. I didn’t measure the flour by tablespoonfuls, I just stuck my cup right into the bin and scooped. I soaked the raisins in spiced rum and left off the vanilla. I added a small handful of wheat bran, a large pinch of cinn and nutmeg,a few goopy twirls of molasses and I didn’t beat the sugar, egg, butter, I just mixed it up with a spoon (no licking, that’s gross), then plopped it in with all the ingredients and baked the heck out them. Thanks for the recipe!
We have been snowed in for a week and I was looking for a good oatmeal raisin cookie….as if we needed something else to eat!!! I always read the reviews and I must say the one above has made my day!! Funniest review EVER!! “I just made these…” NO you did not make these … you made an entirely different cookie. Thanks for the entertainment!!! Let’s bake!!! I cannot rate yet….but what the heck….