22 Quick and Easy Recipes in 30 Minutes (or less) + 5 Chef Secrets To Make You A Better Cook!

Oatmeal Cookies with Raisins & Pecans

Tested & Perfected Recipes

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.

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.

See more recipes:

Comments

  • These cookies were so easy to make and are super delicious! The combination of ingredients is perfect! I made a second batch with chocolate chips instead of raisins for my step kids and they were incredible too!

    • — Melissa Gardner
    • Reply
  • Made these over the weekend and they are delicious! I substituted dark chocolate chips for the raisins (increased the quantity to about a cup) and omitted the nuts. I ended up cooking them a little longer than called for so they turned out a little crispy – just how we like them!

  • I made these with chocolate chips and walnuts (and reduced the brown sugar), but other than that followed the recipes. My daughter says these are the best cookies she’s ever had, and I have to concur. Perfect crisp to chewy ratio and so delicious and satisfying.

  • I was in search of a cookie recipe to make this weekend and saw this on your insta and made them immediately….they are so delicious. Very low on effort yet extremely tasty and satisfying. Thanks Jenn!

  • These are super delicious! Quick question…do you press down on the cookie dough a bit before baking or leave the mound untouched?

    • Hi Elisha, I don’t press down on them at all (and so glad you like them)!

  • Just made these for my Grandchildren. ❤️ Another fabulous recipe! Thanks Jen!

  • I made these as I was intrigued by the simplicity and the brown sugar. And of course, they were on this website, so knew they would be good. There really isn’t a cookie that I won’t eat and like, but oatmeal raisin cookies were low on my baking list. That said, I decided I would make this recipe and see. These are delicious. I loved them. Oatmeal raisin cookies moved way up on my list of favorite cookies after I made these. The texture, flavor, ease of making and how lovely they looked put these on repeat. Thank you for this version of a classic cookie! They make a great breakfast cookie!

  • Hi Jen! Thank you for another fabulous recipe! I made these cookies this evening and they came out great! I added mini chocolate chips with the raisins and used lite brown sugar because I didn’t have dark. They came out great! Perfect lift, and light with great flavor!

  • Theses cookies are amazing!!!!

  • I love these cookies. They are delicious and easy to make. I have dried cranberries instead of raisins for the Holidays.

  • My family absolutely loved these cookies! Everyone said that it was the best oatmeal cookie they have ever eaten by far! Followed the recipe exactly and they came out perfectly.

    • — Cassandra Fogiel
    • Reply
  • My quest for the perfect oatmeal cookie has ended. I have made these many times – both, as written, with raisins and pecans, and also customized. The mix ins could be chocolate chips, walnuts, chopped dried fruit, dried cranberries, chopped almonds or toffee bits, etc. etc. Crispy, chewy, delicious and always perfect.

  • My hubby‘s favorite cookie is oatmeal raisin. Add a few pecans or walnuts’ or even almonds to this recipe and you have a winner. Great for a morning breakfast snack or a late night bedtime treat with a big glass of ice cold milk. Perfect recipe!

    • — Anita Friedrich
    • Reply
  • This has turned into my go to cookie recipe. Easy to make. Not too many cookies, but simple to double. Most important – delicious. Have used mixed nuts and dried sour cherries with great results.

  • Delish! Added Butterscotch chips. Came out perfect! 😋 another great recipe from Jenn 😊

  • These cookies are incredible – so delicious! I made them with gluten-free oats and flour and they turned out perfectly. The only change I made was to add ¼ teaspoon Xanthan gum. Thanks, Jenn!

  • I love this recipe. This time I used some cut up dried figs because I didn’t have enough raisins and that was super! I should add that my fig were kind of old and dried out and they still worked well! I also added a bit of chopped dark chocolate bar.. It’s wonderful with and without these additions!

  • Made these cookies and they turned out great. A big hit! They do have that caramel- ly taste. I used golden raisins – plumper – And like other cooks I used pumpkin pie spice. I like the combo of spices. I always use extra vanilla. It’s all just individual taste. I appreciate that there’s not the usual brown sugar plus white sugar in this recipe. There’s plenty of sugar. I only had about 21 cookies. Maybe I made them a little big. They were perfect. Will make again.

  • I’ve made these cookies nearly every week that we’ve been stuck at home and my family LOVES them! The recipe is foolproof. I love the brown sugar base so much- are there any other cookies other than oatmeal with this same cookie base ? Thanks so much!

    • Hi Michele, so glad these have been hit with your family! No, unfortunately, I don’t have any other cookies that use that brown sugar base – sorry!

  • Best oatmeal raisin cookies I’ve ever made. I didn’t put the pecans in – I’m not a fan of nuts in cookies – and used about a cup of raisins. They were exactly as described – a little crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside and stayed that way for a few days stored in a food storage bag on the counter. These are my husbands favorite so I made a batch for Christmas. He loved them too. Thanks Jenn for another great recipe.

  • These are one of my favorite cookies! I have a lot to do over the next couple of days and wonder if I can make the dough ahead of time and put it in the refrigerator? If yes, how much ahead? I do see that you can freeze the dough balls so will use that as my back-up plan!

    • Yes, you can refrigerate the dough for 2 to 3 days. (And glad you like the cookies!)

  • Great oatmeal cookie recipe! I substituted dried Michigan cherries for the raisins. Family thought they were delish. Froze half of the batter for a treat another day.

  • Delicious easy to follow. I made mine a little more crisp.
    Family loved them.
    Thank you.

  • Has anyone tried them gluten free? If so, which flour(s) did you use? Thank you!

  • cookies was too dry!

  • I have no words to describe how much I like the recipes on this site. I have tried a few of them; a complete success. I am not a baker, and finally after a couple of failures I find this recipe, Oatmeal Pecans and Cranberries cookies and as a result I found the other recipes too.
    These cookies came out chewy gooey, buttery and pecan flavored and the texture just what I and my family were looking for. The measurements are given in metric and this was a great help for me rather than in cups or sticks.
    I find this recipes beautifully created, decadent tasting and yet so beautifully presented.
    Looking forward to try the pumpkin pecan torte.

    • — Marçela Marko
    • Reply
  • These. Are. So. Good. Chewy with the perfect slightly crispy edges. I made them with chocolate chips instead of raisins since that’s all I had on hand, but I kept thinking they would be PERFECT with raisins. Can’t wait to try that out.

  • I love all your recipes – and love the taste of these cookies. For some reason, all my cookies come out flat on the pan – not just this recipe but any cookie recipe that I’ve tried. Do you have any advice as to why this might be happening?

    • Hi Corinne, What brand of flour do you use?

    • Hi Corinne, What brand of flour are you using? I find that I have great luck baking with King Arthur flour. It’s a little higher in protein than some other flours so it gives baked goods a bit more structure.

    • I’ve been using a small batch farm organic flour

      • I’d suggest giving King Arthur all-purpose flour a try. It’s what I use for all my baking. It’s slightly higher in protein and helps to give baked goods more structure. Hope that helps!

        • Success!! My cookies look normal again – thank you so much Jenn – the change in flour did the trick!!

          • Yay!

            • — Jenn
  • I only have light brown sugar, can I substitute?

  • These cookies were delicious (despite two kids and my husband originally not wanting oatmeal cookies especially ones with raisins and pecans lol). Dark brown sugar in the cookie really added such a nice almost caramel/butterscotch flavor.

  • Once again, Jenn, you’ve nailed it. I added 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (because it is October) and refrigerated the dough before cooking. This recipe allows for each element to be appreciated-oats, raisins, pecans (I’m normally anti-nut, but in Jenn I Trust!) and brown sugar are wonderfully balanced. This has the makings of a family heirloom. We take our baked goods seriously around here….

  • Simply delicious! Made exactly as written and they were perfection.

    • — A Canadian Baker
    • Reply
  • Brought these to a friend’s home for a socially distant dinner. They were a big hit so I am glad I kept some at home for my hubby. Followed the recipe with one variation…added a heaping 1/2 cup of toffee bits. The toffee gave the cookie a butterscotch boost.

  • Made these today and are almost gone! I added 1/2 tsp of cinnamon… love the flavour it gives to this delicious cookie! Now off to make the brownies!

  • Excellent cookies. Regretfully, I over cooked them, So they were not soft after they cooled, my mistake, should have followed the recommended time 🙁, still they were delicious 😋 Definitely will make them again! This time I will follow ALL your instructions.

  • I made these today to give half away to the guys building fences on our farm in the blazing heat, and the other half for us at home. They turned out exactly like you described, soft and chewy in the center and lightly crunchy on the outside! Thank you for another perfect recipe! They are delightful, and surely won’t last long!

  • Made this no nuts but used dried cranberries…so very good and not difficult…plus alot healthier than chocolate chip…even good for breakfast with coffee…yum..also had to bake 14 minutes.. perfect

  • Wow! Who knew oatmeal cookies could be this good! Even my Oatmeal cookie Super Fan loves these, the perfect combo of crunchy and chewy! And my daughter who “hates” oatmeal cookies really liked them. Definitely a keeper, as all of Jenn’s recipes are…

    • These are definitely perfect cookies and my husband’s favorite. Can these cookies work as bars? Thank you!

      • Glad you like these! 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!

  • I made these! Since my husband’s favorite cookies are Oatmeal Raisin, I have tried many recipes. BUT Once Upon A Chef’s recipe is by far the BEST! With a wonderful buttery flavor and the edges are a bit crisp which gives a great texture. I really like them even without any chocolate in them! I won’t be using any other recipe from now on! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

    • My husband likes chewy cookies & I like crispy , so this is a perfect cookie for both of us & they are delicious.

      • — Gertrude O’ Neal
      • Reply
  • These cookies are amazing!! I’m normally not a big fan of oatmeal raisin cookies but I cannot stay out of these. I added some spices – cinnamon, allspice, clove, and nutmeg. This recipe is a keeper.

  • This is the best oatmeal cookie recipe I’ve ever tried! The combo of all dark brown sugar and salt give the cookies a salted caramel flavor.
    The added crunch of the pecans is a bonus!

  • 5 STARS! I have been searching forever for the PERFECT oatmeal cookie. And here it is! Crisp on the outside and deliciously chewy on the inside. Could it get any better than this??? Once again, Jenn has posted the most perfect recipe for this classic cookie. All the other “good” or “pretty good” recipes have been thrown away. This is the ONLY one I’ll ever make again. It is beyond perfect! Trust me! Whip up a batch and have your family confirm what I’m telling you. They will love you for this. You will love yourself too.

  • I have made these cookies 5 times in the last 2 months! The only changes I have made were to use walnuts and craisins, instead of pecans and raisins! I just happened to have a huge bag of craisins I was not planning to use for the intended purpose, and didn’t have enough pecans the first time I made the cookies. Each time they turned out perfectly! Very tasty and pretty healthy. I even gave a few to my neighbors and got great reviews from them. Adults and kids loved them. I did cook each batch for 14-15 minutes – 2 full baking sheets made about 4 dozen cookies the last time – I doubled the recipe after the first batch and freeze about 3 dozen cookies in separate sealing bags – 1 dozen in each bag. Excellent recipe! I will try with pecans and raisins when my bag of craisins runs out!

  • I love this cookie and it is easy . We have our own pecan trees here in Ohio perfect for the cookie . Have also left out pecans and replaced with coconut . Yummy all ways ! Oh did I mention my wife loves them also !

  • Hi Jenn,
    I love your recipes!! You make cooking and baking so much fun, thank you!!! I have a few questions on these cookies, do you shift the flour?

    Also, do you have any tips for the raisins/currants.? Mine are so small and hard.

    It’s the first time I’m making these and I am making them for my father, so I am a little nervous. We are mailing them to him since we can’t go up to Pennsylvania to visit him. Any tips on the best way to mail these cookies?

    Thank you,
    Amy from Maryland

    • Hi Amy, so glad you like the recipes! No, it’s not necessary to sift the flour. (Flour is pre-sifted nowadays so you can skip that step.) If your raisins/currants are hard, you can soak them in hot water for about 10 minutes before incorporating them into the recipe. Just make sure you drain them well after soaking them. Regarding sending them, I would recommend putting them in a tupperware/airtight storage container. If there’s extra space in the container, fill it with crumpled paper towels or waxed paper. Then put the container in a shipping box and use crumpled newspaper or other filling materials to keep the container from moving around in the box. Hope your father enjoys!

  • Delicious! This is a go to for sure.

  • I made these cookies today for my husband. They are absolutely delicious and came out exactly as described by Jenn. I couldn’t be more pleased with this recipe. Thank you, Jenn!

  • Wonderful chewy consistency but even with just 3/4 C. brown sugar these are way too sweet for my taste. Literally the first time I haven’t been thrilled with one of Jenn’s recipes.

    • They are truly wonderful and my niece keeps on asking for more!

      For some variations, would you add shredded coconut?

      • So glad you (and your niece) like them! Yes, I think it would be fine to add a little coconut. 🙂

  • It’s a really great recipe! Best oatmeal cookies I’ve had in a long time. I used walnuts instead of pecans and I added butterscotch chips, which were a GREAT addition.

  • My 5-year old decided he wanted to help and before I could stop him, dumped (and mixed!) the cup of brown sugar into the bowl with the dry ingredients. 😭. Is there anything I can do aside from throw everything out and start over??

    Amy

    • Hi Amy, I’m obviously weighing in too late to be helpful – I’m sorry! How did the cookies turn out?

      • Hi Jenn,
        The batter was a bit crumbly but they actually came out pretty good! I was pleasantly surprised. I’m actually making another batch today (with any extra “help” from my son:)

        Thanks!

        • So glad they came out despite the “help” that you got! 😉

Add a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.