Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are an easy baking recipe for a delicious homemade treat. Try them this weekend - they bake up soft and make your home smell amazing!
Beat butter and both sugars in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until creamy.
Add egg and vanilla and beat just until combined - do not overmix the egg or you'll get tough cookies.
Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a small bowl. Add to egg mix and beat on low speed just until combined.
Fold in oats, chopped pecans and raisins (use a spatula here, or your mixer will get stuck).
Use a cookie scoop to scoop roughly 2-3 tablespoon portions of cookie dough. Place on lined baking sheets about 2 inches apart, then chill for 30-60 minutes.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake in batches for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly golden brown (they will still feel very soft when they come out of the oven).
Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.
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Notes
Baking Tips:
Don’t overmix the egg. A quick mix until combined is enough or you’ll have tough cookies.Don’t skip the chilling. These really do need to chill. The dough is very soft (which yields a soft cookie!) and spreads too much without at LEAST 30 minutes of chilling.Use a cookie scoop. It really makes portioning out cookie dough so much easier and faster!Leave enough space on the baking sheet. This recipe makes too many cookies to bake on one baking sheet. Space them apart at least 2 inches to keep them from spreading into each other.
Ingredient Notes:
Oats: Use old-fashioned oats instead of quick-cooking oats (or do a mix) for chewier, more textured cookies.Spices: You can also switch up the spices - try adding ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger, or a few pinches of nutmeg or cardamom.Sugar: If you don't have any brown sugar, you can use all white sugar.
Freezer Instructions:
To freeze the cookie dough:I find it’s easiest to scoop the cookies, then freeze them in a single layer for about 6 hours (either on the lined cookie sheet or, if you don’t have the freezer space, on a plate lined with baking parchment.Then, bag them in bags or containers suitable for freezing. Label with the name and use-by date (freeze for up to 3 months)Bake straight from frozen as directed in the recipe, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time. Make sure the cookies are no longer frozen in the middle and piping hot all the way through!To freeze the baked cookies:Place the cookies in freezer-friendly containers, separating layers with wax paper. Label with the name and use-by date (freeze for up to 3 months) before placing in the freezer.To defrost, unpack the cookies and place them on a wire rack on the counter. Allow to defrost for a couple of hours. For that freshly baked cookie taste, warm them in the microwave for a few seconds, or in the oven for a few minutes.