Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

As a child I was not a fan of oatmeal raisin cookies. I firmly believed that 1) raisins did not belong in cookies, and 2) adding oatmeal was my parents’ way of secretly making cookies healthy. I was not OK with either.

I distinctly remember one night my Dad said we were making cookies. 5 year-old Fiona jumps with excitement. “We’re making oatmeal raisin cookies,” says Dad. Cue temper tantrum. Feet stomping. Emergency run-away backpack packing.

(I’m sorry Dad!)

Luckily, I came to my senses and I crossed over to the raisin-loving cookie club. Super chewy, buttery, filled with cinnamon and vanilla… a slight caramel taste from the brown sugar, and lots of texture from the oatmeal. Yup – oatmeal raisin cookies are delicious.

I guess my Dad had a few things right.

So… How do these cookies turn even the biggest chocolate lover into an oatmeal raisin fan?

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. Super soft, chewy and packed with flavor from vanilla, cinnamon & nutmeg - you won't want to miss this recipe! www.justsotasty.com

First, you start with real butter – you can’t get the perfect buttery taste & cookie texture without it. Then lots of brown sugar makes your cookies super soft & chewy – and adds a caramel taste. (Talk about win, win, win).

Vanilla, cinnamon & nutmeg creates the perfect flavor combo. And finally, using old-fashioned or large flake oats add tons of chewy texture.

SO SO SO TASTY!!!!! I can’t get over it.Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. Super soft, chewy and packed with flavor from vanilla, cinnamon & nutmeg - you won't want to miss this recipe! www.justsotasty.com

Now – to fight off spreading and make sure your cookies are extra chewy & soft you’ll need to chill your dough. I first formed mine into balls of about 1 to 1.5 tablespoons using a cookie scoop and then popped them in the fridge for an hour.

Only take your cookies out of the fridge right before you’re about to bake them – that way you won’t undo the magic of chilling your dough.

Then for my final piece of advice. Underbake your cookies! The tops need to be just set when you take them out of the oven – about 10-12 minutes. Your cookies will continue to bake as you let them cool on the tray. Slightly underbaked cookies = super chewy & soft. Mine took exactly 11 minutes.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. Super soft, chewy and packed with flavor from vanilla, cinnamon & nutmeg - you won't want to miss this recipe! www.justsotasty.com

So, if you love oatmeal raisin cookies – High Five, you’re going to love these. If you don’t – I dare you to try them, you just might cross over to the oatmeal raisin loving dark side.

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter , softened to room temperature
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
2/3 cups all-purpose flour , plus 1-2 extra tablespoons if needed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 and 3/4 cups oatmeal , old fashioned or large flake, not quick or instant oats)
2/3 cup raisins

Instructions

In a large bowl using a stand or hand-held electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugars on medium speed until light & fluffy. Add in the egg, milk & vanilla and continue beating until combined.
In a separate medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter, mixing on low with the electric mixer until combined. Turn of the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a large rubber spatula or wooden spoon, then add in the oats and mix on low speed until incorporated. Gently stir in the raisins with your wooden spoon or rubber spatula. If the batter seems extremely sticky, stir in 1 to 2 more tablespoons flour.
Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, form the dough into balls of about 1 to 1.5 tablespoons - I got 24 total - and place on a plate. Cover with plastic wrap and chill dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to 48.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Once preheated, remove the cookie dough from the fridge and place balls 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until the tops are just set. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.