Chocolate-covered raisins (Raisinets) make these super thick oatmeal cookies an unbeatable treat.
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are my ultimate favorite. By far, my #1 cookie. If I’m ever in a coffee shop looking for a sweet treat to pair with my coffee, I would absolutely chose the oversized oatmeal raisin cookie over the triple chocolate chunk creation.
It’s the buttery, chewy oats, the kick of cinnamon, and the overload of plump, juicy raisins that lure me in every time. Or maybe it’s because they sound healthier? Whatever.
Rather than baking up my #1 favorite cookie this past weekend, I sprung for something to keep you all on your toes. These ain’t your mama’s oatmeal raisin cookies… these here babies are oatmeal raisinET cookies.
The cookies that come out of my kitchen must always adhere to my picky-cookie-eating guidelines. First, they gotta be THICK! I need my cookies tall and puffy.In order to achieve some thickness in all of my cookie recipes, I make sure my cookie dough balls are very tall. That’s my secret!
Rather than scooping my dough into perfect spheres, I scoop dough that is much taller than it is wide. This doesn’t allow the cookies to spread nearly as much while baking since they are so tall! And it makes for the perfectly puffy and uber-thick cookie.
Second, I like my cookies soft with the slightest crisp on the edge. I underbaked today’s cookies, taking them out of the oven at the 9 minute mark. I allowed them to cool on the silpat (or baking sheet) for 3 minutes and then transferred to a cooling rack. They are perfectly soft and gooey in the middle and firm enough on the edges.
I also like my cookies with a ton of texture and chunks, so I made sure to overload these guys with raisinets. I was going to add some nuts to them, but alas… was fresh out of walnuts. I didn’t really miss them, though, because there was plenty of texture from the oats and raisinets.
Now let’s talk some cookie science. #nerdalert
This isn’t the first time I made oatmeal cookies. My Oatmeal M&M Cookies are a personal favorite, but I used a slightly different oatmeal cookie recipe today. That recipe calls for baking soda rather than baking powder. Here’s something helpful to remember: substituting baking powder for baking soda, like I did in today’s cookie recipe, makes a cookie rise and stay puffy after baking. Meaning, they do not “sink” when taken out of the oven. But it’s not an easy 1:1 switch. Baking soda is 4x as powerful as baking powder and needs an acid to activate it.
Even though my previous Oatmeal M&M Cookies aren’t as puffy and thick as today’s cookies, they are definitely chewier. The reason? I used a higher ratio of brown sugar to white sugar in those cookies. Today, I used an equal ratio of brown sugar to white sugar. Something helpful to remember: using more brown sugar than white sugar in a recipe (3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup white sugar for example) will produce a chewier cookie.
Both of my oatmeal cookie recipes are delicious—I brought them both to work and each batch was gone within 30 minutes! If you want a thick, puffy cookie, go with today’s recipe and make sure to pull them out of the oven early if you want them soft! If you want an incredibly chewy cookie, go with my Oatmeal M&M Cookie recipe and sub Raisinets. 😉
Enough cookie science! Let’s get to the recipe!
Warning: this cookie dough is outrageously addicting. I may or may not have “tasted” the dough one too many times!
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Thick Oatmeal Raisinet Cookies
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 20 cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Chocolate-covered raisins make these super thick oatmeal cookies an unbeatable treat.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 3/4 cup old-fashioned whole rolled oats
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 and 1/2 cups Raisinets
Instructions
- With an electric or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together on medium speed. Add the egg and vanilla, mixing well until combined.
- On slow speed, mix in the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Manually stir in oats until the dough comes together. Fold in Raisinets. Roll into balls and freeze the balls for about 5 minutes, to get them chilly quickly.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (191°C).
- Place cookies on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Bake for 9-10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 3 minutes on the baking sheet. Transfer to a cookie rack. Cookies will be very soft and may not appear to be done, but they will set up in minutes.
Notes
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Cookie Scoop | Baking Sheet | Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper | Cooling Rack
- Be sure to check out my top 5 cookie baking tips AND these are my 10 must-have cookie baking tools.
I tweaked this slightly as I had raisins on hand, and I also converted everything to grams. Also wanting a very thick cookie I also added 2 tsp of cornstarch. When I formed the dough according to the directions I popped my cookie sheet in the freezer as I had to go out for over an hour. When I came home, I pre-heated my oven and my cookies baked beautifully, came out nice and thick. Everyone loved them. Next time I will have to do a double batch. I like really thick cookies.
Could I freeze the cookies dough balls for this recipe?
Hi Ruth, absolutely, cookie dough balls will freeze well for up to 3 months.
I made these for book club and everyone loved them and asked for your recipe. I referred them to this site. Question: Could these be baked in a dish as a bar cookie do you think?
Hi Linda! You can definitely use this cookie dough for cookie bars. A 9×13 inch pan would be best. We’re unsure of the exact bake time.
I have saved a few other of your recipes. But today I come here for an oatmeal cookie and WoW so many options, your my new cookbook
Thank you!
Always great recipes from you. thank you.
Everything about this recipe was great … except the cinnamon. I baked a batch for my husband and boys and there was general agreement that the cinnamon competes for dominance with the flavor of the chocolate and the cookies would probably be better without that, so next time I’ll just leave the cinnamon out. Thank you for a good recipe!
You could also just try less. I also thought 1.5 teaspoons might be too much and just used 1/2 a teaspoon. I think that amount added a little something that made them extra delicious!
So delish! My 4 year old and I made them today for quarantine. The recipe was easy and my daughter was able to help. We didn’t freeze them. I did have to add a few minutes to them.
we used chocolate chips instead of raisinets because its what we had.
Sally, many decades ago my sister made an Oatmeal choco chip cookie that was really thick/dense but oh so good, actually. Her house burned and the recipe lost. Could I simply increase flour to create a much thicker not gooey cookie? Thx.
Heavenly!! Followed the recipe, using Silver Palate oatmeal, which is quite textured.
I ❤ your site!! Quick question… since brown sugar makes cookies chewier, could you just use brown sugar and no white sugar in the recipe? Or is the combination of the two the best for baking cookies?
Hi Myra! This is a great question. The combination of white and brown sugars makes a wonderful cookie because brown sugar adds moisture, chew, and flavor while white sugar helps the cookies spread and not stay puffy. I recommend both.
Just made these with half vanilla yogurt covered raisins and half chocolate covered craisins. They are yummy! They are crisp on the outside and really nice and soft on the inside. I didn’t flatten mine so they were not as flat but still good~ Thank you. They definitely don’t seem like they are done when you take them out but they firm up for sure
Can these cookies be doubled with no problems?
Yep.
I just made these today and I can’t keep my boys out of them! I think they’re aiming for cookies for dinner…not on my watch fellas! These are seriously good though! I can’t believe I’ve never thought to put Raisinets in oatmeal cookies, it seems so obvious… I’ve totally been missing out! But that’s why I love you, Sally…for your baking genius! I even used some whole wheat flour (half cup) and subbed in a little stevia and no one can even tell 🙂
Sally,
Wow!! I just made these minus the rasisinets (did not have any on hand but will try those next). I used cranrasins, raisins, and white chocolate chips and these were the BEST oatmeal cookies I have ever baked and tasted!!!!
Oatmeal cookies are one of my faves and since I am the only one in the house who loves them I figured my kiddos would take a pass on these…..NOT! They said it was their new favorite! LOL!!
Thanks again for sharing your talent I so enjoy using your recipes and by far your cookie recipes ROCK!!
Big Hugs~Leese
You’re right about the cookie dough, Sally, it is addicting….I had to sit on the other side of thr counter to keep from eating it!!!
Hi Sally! If adding pecans in this recipe as well as raisinets, how much pecans would you add? Thanks!
I would stick to 1 and 1/2 cups total add-ins (broken down to whichever ratio you prefer). So, 3/4 cup and 3/4 cup for example.
Can you use just raisins? They don’t sell raisinets here 🙁
That would be just fine!
Hi Sally! I love all your recipes and this one looks delicious! I tried making it yesterday but the cookie didn’t melt down in the oven like yours. It stayed high like a ball..any ideas where I could’ve gone wrong? Here in Canada we do not have old fashioned rolled oats, we only have large flake oats or quick oats. I used quick oats, you think that that have been the problem? Also, do you sift the flour for this recipe? The cookie still taste good, my 3 year old devoured it, just didn’t look good. Thanks!
Hi Elle! Thank you so much for trying these cookies! It sounds like there was too much flour/quick oats to soak up all the moisture and therefore – preventing your cookies from spreading at all! Since you only have quick oats, I’m going to suggest lowering the flour measurement to only 1 cup. That will help!
Just baked these and they’re delish! Took them out at exactly 9 minutes and the texture is perfect. And used your tip about mounding the dough to make the cookies taller and what a difference – Genius 🙂
I just recently stumbled upon your blog and I love all your cookie recipes! I’ve tried a couple so far and now I’m curious about your “tall” cookie dough trick. Just wondering if you could elaborate, I always use a cookie scoop so I just wondered if you scoop then form or what? Thanks so much
Hey Christi! I do not use a cookie scoop. I scoop up some cookie dough with a spoon then shape the dough into a tall dough ball. Not a perfect sphere or ball, much taller rather than wide. Hope this makes sense. Thanks Christi!
LOVE the tall cookie dough trick! Cannot say it enough! Definitely has changed the outcome of every cookie I make, will never go back to the old scooping way. Thank you soooo much for sharing! 🙂
Hey Nicole!! That’s so great to hear! I know, I swear by this cookie dough trick too. It works every time!
these look amazing – what do you think about switching the raisinets for yogurt covered raisins?
Sounds like a great idea Stephanie! Yum!
Omg I don’t do that much baking but I made these tonite and these are PERFECT!!! I am so happy! I even made them tall like you said I couldn’t believe how beautiful they turned out! Thank you!
Hi Shannon! This recipe still is and will always be one of my very favorites. I love oatmeal cookies! I’m so glad they turned out well for you. The “tall” trick works wonders, doesn’t it?!?! Thanks Shannon! Happy Holidays.