Oatmeal Cookies with Raisins & Pecans
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Crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, these are the end-all-be-all oatmeal cookies.
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.
If you find that you like the formula of these cookies — using fewer oats and more flour — and you’re drawn to chocolate chip cookies, you’ll likely love these oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. They strike the perfect balance of soft, chewy, and crisp.
“Bye bye any previous oatmeal cookie recipe I had…these are the winner!”
What You’ll Need To Make Oatmeal Cookies With Raisins & Pecans
- Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats: Add texture and a hearty oat flavor.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure to the cookies. Measure it by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off to ensure accuracy.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: Help the cookies rise and spread.
- Butter: Adds richness and moisture to the cookies.
- Dark Brown Sugar: Imparts a deep, caramelized sweetness. When measuring brown sugar, always pack it tightly to eliminate air pockets.
- Egg: Bind the ingredients together.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the flavor of the cookies with its aromatic richness.
- Coarsely Chopped Pecans: Bring a nutty crunch and rich, buttery flavor to each bite.
- Raisins or Currants: Infuse the cookies with natural sweetness and chewy texture. Either will work equally well.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
To begin, combine the oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
Whisk well.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and brown sugar.
Beat on medium speed until creamy, about 3 minutes.
Add the egg and vanilla.
Beat until smooth, about 30 seconds.
Add the flour/oatmeal mixture.
Mix on low speed until just combined.
Add the pecans and raisins.
Mix until just combined.
Drop the dough into 1-1/2-tablespoon mounds onto the prepared baking sheets.
Bake until the edges are slightly golden but the centers are still pale, 11 to 13 minutes.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
I don’t recommend it. Old-fashioned oats impart a chewy, nutty texture and flavor to oatmeal cookies, offering a thicker and heartier consistency compared to quick-cooking/instant oats. Opting for quick oats may result in cookies lacking the desired texture.
Sure! You can use your favorite dried fruit or what you have on hand, like dried cranberries or diced, dried apricots. Keep in mind they may add a slightly different flavor to the cookies.
Yep – it freezes nicely for up to 3 months. Just 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.) If you like to get ahead when baking, check out some helpful tips on how to freeze cookie dough.
Definitely — 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.
Sure, it’s fine to omit the nuts without any additional modifications.
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.
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.
- Note: The recipe can easily be doubled, but keep in mind that oatmeal cookies are best enjoyed fresh on the day they are baked.
- 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
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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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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.
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!
I only have light brown sugar, can I substitute?
Yep 🙂
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.