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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Jenn, thank you so much for the time and effort you spend on your recipes! And thank you, especially, for this oatmeal cookie recipe. I have a very small, select group of cookie recipes collected over the years, rarely try a new one, and seldom put one into my permanent file. These are wonderful! I made it exactly as you specified, except: I used macadamias instead of pecans–Hubby LOVES macadamias. I did not have any dark brown sugar (I know I could have added in some molasses, but was very tired) so I used light brown. And lastly, because I like my cookies a little on the brown and crispy side, mashed them down a bit before baking. I baked for 13-14 min. PERFECT! I did make a few without mashing, but really prefer the flatter cookies. These were absolutely delicious and I will definitely be making them again. I was a little concenred about Hubby, because he finds many things too sweet, and I have a brown-sugar sugar cookie that is to DIE for, and I can literally eat the whole batch by myself, but it is really sweet. But he astonishingly said they were great–not too sweet! Thank you again. Double Yum!
Would these work baked in square pan for cookie bars?
Hi Chelsea, 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!
Excellent crisp to soft interior combination. This household does not like raisins so my substitution was dried Michigan cherries and chocolate chips, along with the pecans. Very rewarding recipe. Easy and exactly as I expected. Winner!
All your recipes are delicious!! I would love to make these for my dad; he just found out he is diabetic. Any suggestions on what I could use to substitute For brown sugar?
Hi Cindy, I wish I could help but I’ve never worked with sugar substitutes so I’m not sure what product to suggest or how it would impact the cookies. (If it helps at all, I have read plenty of comments from readers who have said they’ve replaced some or all of the sugar in a recipe with a substitute like Stevia and have had good results.)
Dear Jenn, these cookies look delicious and I LOVE good oatmeal cookies, so would love to try this recipe. My problem is that I am really not into nuts at all. Do you think I could substitute the nuts with equal amounts of raisins?
Sure, Barb – or you could just leave them out.
This is more of a question: would it be advisable to refrigerate the dough before baking? I have seen many recipes that encourage this, to ensure the cookies come out with a soft middle. I would like to know your thoughts. Thank you in advance!
Hi Cate, I usually only refrigerate cookie dough if the cookies are prone to falling flat in the oven, which is not the case with these. That said, if you do refrigerate the dough, the cookies will be puffier. Hope that helps!
hi Jenn,
I haven’t made these yet but have all the ingredients, so I will in the near future.
I just wanted to thank you for the many amazing recipes I’ve gotten from you. Every single one has been amazing. Literally, every one!
And thank you for always answering everyone’s questions. ❤️
💓 Thanks for your very kind words (and I hope you enjoy the cookies)!
I made these cookies yesterday and they are the best Oatmeal cookies ever. I had pecans on hand and had to soften my dark brown sugar to make them exactly as the recipe says. This will be my go to recipe. Crunchy on the outside, softer in the middle. They are smaller and I got 24 out of the recipe which was just fine. I had bought Sun Maid Raisins and they were soft and delicious in this cookie. I’m anxious for my family to try them as I’ve never found the tastiest oatmeal cookie until now. Thank you for the recipe.
I have made these cookies many times – a favorite in my home.
The raisins I had had turned hard – I chose to use chocolate chips instead.
If I had soaked the raisins in water to soften, would they have been ok to use ? Or would they have likely turned hard again during or after baking ?
Thank you
Glad you like them! I think the raisins would’ve been okay if you had soaked them. Hope they were good with the chocolate chips though!
If you simmer the raisins for 5 minutes or so then drain them they are even better than using fresh. I usually soften my raisins this way prior to adding to recipes…
A trick I found years ago in the Colorado Cache Cookbook was to beat the eggs and vanilla in a small bowl, add the raisins, cover and let soak on the countertop for an hour (or refrigerate and let soak for longer). Sometimes I’ll add a bit of rum! Works like a charm.
These oatmeal cookies are the best ever!!! Lots of rave reviews from the family.
These cookies are my husband’s favorite cookies! Thank you so much for the recipe! Can this recipe be doubled? Thank you.
Glad your hubby likes them! Yes, it’s fine to double them.