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. I don’t recommend quick-cooking/instant oats. 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.
- 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. The cookies would also be delicious with chopped walnuts.
- 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 a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use a hand mixer with beaters), 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 wire racks or transfer the cookies with a spatula.
Make-Ahead, Freezing & Storage Instructions
The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature (they are best enjoyed fresh on the day they are baked). 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
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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I have tried several different oatmeal cookie receipes and NOTHING compares to this one! I didnt have pecans on hand so I didnt use them. Other than that I got creative and used 1/3 cup raisins, 1/3 cup dried unsweetened cherries amd 1/3 cup dried juice sweetened cranberries. I also only used 1/2 cup of the dark sugar. Everything else stayed the same. Delicious! This is the way to make oatmeal cookies. Moist, soft and buttery! Perfect!
Hi Jenn,
We have a nut allergy in our family. Can I just omit the pecans, or should I add more oats or more raisins instead? I’m looking forward to making these!
Thanks, Amy
Hi Amy, I would just omit the pecans…unless you like lots of raisins, then that will work too 🙂
Delicious oatmeal cookies, nice crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside, I loved that they were not too sweet. My favourite oatmeal cookie recipe! love the toasted pecans in there.
Hi Jenn Made these today and they were delicious. The only problem I had was they didn’t flatten out like your pictures showed. I used a 1 ounce scoop and the batter make 20 cookies, they just were thicker than shown. Where did I go wrong?
Hi Sharon, Did you use the spoon and level method to measure the flour?
Yes, I used that method, thought maybe there was too much batter in each cookie?
Hmmm, possibly. Or did you by chance chill the dough before baking the cookies?
Ohhhhhh baby. These are good… I’m not a big oatmeal raisin fan, nor do I generally enjoy cookies with nuts (I wanted dessert, not granola!) But my husband loves both, so I thought he’d get a kick out of these. I planned to follow the recipe, but couldn’t shake the urge to add some maple extract- wow! I used 1/2 t vanilla and 1/2 t maple extract. It’s just ridiculous. I can’t wait till my guy gets home and tries these!
how many calories per cookie?
Hi Clint, There are 186 calories per cookie. I’ve added all the nutritional data beneath the recipe.
I almost didn’t toast the pecans but I’m sooo glad I did. They make the cookies. I also added cinnamon (1/2 tsp) and nutmeg (1/8 tsp) and used white whole wheat flour. But seriously, the toasted pecans – yum!
Omg!,. I just made these tonight for my family and I must they are DELICIOUS!,. I love your recipes.
Thank you, Ireisha. Glad your family liked them!
You’re welcome.
Do you plump your raisins in water before adding to batter?
Nope! 🙂
Hi Jenn,
Why aren’tmy cookies flat like the ones you show on the photo? The taste is good but they are not shaped like cookies. They are a bid mound and didn’t flatten out. Please tell me why.
Thanks.
Hi Lucy, Hmmm, not sure. Did you measure the flour using the spoon and level method? Did you by chance refrigerate the dough before baking the cookies?
No, I did not do refrigerate the dough before baking but I did measure the flour correctly. Was I supposed to refrigerate the dough? I didn’t use room temperature butter though. It was still cold from the fridge. Is that the reason?
Hi Lucy, No you are not supposed to refrigerate the dough. The cold butter might be the problem, as cold dough makes much “puffier” cookies.
My cookies too are mounds and I measured flour by spoon and the butter was soft…should I flatten them slightly.
If you measured the flour correctly and the butter was not too cold, then yes, I think you could flatten them a bit to make them less puffy.
Me and my husband made these and we both devoured them. They were sooo delicious and chewy!