Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe

So during Labor Day weekend, I had some amazing Subway soft and chewy oatmeal raisin cookies. I don’t even really know why I stopped eating Subway oatmeal raisin cookies – they were always a nice treat especially after eating a Subway sandwich.

Anyway, when I got home these cookies were still on my mind so I searched on Google for a copycat recipe and found a few.

Unfortunately, the recipes I found and really wanted to try didn’t have any reviews so I decided against trying these recipes.

Instead, I tried winging it.

Yes, winging it! I mean after all how hard can baking some soft and chewy oatmeal cookies be anyway.

Boy, I was wrong.

I probably should have just followed one of the recipes I found online and call it a day.

However, since I was really desperate for some oatmeal raisin cookies and didn’t mind experimenting a bit, I continue baking these cookies even after failing miserably several times.

Yes, you heard right – several times! I was really desperate for some oatmeal cookies.

So let’s talk about a few of my mistakes quickly!

Presoaking the Oats, Too Much Spice and Not Enough Sugar and Egg

Firstly, presoaking the oats! Ugh! Yes, I did that!

I presoaked my old fashioned oats before incorporating it into the mixture.

Why, because I assumed softer oats created softer and chewier oatmeal raisin cookies.

Sigh … absolutely not – I was so wrong.

Instead of soft and chewy oatmeal cookies, the first batch of cookies came out looking and tasting like spiced rock cakes.

In fact, not only presoaking the oatmeal was a no-no I added too much cinnamon and nutmeg, and not enough sugar and egg.

So I adjusted the oatmeal raisin recipe and tried again.

Now I didn’t bake some good soft and chewy oatmeal cookies after the second, third, and even fourth time.

Yes fourth, clearly I was persistent. In fact, I still had issues I didn’t care for including:

• Cakey oatmeal raisin cookies
• Crumbly oatmeal raisin cookies
• Soft but not chewy oatmeal raisin cookies

However, eventually, after several other adjustments to the recipe using an article about cookie fails I finally baked two batches of oatmeal cookies I actually liked – one batch using old fashioned oats and the other using quick 1-minute oats.

What Actually Worked

If you are trying to create your own batch of soft and chewy oatmeal cookies here’s what finally worked after several attempts.

Now, these cookies are not Subway soft and chewy oatmeal raisin cookies.

However, they taste great and the recipe is quick and easy – I didn’t even chill the cookie dough.

Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

Unsalted butter:

Unsalted butter at room temperature was best for this soft and chewy oat recipe. In one of my failed cookie batches, I melted the butter, and let’s just say it didn’t work.

It was a little surprising the melted butter didn’t work especially considering melted butter should have helped produce a denser, chewier cookie. However, with the host of other problems this recipe originally had, I can’t really insist melted butter was the problem.

Dark Brown sugar:

Dark brown sugar gave these cookies a nice rich brown color which I liked so I continued using it even after several failed attempts.

Fortunately, as it turns out using dark brown sugar was a plus for this recipe because, besides the rich brown favorable oatmeal cookie color, the dark brown sugar added well-needed moisture to the soft and chewy oatmeal raisin cookies.

White sugar: 

After making a few batches of cookies I wanted the cookie a little sweeter but after these failed attempts my dark brown sugar was running out. However, I had plenty of white sugar in the pantry, so I added a few tablespoons of white sugar.

While adding extra sugar really help the cookie spread and caramelized better the cookie also crumbled. Fortunately, decreasing the white sugar by two tablespoons was just what the recipe needed.

Vanilla essence: 

I started the recipe with only one teaspoon of vanilla essence however, half a teaspoon was added later on.

While I was tempted to add more I didn’t because I didn’t want the vanilla flavor overpowering the flavor of the oats.

In the end, one teaspoon and a half of vanilla essence worked perfectly.

Small egg yolk:

The egg helps bind ingredients. However, since I didn’t have a lot of dry ingredients to work with half an egg yolk seemed fine.

However, after adjusting the recipe more egg yolk was needed to add more moisture to help form the oatmeal raisin recipe cookie dough.

Dry Ingredients

All-purpose flour:

From the beginning, this recipe had too much flour so the soft and chewy oatmeal raisin cookies came out like cakes.

However, after several failed soft and chewy oatmeal cookie attempts, one important thing I realized for every cup of old fashioned oats added the recipe requires 1/4 cup of leveled flour.

If too much flour, egg, and baking powder are added, plus too much air was whipped in the mixture among other things then a supposedly soft and chewy oatmeal raisin cookie by default will be cakey.

Therefore, to avoid a cakey oatmeal cookie start by not using too much flour.

Oatmeal:

Both old fashioned oats and quick 1-minute oats were used. Now, while both created delicious soft and chewy oatmeal raisin cookies I prefer using old fashioned oats for baking soft and chewy oatmeal raisin cookies.

However, if the recipe requires old fashioned oats but you only have quick 1-minute oatmeal or vice versa this recipe will work well with either type of oats.

Salt:

Salt intensives the flavor in cookies and cake mixtures. Therefore if you seek a robust oats, spice, and vanilla flavor adding salt is an absolute must.

Baking soda:

This recipe started out using baking powder and it was a cakey mess even after adjusting the flour among other things.

However, once I substituted the baking powder for baking soda the recipe improved dramatically.

Therefore, if you strongly believe in your oatmeal raisin recipe but your oatmeal raisin cookies are still cakey then consider ditching the baking powder for baking soda.

Cinnamon:

Cinnamon adds flavor to the oatmeal cookie recipe. However, ensure too much isn’t added to avoid overpowering the flavor of the oats.

Nutmeg: 

Nutmeg and cinnamon just go together in my opinion. However, carefully add nutmeg, because if too much is added the flavor of your oatmeal cookie will be ruin.

Thus, for this recipe, I only recommend just a pinch – nothing more.

Raisins:

There’s a love-hate relationship with raisins – some people love it in their cookies and some people absolutely hate it.

For this recipe, you may consider skipping the raisins if you prefer.

Nuts: 

This recipe doesn’t have nuts added because I was really trying to at least bake a decent oatmeal raisin cookie first before adding nuts.

However, adding about three tablespoons of crush roasted walnuts to the recipe should produce great results.

I will definitely add some roasted walnuts to my next batch of oatmeal cookies.

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Should You Chill Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Dough?

I am a “quick want it done now – what’s the hold up” type of person so chilling the oatmeal raisin cookie dough wasn’t going to happen.

Plus with all these attempts no way I had time for being extra. After all, soaking my oatmeal was taking all my time!

BTW I am now seriously wondering what the heck I was thinking. LOL! Like why?

What Kind of Oatmeal Do You Use For Oatmeal Cookies?

Old fashioned oats are the best for oatmeal cookies!  After trying both old fashioned oats and quick 1-minute olds I can say without a doubt the old fashioned oats favor is more intense.

Plus, it even smells way better while it’s baking.

Can You Use Quick Oats Instead of Rolled Oats For Cookies?

Yes, you can use quick oats instead of rolled oats for cookies. In fact, you can easily substitute quick oats for old fashioned oats.

However, consider decreasing the amount of quick 1-minute oats in the recipe by about one tablespoon. Since, one cup of quick 1-minute oats isn’t the same as one cup of old fashioned oats or rolled oats.

If the adjustment isn’t made the cookie dough differs in texture. While the dough using one cup of old fashioned oats is sticky, the same one cup of quick 1-minute oats is less sticky and this difference will affect how crispy, soft and chewy your batch of oatmeal cookies will be.

1 Cup Quick 1-Minute Oats vs 1 Cup Old Fashioned Oats

Based on my successful attempts using both old fashioned oats and quick 1-minute oats I realized the following:

• 1 cup old fashion oats create a very stickier dough that then creates a softer and chewier cookie with slightly crispy edges.
• While 1 cup quick 1-minute oats create a less sticker dough that then creates a more crispy cookie with a soft a chewy center.
• Plus, during preparation, I had to flatten the cookies by about 2 inches when the quick 1-minute oats were used but I didn’t have to flatten the cookies when old fashioned oats were used.

Overall, both cookies taste great but I prefer the oatmeal raisin cookies using the old fashioned oats. However, if I am really desperate for some oatmeal cookies and only quick 1-minute oats were available the cookies will still taste great using this recipe so I would make do.

Quick How-To Mix Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Ingredients

Wet ingredients

First cream dark brown sugar, white sugar, vanilla essence, and unsalted butter preferably using an electric mixer then slightly mix in the egg yolk for about 1 minute – avoid over mixing and incorporating too much air into the cream mixture.

Dry ingredients

Mix all dry ingredients together in one separate bowl then fold dry ingredients into the wet mixed ingredients using a spatula. Avoid over mixing and incorporating air into the recipe instead, fold ingredients until all the ingredients are combined.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Ingredients

Wet Ingredients Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe:

• 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter (at room temperature)
• 1/4 cup Dark Brown Sugar
• 1 tbsp White Sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Essence
• 1 Small Egg Yolk

Dry Ingredients Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe:

• 1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1 cup Old Fashioned Oatmeal
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/8 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/16 tsp or a pinch of Nutmeg
• 1/4 cup Raisins

How To Make Round Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Using Old Fashioned Oats

Prepping for Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

It’s time to get organized. I like to start by clearing my kitchen countertops, then gathering all my ingredients in one spot. Therefore, clear your kitchen countertops and gather your ingredients.

Before you start combining your ingredients preheating your oven at 350°F is a must. Since this oatmeal raisin cookies recipe has no chill time your oven needs to be ready as soon as all your oatmeal raisin cookie dough is on the cookie tray.

You will need two main bowls – one bowl for your wet ingredients and another for your dry ingredients.

Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Instructions

1. Firstly, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Prepping the wet ingredients:

2. In the first bowl, cream unsalted butter, dark brown sugar, white sugar, and vanilla essence for about two minutes using an electric mixer.
3. Mix one small egg yolk to the creamed sugar mixture for about one minute, then set the bowl aside.

Prepping the dry ingredients:

4. In the second bowl, mix all the dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, old fashioned oatmeal, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, raisins).

Combining wet and dry mixture:

5. Fold the dry mixture into the wet mixture – don’t over mix or incorporate air into the mixture.

Adding oatmeal raisin cookie dough to cookie tray:

6. Use a tablespoon to make round cookie balls then place each cookie ball two to third inches apart on the cookie tray.

Baking oatmeal raisin cookies:

7. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes.
8. Allow the cookies to finish baking for about 5 minutes after removing the cookie tray from the oven.

Cooling oatmeal cookies:

9. After the cookies are done baking immediately transfer cookies to a cooling rack to avoid sweaty, soggy cookies.

Don’t Panic if …

Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Dough is Sticky

If your oatmeal raisin cookie dough is sticky don’t panic. It’s okay – just avoid the temptation of over mixing or adding extra flour. In the end, your soft and chewy oatmeal raisin cookies should be fine.

Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Dough is a little Crumbly

If you simply just substituted one cup of old fashioned oats for one cup of quick 1-minute oats then your oatmeal raisin cookie dough will be a little crumbly at first. However, avoid over mixing. Instead, use a tablespoon to create your cookie balls then press your cookie balls down by at least two inches using your fingertips.

To avoid this completely, adjust the quick 1-minute oats to replicate the recipe. One cup of old fashioned oats is the same as 3/4 cups and about 3 tablespoons of quick 1-minute oats for this recipe.

Cookie was Baked for 10 Minutes but it Looks Underbaked

If your cookies look like they need to be baked longer then you are right but don’t put them back in the oven. Instead, allow cookies to continue baking on the cookie tray for about five minutes then transfer them to a cooling rack.