ORIGINAL QUAKER OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIE RECIPE
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Original Quaker Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Recipe has crispy edges, chewy centers, and raisins studded throughout. These cookies will be the star at your next holiday cookie tray.
Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
I don’t recall liking oatmeal cookies when I was younger. However, I don’t recall not liking them either. My mother didn’t make cookies. When I started baking I only made peanut butter cookies and chocolate chip cookies.
However, after my husband received a batch of oatmeal cookies for Christmas a few years ago, I fell completely head over heels in love with them. The crunchy edges, the chewy center, that hint of cinnamon, all the texture the oatmeal and raisins provided. I immediately went on a mission to make the best oatmeal cookies ever!
What I found what Quaker perfected the ingredients a long time ago. The secret lies in the process…. the
Original Quaker Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Recipe
So, I hate a cakey cookie. Hate them. I’d rather have a slice of cake than a cookie impersonating a cake. Do you know how to avoid a cakey cookie? Use melted
Next, the secret to thick, chewy cookies is chilling the cookie dough after it’s mixed together. Otherwise, if you don’t chill the cookie dough you’ll have a thin, flat cookie. Chill the dough at least 30 minutes. I prefer to chill it for an hour.
Finally, you need a lot of dough to have a thick cookie. More dough than you probably think. You can’t have a thick cookie with crisp edges and chewy centers if the cookie is small. It just doesn’t work. Therefore, I use a spring-release scoop that holds 1/3 cup of dough.
Cookie Recipe Tips
- I always bake cookies on a Silpat silicone mat on a half sheet pan.
- I used 1/3-cup spring-release scoop to make uniform balls of cookie dough and placed them on the silicone mat. Do not flatten the dough.
- Bake at 350°F for 12 to 14 minutes depending on how crunchy/chewy you want. The top of the cookies will change from ‘shiny’ to ‘matte’ when they’re cooked in the center. Watch the edges for the degree of brown/crisp that you want.
- Don’t overbake. Cookies will continue to bake and set for a couple of minutes after you remove them from the oven.
How do I store cookies?
Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Alternatively, unbaked cookie dough can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
I like to store unbaked cookie dough in the refrigerator and bake a few at a time for my family. This way they’re always hot and fresh.
MORE HOLIDAY COOKIES
- Mississippi Mud Cookies with Marshmallow Fluff and Chocolate Frosting
- Loaded Butterfinger Chocolate Chip Toffee Cookies
- Blue Ribbon Chewy Molasses Ginger Cookies
- Ranger Cookies with Chex
- Soft Batch Glazed Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies
- Soft Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie Recipe
- Pretzel Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
- Copycat PayDay Bars
- Dark Chocolate Brown Sugar Cookies
- Softbatch Cream Cheese Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Cream Cheese Snickerdoodles
- Original Quaker Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Original Quaker Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter melted then cooled, no substitution, salted or unsalted
- 1 cup brown sugar light or dark, packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract recommended
- 1 and ½ cup all-purpose flour sifted then measured correctly, scroll half-way down post
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon I used this
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats uncooked, I used this brand or this brand
- 1 cup raisins I use these
Instructions
- Please read post above for detailed tips and tricks.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until creamy.
- Add eggs and vanilla, beat well. Stop mixer and scrape sides of the bowl. Mix again to combine.
- In another bowl, combine sifted flour, soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Turn the mixer to low and slowly add flour and oats. Stop mixer and scrape sides. Add raisins and mix until combined.
- Tightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour. You can refrigerate up to 24 hours if you prefer.
- When you're ready to bake. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place a Silpat silicone mat on a half sheet pan.
- I used 1/3-cup spring-release scoop to make uniform balls of cookie dough and placed them on the silicone mat. Do not flatten the dough.
- Bake at 350°F for 12 to 14 minutes depending on how crunchy or chewy you want them. The top of the cookies will change from 'shiny' to 'matte' when they're cooked in the center. Watch the edges for the degree of brown/crisp that you want. They will firm up some as they cool.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 3 to 4 minutes before removing and transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Store cookies airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 4 months. Alternatively, unbaked cookie dough can be stored airtight in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 4 months, so consider baking only as many cookies as desired and save the remaining dough to be baked in the future when desired.
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are important to you, I recommend calculating them yourself.
These are ny brother’s most favorite cookies. I used to make them back in the late ’60s and actually used Crisco and butter. I found by trial I liked them better soaking the raisins. I saw it in a commemt you answered above to Paula but I did not see it in your notes. Perhaps it would be helpful to note the soaking and for how long next to the I cup raisins in the list of ingredients? I just did it for about 10 minutes and drained well. Thanks for reintroducing one of the best ever oatmeal cookie recipes.
I didn’t soak the raisins and personally wouldn’t recommend it.
These cookies came out great. I followed the instructions to the letter with the exception of adding 2/3 cup chopped walnuts and reducing the raisins to 2/3 cup. That being said, there should have been slightly more dough than just one cup of raisins. Using the 1/3 cup spring release scoop as recommended, leveled exactly to the top, the whole batch only made 14 cookies, not 24. If I make these again I will use a smaller scoop.
Did you rehydrate the raisins before adding to the dough?
no
This is not the original recipe. I have the recipe off the box from the sixties.
It’s less rich and calls for more salt, a good flavor enhancer for the oatmeal, and the fat is creamed, not melted. I like both recipes, but they are different. The main thing I do differently from the original is to refrigerate the dough over night so the cookies stay firm when cooking.
Perhaps they changed the recipe at some point, I, too have my grandmother’s recipe from the carton of oats.
I dont have an electric stand mixer, only an electric hand mixer. The only issue I had was on Step 5, slowly add flour and oats. The mix gets very thick and sticky. My poor hand mixer didnt like Step 5 at all.
The cookies turned out wonderful. I made 4 double batches for my workmates, family and in laws. Even my wife, who doesn’t eat sweets often, was caught sneaking a couple of cookies. Saved to my e-recipe book, it’s now my go-to oatmeal cookie recipe.
I dont know if the melted/cooled butter had much affect (tired it both ways, melted and softened). But chilling the mix before baking ensures a thick giant cookie, otherwise they do get thin and crispy.
Thank you for sharing !
Great recipe, follow the directions exactly and they come out perfect every time!
Thank you for posting this recipe with your recommendations.
O my goodness! I made these cookies today and followed the directions as given,though,I added chopped pecans and baked them 15 minutes.They were PERFECT and reminded me of the oatmeal raisin cookies that my grandmother made. I baked a dozen and plan to freeze the portioned out dough to make another time.
I’m so happy you like them!
I was disappointed these cookies came out flat and spreading a ton.
Did you refrigerate the dough? Did you use butter or margarine?
Very good cookies! Chewy just the way we like them. This is. my go-to oatmeal cookie recipe now. I use softened butter, not melted. Also add nuts along with the raisins as that is the way we like them.
Thanks for the idea of adding nuts !