Bakery-Style Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
These oatmeal raisin cookies are every bit my definition of a comfort bake. Large, soft, chewy and perfect with a glass of milk, coffee or whatever your equally comforting drink might be. I love experimenting with new recipes and challenging my baking skills, but sometimes I just want something homey and comforting. This is one of those recipes to me.
Besides being the perfect comfort bake, this is a family recipe. What I love about family recipes is that they’ve stood the test of time, typically made several times a year for many years on end. The matriarchs of the recipe box if you will. This recipe icon is easy, delicious and deserves its spot in every recipe box to be sure.
Recipe Notes for these Bakery-Style Oatmeal Raisin Cookies:
- These cookies get their chewy texture and rise primarily from using mostly Crisco instead of all butter. If you’re curious how the two can impact a recipe, I recommend reading this comparison article by King Arthur Flour. It not only tells what the difference is but shows photos of how the same bake resulted by using each one.
- Our original, original family recipe actually didn’t call for butter at all. However, I did slightly alter the recipe by adding in 1/4 cup of butter and an additional 1/4 cup flour as I felt the butter adds an extra layer of flavor. If you want a slightly more cake-like texture and a thick cookie (although these are a thick cookie anyway), then you can leave out the butter and 1/4 cup flour.
- Lastly, what makes these cookies soft, chewy and bakery-style comes down to their size. This is not the time to put a tiny amount of cookie dough on the sheet. They simply won’t be the same. You want a heaping tablespoon or two cookie-scoops full of dough per cookie. The resulting chewy texture is worth it. Trust me on this one.
How easy is this oatmeal raisin cookie recipe?
On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being difficult), these are safely in the 1-3 range. In fact, these are a perfect recipe for the beginner baker.
Can I freeze these bakery-style oatmeal raisin cookies?
Yes! For most cookie recipes, I would say you’d have better results freezing the cookie dough versus the cookies themselves (take chocolate chip cookies for example). This cookie, however, freezes well even after they’re baked. You just want to make sure they are fully cooled before popping them in the freezer. If freezing the cookie dough, let it come close to room temperature before baking.
Do I need any special equipment to make these oatmeal raisin cookies?
Not particularly. You obviously need a cookie sheet, but that’s about it. While I call for a mixer in my recipe, you can make these with just a bowl, spoon and little elbow grease. I am including an equipment list below for the items I used to make this recipe even easier.
Equipment List:
- Aluminum Cookie Sheets
- Parchment Paper (This is what I have in my kitchen right now. Love this stuff!)
- Handheld Mixer
- Bowl Scraper
- Medium Cookie Scoop
Enjoy this Oatmeal Raisin Cookie recipe? You may like these:
- The Softest Pumpkin Cookies
- Chocolate Zucchini Cake
- Small Batch Cinnamon Chip Scones
- Poppyseed Poundcake Muffins
Bakery-Style Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Crisco
- 1/4 cup softened unsalted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup water (for soaking raisins)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
Instructions
- 1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. 2) In a small bowl, add raisins and 1/4 cup water. Set aside to soak while preparing the cookie dough.3) In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a bowl and a handheld mixer), cream together the Crisco, butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes or until light and fluffy. 4) Add the eggs, 1/4 cup water from raisins and vanilla and mix until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. 5) Add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Then add the raisins and mix until incorporated. 6) Drop by heaping tablespoon onto a cookie sheet and gently flatten each cookie. For a more precise measurement, use a medium size cookie scoop and place two level scoops on top of each other. Then using the back of the scoop, gently flatten the scoop "stack", creating a small well in the cookie. 7) Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are very gently golden. The center of the cookies may look slightly risen but still undone. This is the preferred time to take them out of the oven to enhance the chewy cookie texture. Let cool and enjoy!
Notes
- I have only made these with rolled oats not quick oats. Quick oats would still work, but the overall shape and texture of the cookie may vary.
Trina and Tina
This looks delightful!
Bekah
Thank you, Trina and Tina! They are such a scrumptious, comforting cookie.
linda
I tried you oatmeal cookies and they were soft yet w/ 3 cups oats 1 1/4 c flour I felt it was too much oats what type of oats did you use thanks
Bekah
I used rolled oats and yes, it is a high ratio of oats to flour. It helps them to hold their shape. I did notice I didn’t state what kind of oatmeal I used in the recipe so I’ll go back and add that. Their shape and texture would actually change a bit with quick oats.