I’ve asked myself time and time again, “why is it so hard to make good Oatmeal Raisin cookies?” I’d tried the most popular recipes on the internet and always experienced disappointing results; I wanted them to be thick but not cakey, have the perfect touch of raisins, and taste toothsome but not “healthy.” Then, I created these: they are made with whole wheat flour, have a respectable amount of raisins (though you can add more!), and come out of the oven perfectly thick and chewy. Dare I say these cookies may convert the Oatmeal Raisin cookie haters into believers and consumers.
The Oatmeal Cookie Recipe in Sarah Kieffer’s 100 Cookies: The Baking Book for Every Kitchen (affiliate link) cookbook inspired me to create this recipe. Her cookies had a smaller ratio of flour to oats than other recipes I’d tried, and this proved to be a game-changer. I no longer battled the inevitable spread of cookies across the cookie sheet with only little mountains of raisins poking up. With a lower proportion of oats, I used whole wheat flour to add a little extra cragginess to the cookies and make them perfectly acceptable to eat for breakfast or with your morning coffee.
Flavorful cookies start with flavorful ingredients
These oatmeal raisin cookies have whole wheat flour and oats yet are not gritted with healthfulness. The butter, brown sugar, and white granulated sugar add structure and texture to the cookie and perfectly complement these wholesome ingredients. I used Bob’s Red Mill whole wheat flour and old-fashioned oats in this recipe, but use whichever brand you like best. Just ensure your ingredients are fresh (the smell is always a telltale sign).
Flavor Boosters: Ways to Elevate these Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
CINNAMON. Regular cinnamon from the grocery store works great, and if you want to amplify the flavor, it’s worth seeking out Saigon Cinnamon for that Red Hots cinnamon candy punch.
NUTMEG. Whole nutmeg, freshly grated with a Microplane is also worth the upgrade.
EUROPEAN-STYLE BUTTER. European-style butter, such as Kerrygold, has a higher butterfat content that adds an extra richness and buttery flavor to these cookies.
Possible Substitutions
WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR. Whole Wheat Flour can be substituted for All-Purpose Flour or 50% All-Purpose Flour and 50% Whole Wheat Flour.
RAISINS. You can substitute raisins for chocolate chips, dried cranberries, or you can use 50% raisins and 50% chocolate chips.
LIGHT BROWN SUGAR. For a natural sugar substitute, feel free to substitute light muscovado sugar for light brown sugar.
WHITE GRANULATED SUGAR. For a natural sugar substitute, feel free to substitute demerara sugar for white granulated sugar.
PrintWhole Wheat Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
These thick, chewy oatmeal raisin cookies made with whole wheat flour are perfect for breakfast or with your morning coffee. Make start to finish in 45 minutes; no chilling required!
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 24
- Total Time: 45
- Yield: 20 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup (50g – 100g) raisins (depending on your preference)
- 1 1/2 cups (190g) whole wheat flour*
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 12 Tablespoons (170g) unsalted butter, at room temperature*
- 3/4 cup (150g) brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (50g) white granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/3 cups (133g) old-fashioned oats
Instructions
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle of the oven. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two half-sheet baking sheets with parchment paper. Alternatively, one large baking sheet lined with parchment paper will also work.
- Warm 1/3 cup (158 ml) of water in a bowl and place the raisins in the water to soak until ready to use (step 5). This will ensure the raisins are soft and plump.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg together.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the brown and white sugars and cream on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat on medium speed until incorporated, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix at low speed until combined, then add the oats until just mixed. Strain the raisins from the water, and add the raisins at low speed until incorporated. The dough will look dry; use a spatula to incorporate any loose oats or raisins at the bottom of the bowl.
- Form the dough into 2-tablespoon (45g) balls and arrange them 2-inches apart on the baking sheets.
- Bake one baking sheet at a time until the edges are light golden brown and the middle looks soft and gooey. Approximately 11-12 minutes bake time. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet.
Notes
Recipe inspired by Sarah Kieffer’s Oatmeal Raisin Cookies in 100 Cookies: The Baking Book for Every Kitchen (affiliate link).
WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR. If you opt to measure by volume instead of weight, whisk the flour first to aerate it, then spoon into a measuring cup, and then level it off with the back of a knife.
BUTTER. I used room temperature butter that is 65 degrees Fahrenheit. If you don’t have a thermometer, test the butter by placing your finger on the butter and pressing down slightly. Room temperature butter will be cool to the touch and leave a slight indentation. If this sounds too fussy, cold butter will work fine if using a stand mixer (this will not work if using a hand mixer).
DO AHEAD. This cookie dough freezes wonderfully. Roll the dough into 2-tablespoon balls, place them 1/2-inch apart on a sheet pan, and put the sheet pan in the freezer until the dough balls are frozen (about 2 hours). Once the dough balls are frozen, store them in a bag in the freezer until ready to bake. Let the dough balls come to room temperature before baking.
STORAGE. Store in an airtight container for three days at room temperature.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 140
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 159
- Fat: 8
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 17
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 2
- Cholesterol: 28
Keywords: Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, Oatmeal Recipes, Oatmeal Cookie Recipe
Can’t wait to try these. I love that you share so many options, so I can use on “go-to” dough to create a variety of cookies.
Thank you! Absolutely; I have also had success dividing the dough in half after making the dough base and using one-half for oatmeal raisin cookies and the other half for chocolate chip oatmeal cookies.