My search is over, these chewy oatmeal raisin cookies with crisp toffee-like edges are the best I’ve ever tasted!
Dr. Mark’s Life Changing Oatmeal Cookies
Let’s unpack this…
Dr. Mark? He’s a retired podiatrist in Phoenix.
His oatmeal raisin cookies are world famous in those parts and he’s been tweaking the formula for years.
People call these cookies life changing.
My sister plays tennis with Dr. Mark and he gave her the recipe.
She came to visit last week and insisted we make them.
Ok, I agree, these oatmeal raisin cookies are life changing.
So now I’m sharing with you!
what’s so great about these oatmeal raisin cookies?
No one secret ingredient ~ just a series of little choices that add up to wow.
- They’re sizable. They eat more like a micro-meal than a cookie.
- Perfect texture. They have wonderful crisp toffee-like edges and a super chewy (almost meaty!) inside.
- So satisfying. Extra oats and raisins give these cookies real heft without feeling heavy. Make sure your raisins are fresh!
- Customizable. They can be made fat and puffed or thinner and crispier, your call.
- Less guilt It’s a cookie that somehow feels nourishing.
- Versatile! These oatmeal raisin cookies go from grab-and-go breakfast ~ to the lunchbox ~ to after-dinner coffee ~ to the holiday cookie tin.
- Now that’s life changing.
put your stamp on these oatmeal raisin cookies
Heck yeah, I’d go there first. Walnuts would be my choice. Pecans work too.
Some people have it out for raisins, I’m not sure why, but yes, sub cranberries, cherries, currants, or dates. I’ve been thinking about crystallized ginger too. Golden raisins are lovely, too.
Chocolate chips are a no-brainer. Check out my Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie or my Soft Batch Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies for inspiration.
Use a good gf baking mix and source gf oats. Expect the cookies to be more delicate.
For dairy free oatmeal raisin cookies I’d use ¾ cup vegan butter + ¼ cup shortening in place of the dairy butter. As always when converting recipes you may have to experiment a bit to get the exact result you’re looking for.
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Equipment
- stand mixer or electric beaters
- baking sheets
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda, my addition, for enhanced browning and spread
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp coarse salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats*
- 2 cups raisins, make sure they're plump and fresh!
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp coarse salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer (or a large bowl with electric beaters) cream the softened 1 cup unsalted butter until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the 1 cup sugar and 1 cup dark brown sugar to the bowl and continue creaming until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Blend in the 1 Tbsp vanilla extract and then beat in the 2 large eggs, one at a time, taking care to get it all smoothly incorporated. (It helps if the eggs are at room temperature.)
- With the mixer or beaters on low add in the flour mixture and mix just until combined.
- Add the 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats* and 2 cups raisins and mix until evenly incorporated.
- Use a 2 inch ice cream scoop to scoop out 2 inch balls of dough and place them 2" apart on the baking sheet. I bake 6 cookies per sheet. Gently flatten each ball just slightly with your fingers.
- Bake for 11 minutes, then remove the pan and wrap sharply on the counter or other hard surface.** This deflates the cookies a bit. Return to the oven and bake for another 8 minutes. The cookies should be golden. If yours are still a bit puffed you can give the pan another sharp wrap to deflate them. Note: the baking time is just an approximation, if your cookies are bigger or smaller than mine or your oven is cooler or hotter your baking time will vary.
- Let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the pan and then transfer them to a rack. They are amazing warm or at room temperature. They will get crisper around the edges as they cool.
- See make ahead and freezing instructions in the post below the recipe.
Notes
Nutrition
Make ahead? Freeze?
Oatmeal raisin cookies make ahead workflow
Scoop, then chill: Portion onto a parchment-lined sheet, cover tightly with plastic wrap pressed onto the scoops, and refrigerate 24–48 hours (the rest hydrates the raisins and oats a bit = chewier cookies.)
- When baking from fridge, bake as usual; add 1–2 min if needed.
For longer storage freeze
Flash freeze first: Freeze scoops 30–60 min, then move to an airtight container or zip bag. Squeeze out air, label + date. Freeze 2–3 months.
- When baking from frozen add 2–4 min. The cookies will not spread as readily so remember to “bang” the pan halfway through.
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