Bakery Style Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

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My cookie of choice at a bakery is always a soft and chewy oatmeal raisin cookie. I recreate that bakery-style magic with these large sized, chewy centered, lightly crisp on the edges cookies. Perfect for after-school snacks, school bake sales, or a holiday cookie exchange.

Why I love this recipe

Oatmeal Raisin cookies are my favorite cookie and I will choose them over a chocolate chip every time.

I make them “bakery style” by increasing the size of the cookie. The trick is to use a large, 4 oz size cookie scoop like this one to get the perfect size.

• Bakery-style texture: thick, soft, chewy and big in size and flavor
• Everyday ingredients: simple, pantry staples you likely have on hand
• Classic cinnamon flavor thats perfect for fall, winter and holiday baking
• Freezer-friendly dough & cookies for a make-ahead dessert option
• Nut free – so they are classroom friendly

Ingredients Needed

• Butter (unsalted, softened)
• Brown sugar (light or dark)
• Sugar
• Eggs
• Vanilla extract
• Flour (all-purpose)
• Baking soda
• Ground cinnamon
• Salt
• Old-fashioned oats (like these)
• Raisins

How to make Bakery-Style Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Prep – Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cream the butter & sugars – In a large bowl, beat 1 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup packed brown sugar, and ¼ cup sugar on medium until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.

Add eggs & vanilla – Beat in 2 eggs and 2 tsp vanilla extract.

Mix in dry ingredients – Add in 1 ⅔ cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1½ tsp ground cinnamon, and ¾ tsp salt.

Combine – Mix just until no dry spots remain.

Fold in oats & raisins – Stir in 3 cups rolled oats and 1½ cups raisins until evenly distributed. The dough will be thick and a little sticky.

Scoop – For the large, bakery style cookies, use a 4-Tbsp cookie scoop. Be sure to leave 4-5 inches between each cookie as they will spread as they bake. Note: for smaller cookies, use a smaller, 2- Tbsp cookies scoop.

Bake – Bake at 350°F for 12 -13 minutes until edges are set and lightly golden but centers look a touch soft. They’ll finish setting as they cool.

Cool – Let cookies rest on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.

Shortcuts + Swaps

Short on time? Make these cookies ahead of time.

Portion dough balls and keep chilled in refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking.

Making them farther in advance? Freeze them (details below) for fresh-baked cookies whenever you are ready.

Want to play with some other flavors? Try swapping the raisins for dried cranberries or chocolate chips.

Pro tips for the best cookie texture

• Measure flour accurately: Using correct amount of flour we ensure that that the cookies do not spread too much and become thin and crispy.
• Use Parchment paper: Line the baking sheets help prevent scorching on the bottom of the cookies from the heat of the pan.
• Room-temp butter/eggs: If you can think ahead and let your butter and eggs sit out a bit before and come to room temp before using them, will help the dough emulsify for consistent texture.
• Softness saver: Slip a slice of fresh white bread or a few large marshmallows in the container to keep cookies soft. The bread or marshmallows will transfer their moisture to the cookies to help them stay fresh. Then replace the bread or marshmallows as needed as they will get stale every couple of days.

Storage and Reheating Leftovers

Fridge:

Store baked in refrigerator for up to 7 days, in an airtight container to keep fresh.

Freezer:

Freeze unbaked dough balls:

1. Scoop large dough balls onto a parchment-lined sheet; freeze until solid, then transfer to a zip-top bag or airtight container. Freeze up to 3 months.
2. Bake from frozen at 350°F, adding 1–2 extra minutes as needed.

Freeze baked cookies:
Cool completely, layer with parchment in an airtight container, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw on counter before serving.