The Classic Thick and Tender Oatmeal Raisin Cookie

A quick ten-minute soak in hot water plumps the dried fruit so the middle of The Classic Thick and Tender Oatmeal Raisin Cookie stays soft. You will mix a thick spiced dough full of rolled oats and bake it at 350°F (180°C). The recipe takes 11 to 14 minutes in the oven and yields 18 large cookies.

The oats and flour

Plain traditional rolled oats give this dough the proper consistency. It is possible to swap in instant or quick oats, but the smaller pieces will alter the final texture. Avoid replacing them with steel cut oats.

Measure one and a half cups of plain all-purpose flour and half a teaspoon of baking powder. Relying exclusively on baking powder rather than baking soda creates a chewier texture. Do not swap the plain flour for any variety sold with built-in leavening agents, because those products contain excessive baking powder.

Pass the flour, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon powder through a sifter into a bowl before mixing.

Plumping the raisins

Measure the raisins by packing them tightly into a measuring cup. Separate the sticky clumps by hand before soaking them. Submerge the raisins in boiled water for ten minutes. Drain the water from the bowl. Pat the fruit dry with a towel. The moisture inside the fruit stops the cookies from drying out in the oven.

The butter and sugar

Bring 8 oz (250 g) of unsalted butter to 64°F (18°C) before mixing. At this temperature, the two sticks remain firm and whip easily without leaving a greasy residue when touched. If the butter gets warmer than 68°F (20°C), your dough will flatten out excessively in the oven. To quickly soften cold butter, chop it into cubes and place them in a microwave previously warmed by hot water. Leave the appliance off and let the cubes sit inside for five minutes.

Beat the butter with both brown and white sugars. The brown sugar adds a caramel flavor and gives the dough its chewiness. The white sugar builds crispy edges on the baked cookies. Beat the mixture for two to three minutes until it looks fluffy.

Adding the eggs

Standard large eggs should weigh 50 to 55 grams each without the shell. Cold eggs straight from the refrigerator will not blend smoothly into the batter. Warm them first by submerging them in warm tap water for five minutes. Wipe the shells dry before cracking them.

Beat the eggs into the bowl individually. Wait until the first egg is fully incorporated before adding the second one.

Mixing the dough

An electric mixer will overwork the dough and create tough cookies. Stir the sifted flour mixture into the wet ingredients by hand with a wooden spoon to prevent overmixing.

Fold the rolled oats and the plumped raisins into the bowl. Keep stirring until the dough becomes stiff.

Shaping and baking

Wet your hands with tap water before rolling the dough. A wet surface stops the sticky mixture from clinging to your fingers. Shape the dough into 18 round portions. Each one should measure 1.6 inches (4 cm) across. Place the balls onto lined baking trays with 4 inches (10 cm) of space between them.

Flatten the dough balls into thick discs on the baking tray. This step helps them spread evenly in the oven. You want them to stay thick.

Set your oven racks in the middle and low slots. Space them 4 inches (10 cm) apart. Bake the trays at 350°F (180°C) or 160°C fan. Swap the position of the baking trays and rotate them halfway through the baking time.

Bake for 11 to 14 minutes. Too much baking time makes the cookies crispy instead of soft and chewy. Pull them out when the borders look golden and the tops turn pale gold. You can bake this recipe at high altitudes without making any adjustments.

Cooling and storage

Leave the baked cookies on their hot trays for five minutes. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely for thirty minutes.

Keep the baked cookies inside a tightly sealed jar or box for up to one week.