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These old fashioned oatmeal raisin cookies are hearty and so easy. They taste just like they came from Grandma’s kitchen!
Old cookbooks are the best. They have such charm, and the recipes are hearty and great for families. This old fashioned oatmeal raisin cookies recipe is from a Betty Crocker’s Cooky Book that belonged to my grandmother. (Yes…I know how to spell cookie, but this cookbook title reads cooky.) The original title for this recipe is oatmeal drop cookies, and it was crowned the “best cooky” for the decade from 1900 to 1910. I’m not sure who bestowed this honor, but I totally agree! These are the best oatmeal raisin cookes because they are delicious, have a great flavor, and are very moist.
Ingredients
- Shortening: brand name Crisco. Shortening provides these cookies with a hearty texture, and produces a fluffier cookie that’s not flat.
- Eggs: binds the dough together.
- White sugar and brown sugar: this recipe calls for substantially more white sugar than brown sugar. It’s perfectly fine to use equal amounts of both sugars.
- Vanilla: I love to use vanilla bean paste, but regular pure vanilla extract works as well.
- Flour: stabilizes and thickens the dough.
- Salt + cinnamon: spices that add taste.
- Baking soda: the leavening that makes the cookies rise.
- Oats: what would oatmeal cookies be without oats? They provide all the texture and make the cookies chewy.
- Raisins: adds just a bit of sweetness.
How to Make
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- With a stand mixer or hand electric mixer, beat shortening, eggs, both sugars, and vanilla until well mixed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, soda, salt, cinnamon and oats.
- Add the flour mixture (dry ingredients) to sugar mixture in three additions. Scrape the bowl between additions.
- Fold in raisins with a large spoon.
- Drop by level 2 in. scoops onto baking sheet. Parchment paper or silicone mats can be used if desired.
- Bake 10 min. Cool on a wire rack.
Tips for the Best Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- The batter for these oatmeal raisin cookies is stiff and dense. It works best to drop the dough onto the cookie sheet using a large scoop. Level each scoop by dragging it up the side of the mixing bowl. This provides a flat bottom to the scoop, and produces a perfectly round cookie.
- You can also make cookie dough balls instead of using a scoop.
- Feel free to leave out the raisins if your family doesn’t like them, but they do give the cookies a chewy texture. Good substitutes are dried cranberries or cherries, regular or white chocolate chips, chopped walnuts or pecans.
- The original recipe in the Cooky Book called for 1/3 cup of molasses. That’s something I don’t keep on hand, so I substituted an equal amount of brown sugar. If you love molasses, definitely give it a try! Note: a reader tried the recipe with molasses and didn’t like it! She said the cookies tasted OK, but were flat and a little mushy.
- All ovens are different, so watch the cookies at the end of the bake time. They are done when they are lightly browned around the edges, but they should still be soft in the middle.
- I’ve been making these cookies for years…and honestly, they turn out a little different every time. They are always super delicious, but the batches vary in how puffy the cookies get, and how crunchy they are. So no worries if your cookies don’t look exactly like the ones in the images. That’s normal!
FAQ’s
How to Plump Raisins
Plumping raisins involves extra time, and an extra step, but it’s worth it! There are a few different methods that work well, but this is my favorite. Place the raisins in a bowl, and add enough very hot water so the raisins are covered. Stir to mix it all together and then let this mixture sit for 15 minutes. Drain the raisins well before adding to the recipe. (Another option is to soak the raisins in fruit juice that has been warmed. Apple juice, orange juice, etc.)
Cookie Baking Essentials
- my favorite cookie sheets
- KitchenAid stand mixer
- KitchenAid hand mixer
- cookie scoop (I use the large scoop for these cookies.)
- measuring cups
- Pyrex bowl
Old Fashioned Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup shortening (Crisco)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cups old fashioned oats
- 3/4 cups raisins
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- With a stand or hand mixer, beat shortening, eggs, both sugars, and vanilla until well mixed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, soda, salt, cinnamon and oats.
- Add dry ingredients to sugar mixture in three additions. Scrape the bowl between additions.
- Fold in raisins.
- Drop by level 2 in. scoops onto baking sheet.
- Bake 10 min. Cool on a wire rack.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If you make this recipe, and love it, please come back to leave a comment and a 5-star review. I would really appreciate it, and it would help me so much. Thank you!
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I did not like this recipe at all. I’m sorry. The cookies basically just melted in the oven and turned into flat, blah tasting pancakes.
Hi PJ…I’m sorry the cookies didn’t turn out for you. I have made this recipe literally dozens of times, under various conditions, and in 3 different ovens. I never had this problem. Clearly something went wrong, but I am confident that this recipe is trustworthy.
It seems newer recipes use butter instead of Crisco. I use to use Crisco, does it make a firmer cookie?
I know…but I’m an old fashioned home cook. In my experience, when Crisco is used to make cookies, they don’t flatten. That means you have a thicker, fluffier cookie. But definitely do what you feel is right!
Really loved these cookies! The shortening made edges crispy! I love that these cookies were not too sweet. I substituted with gluten-free flour. And added dried cranberries with my raisins.
Very good!
I made these cookies three days ago and made them just a little smaller. I got about 30 cookies out of it. My husband loves them really easy and perfect looking. Delicious
Hi Juraye…thank you very much for taking the time to leave a comment, and a special thank you for the rating. I appreciate it! ~Ann
Ann, thanks for another great cookie recipe. I will make these oatmeal raisin cookies next week. This is my hubby’s favorite cookie. Your recipe looks like it will be a “keeper”. Thanks for all the wonderful recipes you share with us!
Could i cook these into bars?
Yes I think you could! I have never tried it with this recipe, but I do it all the time with my chocolate chip cookie recipe. If you try it, let us know how they come out!
I used molasses in this cookie recipe instead of the brown sugar as noted. I had it on hand for molasses cookies which I also love.
Don’t use it. It made my cookie batter too mushy. But since I had it mixed I decided to bake it anyway and the cookies turned out like pancakes! Ugh! but still eatable!
I’ll make note of that on the recipe to only use brown sugar next time, no substitutes!
Oh my gosh…thank you so much for letting us know. I will definitely make note of that in the recipe!
I’ve always loved your recipes. Last night I offered to make oatmeal raisin cookies for someone but didn’t have a recipe I trusted. Then comes your email! Looking forward to baking up a batch from this recipe as I know I can trust the source. Thanks, Ann.
Have you ever left out a key ingredient? Like the oatmeal!!
I didn’t realize it until I saw the container of oatmeal on the counter and said “oops”. I called them my “raisin cookies” and brought them to a function and they were a big hit! (I did confess!). I will definitely make these again with the oatmeal!!
Even better than raisins are Craisins! The sweet/tart of the craisins adds such depth to the flavor. Mixing both should be another option. Thank you for the recipe.
Thank you for this recipe! They are delicious. A friend came by this morning and I gave her the recipe to try because they are so good. A keeper!
I would like to try these with diced prunes instead of raisins.
In making oatmeal raisin cookies when I was growing up, my mom would have me simmer the raisins in orange juice, rather than water, until plump. It added a different dimension to the flavor of the cookie. So good! I love your site!
Thank you Ann for all the extra details/tips for making the cookies. The tips really help. And the supply list after. Makes a better baker if you know the tips! Appreciate it and love your site!
Ann, I think you have found a new ‘hook’ for your blog…old cookbook recipes! I love old cookbooks too. They’re fascinating! These are the cookies I grew up with that I’m sure were on the Quaker Oatmeal box. They’re the best! Thanks for the nostalgic post.😉
Hi Ann,
I made these cookies yesterday and are they ever good! I’ll be using this recipe again. I added some nuts also. Thanks for the recipe!