Ina Garten Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe

Ina Garten Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe makes chewy American-style treats with old-fashioned oats and sweet raisins. This classic bake uses cinnamon and brown sugar to create a warm, golden finish.

I’ve tried a few versions of oatmeal bakes and this one from Ina is the one I keep going back to because it doesn’t spread into a flat mess. The whole thing depends on the creaming process. If you don’t beat the butter and sugars until the mixture is pale and airy, you’ll end up with a heavy, greasy disc that sticks to the tin. I spent years thinking my oven was broken before I realised I was being too lazy with the mixer. You need to see a physical change in the bowl where the sugar crystals start to dissolve into the fat.

The type of oats you choose makes or breaks the texture. You must use old-fashioned rolled oats rather than the dusty quick-cook kind. Quick oats absorb the moisture too fast and turn the dough into a paste. I like to let the raisins soak in the vanilla for a few minutes before adding them to keep them from drying out in the heat. It’s a small step that my nan taught me, but it makes every bite much better!

Ina Garten Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe Ingredients

• 190g (6.5oz) plain flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 225g (8oz) unsalted butter, softened
• 200g (7oz) light brown sugar, packed
• 100g (3.5oz) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 270g (9.5oz) old-fashioned rolled oats
• 225g (8oz) raisins
• 60g (2oz) chopped walnuts (optional)

How To Make Ina Garten Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe

1. Heat the oven: Set the temperature to 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4) and check that the racks are positioned in the upper and lower thirds. Line two flat baking tins with greaseproof paper or silicone mats to stop the dough from sticking. Make sure the oven is at the correct temperature before you start mixing.
2. Whisk dry ingredients: Sift 190g (6.5oz) of plain flour into a medium bowl and add 1 tsp of bicarbonate of soda. Stir in 1 tsp of ground cinnamon and 1/2 tsp of fine salt using a metal whisk. Mix these until the cinnamon is spread evenly through the white flour and no lumps remain.
3. Cream the fats: Place 225g (8oz) of softened unsalted butter into a large bowl with 200g (7oz) of light brown sugar and 100g (3.5oz) of granulated sugar. Beat with an electric mixer for about five minutes until the mixture looks pale and has a light, fluffy texture. Add 2 large eggs one at a time, beating well after each until the yellow yolk disappears. Stir in 2 tsp of vanilla extract until it’s combined with the fat.
4. Mix the dough: Turn the mixer to the lowest speed and gradually pour the flour mixture into the butter bowl. Stop mixing the second you no longer see white streaks of flour. Overworking the dough at this stage makes the biscuits tough instead of chewy.
5. Add the texture: Pour 270g (9.5oz) of old-fashioned rolled oats and 225g (8oz) of raisins into the bowl. If you want a crunch, add 60g (2oz) of chopped walnuts now. Use a large metal spoon to stir these in by hand until they are spread through the sticky dough.
6. Shape the biscuits: Scoop about two tablespoons of dough for each cookie and roll them into rough balls. Place them on the prepared tins about 5cm (2in) apart to give them room to spread. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, switching the trays halfway through so they brown evenly. You’ll know they are done when the edges are golden brown but the centres still look slightly wet.
7. Cool the trays: Remove the tins from the oven and let the biscuits sit for at least five minutes without moving them. They are too soft to lift when hot and will break if you try to move them to a rack too soon. Use a flat spatula to transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Recipe Tips

Remove when soft. Take the biscuits out of the oven while the centre still looks underdone. They continue cooking on the hot tin for several minutes after they come out of the heat.

Use room temperature eggs. Cold eggs can cause the creamed butter to seize and clump together. Submerge cold eggs in a bowl of warm water for five minutes if you forgot to take them out of the fridge.

Soak the raisins. Place your raisins in a bowl with the vanilla extract for ten minutes before mixing. This prevents the dried fruit from sucking the moisture out of the biscuit dough while it bakes.

Chill the dough. Put the bowl in the fridge for thirty minutes if your kitchen is very warm. This prevents the butter from melting too fast in the oven, which keeps the biscuits from spreading into each other.

Swap the nuts. Replace the walnuts with pecans or macadamias if you prefer a different flavour. If you skip the nuts entirely, add an extra handful of oats to keep the volume of the dough consistent.

What To Serve With Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

These chewy biscuits are best served with a tall glass of cold full-fat milk. The creaminess of the milk balances the spice from the cinnamon and the sweetness of the fruit.

Try serving them alongside a hot coffee or a spiced chai tea for a mid-afternoon break. You can also sandwich a scoop of vanilla ice cream between two cookies for a quick dessert.

How To Store Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Fridge

Keep the biscuits in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to five days rather than the fridge. Cold air in the refrigerator tends to make the oats go stale and hard.

Reheat

Warm them in the oven at 150°C (300°F/Gas Mark 2) for three minutes to bring back the soft texture. You can use a microwave for ten seconds, but this can make them go limp and soggy if you leave them too long.

Freeze

Place unbaked dough balls on a tray and freeze until solid before moving to a bag. Bake them straight from the freezer at 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4) and just add two extra minutes to the timer.

Ina Garten Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe Nutrition Facts

Per serving (1 of 24):

• Calories: 165
• Protein: 2g
• Fat: 8g
• Carbohydrates: 22g
• Sugar: 13g
• Sodium: 95mg

Estimated. May vary based on ingredients and cooking methods.

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