Simply the BEST Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, Bakery Style...

I've made these thick, chewy oatmeal cookies for years from a recipe I found online somewhere and they are pure comfort in every bite—rich, hearty, and downright irresistible. Don’t flatten them with a glass—leave them beautifully mounded for that bakery-style texture. I didn’t have a large ice cream scoop on hand, so I used a 1/4 cup measuring cup, and it worked like a charm. They baked up perfectly in 16 minutes—golden on the edges, soft in the middle.

The flavor? Even better the next day—like they settled into their deliciousness overnight. Using a generous scoop makes a huge difference in size and density; they stay nice and thick and don’t spread out much at all. I went all in with 1.5 cups of raisins (yes, it’s a lot, but so worth it!) and added a full cup of chopped pecans for a nutty crunch in every bite. These cookies are everything you want them to be—chunky, chewy, and packed with goodness.

Ingredients:

¾ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon molasses*
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups rolled oats**
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1½ cups raisins
2 cups boiling water
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts. Pecans are my favorite for these cookies.

Preheat oven to 350* and line cookie sheets with a silicon mat or parchment paper, set aside

Place the raisins in a small bowl and pour boiling water on top. Immediately cover with plastic wrap to keep in the heat and set aside while you assemble the dough

In a mediums size bowl, mix together flour, oats, spices, baking soda, and salt, set aside

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy

Add in the vanilla extract and 1 egg at a time until fully combined with the mixer on medium-low

With the mixer on medium-low, drizzle in the molasses until fully combined.

Scrape down the sides and prepare to add the dry ingredients

Add in the dry ingredients (the oat-flour mixture) in three separate additions, ensuring each is fully combined before adding the next

***Strain the raisins to remove the water and using the back of a wooden spoon, lightly press down on the raisins to squeeze out as much of the water as you can*** - I squeeze between paper towels to get every bit of moisture out.

Add the raisins to the cookie dough and gently combine with the mixer on low or by hand using a wooden spoon.

Using a 2-ounce scoop, place mounds of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, allowing about 2 inches between each dough placement

Using the palm of your hand or the flat bottom of a glass, press down on the cookie dough mounds until they are about half their original size

Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 15-17 minutes until golden brown

Once baked, let the cookies cool for an additional 1-2 minutes on the tray before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely

Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months

Notes:

Be sure to use dark molasses but not blackstrap molasses. I prefer Grandma's molasses to cook with.* Ensure the oats are Rolled Oats. These are not the same as Quick Oats and they are not Steel Cut Oats.** You don't want to add water to your cookies so removing as much excess water from the raisins prior to adding them to the cookie dough is extremely important.