oatmeal Archives - Her Modern Kitchen

Big, delicious, bakery-style Oatmeal Raisin Cookies that are soft yet chewy, loaded with plump raisins, warm spices & a touch of molasses. I promise you, someday these will be world-famous.

This post was originally published on November 14, 2016 and updated with new photos in January 3, 2020.

I understand oatmeal cookies may not sound that exciting but I’m gonna to need you to trust me on this one because these truly are the Best Ever Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.

Think big, delicious, bakery-style Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.

They’re soft yet chewy, loaded with plump raisins, warm spices and a touch of molasses. They’re like a warm hug from your Mom after a bad day at school. They’re like being wrapped in a warm blanket fresh out of the dryer. They’re like sitting in front of a fireplace on a cold winter night.

They are comfort food.

They are Oatmeal Raisin Cookie perfection.

Before diving in to create the Best Ever Oatmeal Raisin Cookie, I did a lot of research. The thing with oatmeal raisin cookies is that they can often lean closer to the muffin-top side of the spectrum rather than the cookie side.

I’ve eaten way too many oatmeal raisin cookies that are too fluffy and too moist. I knew my oatmeal raisin cookies had to be tender yet chewy. To achieve this, I made sure to load it will rolled oats rather than quick oats. Using rolled oats ensured that even when the oats soaked up some of the wet ingredients, they still maintained a small bite, giving the cookies added texture and chew once baked.

Hydrate Your Raisins

Oatmeal raisin cookies also tend to have hard little raisins spotted throughout them that have dried out during the baking process. And sometimes, you might only get ONE raisin in an oatmeal raisin cookie which is simply unforgivable.

To avoid this, I used one and a half cups of raisins and made sure to plump up my raisins before adding them to the cookie dough. To plump up the raisins, I rehydrated them by letting them soak in a hot water bath while the rest of the ingredients were prepped. This ensured the raisins were plump and chewy and didn’t shrink up into hard little dots while baking.

Molasses & Warm Spices

I also wanted an oatmeal raisin cookie that was rich in flavor while being warm and toasty. I achieved this by adding a greater portion of brown sugar than white, granulated sugar and upping the toasty notes with a tad of molasses.

This also increased the chewiness of the cookie when combined with the rolled oats. Lastly, to bring it on home, rather than simply adding cinnamon to the dough, I used cinnamon along with a hint of nutmeg and clove to round out the warming spices and add depth to the overall flavor.

Bakery Style Means Extra Large

For maximum cookie enjoyment, I also made sure to weigh out the cookie dough into 2-ounce portions prior to baking. These resulted in cookies that were about palm-size once finished, just like you’d find at a local bakery.

Once baked, these oatmeal raisin cookies turn golden brown from the molasses, the oats become slightly chewy and the raisins stay soft and plump. They’re perfect for dunking!

In my opinion, these are the Best Ever Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. And, although you may think 1 is enough, I won’t judge you for sneaking a 2nd or 3rd, I know I did!

Looking for more bakery-style cookies? Check out my favorite Monster Cookie recipe.

5.0 from 4 reviews

Best Ever Bakery-Style Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Save Print

Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

45 mins

Big, delicious, bakery-style Oatmeal Raisin Cookies that are soft yet chewy, loaded with plump raisins, warm spices & a touch of molasses.

Author: Alyssa

Serves: 24

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

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350* and line cookie sheets with a silicone baking 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***
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

Homemade Peanut Butter + Parsley Dog Treats with added health benefits from oats and flaxseed that will keep your dog healthy and begging for more!

One reason why I cook and bake is because it allows me to share food. This also includes baking and sharing food with all the four-legged friends in my life whether they be my own dogs, Stella & Persie, or the dogs of friends or coworkers. This simple task of baking a special dog treat, like these Peanut Butter + Parsley Dog Treats, is really something I enjoy.

Dogs really are smart and emotionally in-tune with the what’s going on around them. For example, my dogs, typically know when I’m making treats for them versus baking cookies for our human friends. They often crowd around me in the kitchen, watching as I roll and cut the dough, waiting for their chance to eat some.

Even their reactions to the treats when trying them for the first time is different then compared to when they’re given store bought treats. For these Peanut Butter + Parsley Dog Treats, Stella and Persie instantly snapped to attention when they know it’s was time to taste test the treats.

Persie even dances a bit on his front paws with excitement and starts to form a little puddle of drool on the floor, eagerly awaiting his Peanut Butter + Parsley Dog Treat. I like to think their reaction is a result of knowing this treat was made special, just for them, and of course full of love.

When creating these Peanut Butter + Parsley Dog Treats, I put a lot of thought and care into the ingredient list, as I wanted to make sure these treats tasted great (from a dog’s perspective) and offered a little bit of health benefit to my dogs when they ate them rather than being empty calories.

Peanut Butter: My dogs love peanut butter and this was simply added as a drool factor
Oats + Oat Flour: Known to be skin-soothing, an anti-inflammatory, immune boosting, quick digesting, and least irritating to dogs with grain sensitivity
Parsley: In small amounts, it can offer benefits to those dogs with bad breath
Flaxseed: Contains omega 3 fatty acids which help with dry skin and creates a shinier coat

These Peanut Butter + Parsley treats are something special I make for our dogs when I feel like baking, when our dog buddies are having a birthday, or around the holidays so the dogs can enjoy something special as well. This recipe makes a ton, so there’s always more than enough to share and they come together rather quickly without too much of a mess.

My dogs, Stella & Persie, are part of my family. I love to bake for them as a way to show them I love them. If you make these Peanut Butter + Parsley Dog Treats for your dogs, I’d love to know if they react with the same attentiveness and drool puddles that mine do.

Peanut Butter + Parsley Dog Treats

Save Print

Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

1 hour

Homemade Peanut Butter + Parsley Dog Treats with added health benefits from oats and flaxseed that will keep your dog healthy and begging for more!

Ingredients

1 cup oat flour*
1 cup whole wheat flour**
¼ cup rolled oats
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ cup parsley flakes
¼ cup ground flaxseed
1 cup peanut butter
1 egg
½ cup milk (dairy, almond, soy)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325*F and prepare a baking sheet with parchment. Set aside.
In a medium size bowl, whisk together the oat flour, rolled oats, whole wheat flour, baking powder, ground flaxseed, and parsley flakes then set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, egg and milk until fully combined.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until no wet ingredients remain in the bottom of the bowl.
To fully incorporate all ingredients, turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface (with Whole Wheat Flour) and knead the mixture until everything is combined.
With a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a quarter or half-inch thickness.
Using cookie cutters of your choosing or a knife, cut the dough into shapes.
Place the shapes onto the prepared baking pan leaving a half-inch space between each treat.
Bake the cookies for 15 minutes or until lightly brown on the bottom. Remove the cookies from the oven and flip. Return to the oven and bake for another 10-12 minutes until browned on all sides and firm to the touch.
Remove from the oven and let cool completely before feeding to your pets. As the treats cool, they will harden even more.
The cookies will keep for up to a month in a zip-locked back when stored in a cool, dry place.

Notes

*If you do not have Oat Flour, simply place oats in your food processor and pulse until a flour consistency forms.
**If your dog has gluten sensitivities, additional Oat Flour may be subbed for Whole Wheat Flour

A Note on Whole Wheat Flour:

These Peanut Butter + Parsley Dog Treats also contain Whole Wheat Flour. Some dogs have gluten sensitivities but my dogs, and most of the dogs in my life, can tolerate gluten in small amounts. Much like humans indulging in a cookie or ice cream, these treats are just that to a dog – a treat.

They aren’t something your dogs should be eating in excess. When giving these to my dogs, they receive 1-2 per day and have no issues digesting the small amount of gluten from the Whole Wheat Flour. Of course, if you’re making these for a pup who can’t tolerate gluten then you can easily sub the Whole Wheat Flour out for more Oat Flour.

If you do have any concerns about the ingredients, please consult with your veterinarian.