Jevay These brown butter oatmeal raisin cookies are a twist on the classic recipe! They are made with brown butter, two kinds of sugar, old fashioned oats and GOLDEN RAISINS! They are soft, chewy, moist and packed full of flavor. This is the perfect recipe if you love a classic oatmeal raisin cookie.
Wait! Where Did These Cookies Come From?
Oatmeal cookies were actually derived from Scottish oatcakes! An oatcake was sort of like a cracker made from oats, water and a little bit of fat. This traditional snack was eaten with cheese, butter, jam and even meat. During the Victorian times, oats transitioned from being used primarily in porridge to being used in baked goods. People loved the taste of oatmeal and widely accepted its multi-purpose nature.
Eventually we see the first oatmeal cookie recipe published in the late 1800s by Fannie Merritt-Farmer, a big name in the culinary world at the time. Her recipe called for cinnamon, two types of sugar, and vanilla extract. This was a complete cookie recipe: sweet and comforting! This cookie would go on to be a timeless classic becoming a favorite cookie for many.
Ingredients
Brown Butter: Brown butter makes any baked good taste instantly better! Brown butter provides a richer, and nuttier flavor and in an oatmeal raisin cookie that is exactly what you want. I use a cup of brown butter in this recipe and it’s well worth it. Can you use regular melted butter, sure, but you want a full flavored cookie.
Golden Raisins: Also known as sultanas, golden raisins are the cousins to regular raisins. They are made from yellow or green grapes. Golden raisins are smaller, sweeter, and juicier than other raisins. For people who aren’t a huge fan of oatmeal raisin cookies it could be because of the traditional raisins used. They are stronger in flavor. These golden raisins would be a great alternative because their flavor is milder.
Old Fashioned Oats: Old fashioned oats are great to use in this recipe because they hold their shape and texture well during the baking process. They also are able to soak in flavor with my method for making these cookies.
White and Brown Sugar: Both sugars play a part in this recipe. White sugar helps to sweeten the cookies and the brown sugar helps the cookie maintain its moisture. A win all around.
Cinnamon: You need cinnamon to have a delicious oatmeal raisin cookie! I add 1 tsp to this recipe.
Flakey Sea Salt: This ingredient is optional, but I love flakey sea salt on any cookie. It helps to enhance the flavor at the end.
Making the Cookies
Start by making the brown butter in a skillet. Once the brown butter is done, in the same pan add the oats and the raisins. Give them a stir and let them sit while you gather the rest of the ingredients.
In a large bowl you can add the dry ingredients including the sugars. Then add the eggs and vanilla extract. Stir the ingredients. At this point you should have something that looks mostly like a cookie dough. At this stage you’ll add in the butter, oats and raisins.
There is enough fat in this recipe for the dough to feel a little wet. You might feel the need to refrigerate this dough, but this is a no-chill dough! You can bake these cookies right away. I did two test batches. The first batch was baked right after making the dough. The second batch was baked after being frozen for 24 hours. The first batch yielded a larger cookie. The second batch yielded a smaller cookie, but the flavor was the same to me.
Common Questions
- How long do I bake oatmeal raisin cookies? I baked my cookies for 8-10 minutes (if you’re using a small cookie scoop). I prefer to use an ice cream scoop and those cookies need 10-12 minutes. A good rule of thumb is to bake the cookies until they are set around the edges and the cookies is soft in the middle. The cookies will continue to bake as they cool, but you’ll still have a soft and chewy cookie.
- How can I store these oatmeal raisin cookies? Store your baked oatmeal raisin cookies in an airtight container for up to a week. You can store your raw oatmeal cookie dough for up to 90 days in an airtight container in the freezer. When you’re ready to bake, bake them for 15 minutes as they’ll need more time coming from their frozen state.
- Can I add in other ingredients? Absolutely! You can add in chopped chocolate, nuts, cranberries, or chopped up pretzels. You really can’t go wrong here.
- What if I don’t like raisins? You can take them out and just use chocolate chips or just eat an oatmeal cookie.
I really hope that you enjoy these delicious cookies! The recipe is below.
Brown Butter Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups of golden raisins or sultanas
- 1 cup brown butter
- 2 cups instant oats
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 tbs of vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cup AP flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line a cookie pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Brown the cup of butter in a large skillet. You will let the butter continue to melt until it begins to boil. The butter will simmer for about 5 minutes and then you will see the butter “bloom” into a deep brown color.
- Once the butter has browned, add the golden raisins and the oats. Stir until they come together and let them sit while you bring together the other ingredients.
- In a large mixing bowl, add all of the dry ingredients including the sugars. Mix those ingredients together.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix all of the ingredients until combined.
- Add the brown butter mixture to the rest of the ingredients and after mixing you should have a complete cookie dough.
- Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the dough and roll it in your hands to create an even dough ball. Place the dough balls on the cookie sheet leaving 1-2 inches in between each cookie. Bake for 10-12 minutes, also watching for set edges with a soft center.
