Spiced Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are one of my favorite recipes to share in my Fall Cookies collection. There's just something about the hearty oats, the soft chew, and the warm blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice that feels like coming home. These cookies are my take on an old-fashioned favorite, using a richer blend of warm spices for extra flavor in every bite. They're perfect for rainy days, after-school snacks, or anytime you're craving a homemade cookie that tastes like fall.
Oatmeal cookies can sometimes have a mild flavor, which is why warm spices make such a difference. While cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger are common choices, I used allspice instead of cloves and ginger. Combined with cinnamon and nutmeg, it gives these cookies a rich, comforting flavor without overpowering the oats and raisins.
Enjoy these cookies with a glass of milk or a cup of coffee for a special treat. If you love oatmeal cookies, you might also enjoy my Maple Cinnamon Iced Oatmeal Cookies with their light icing and smooth maple finish, or my Oatmeal Cream Filled Cookies for another old-fashioned favorite.
A Quick Look: Spiced Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Recipe Name: Spiced Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Ready In: About 1 hour and 30 minutes (including chilling time)
Yield: 34 cookies
Texture: Soft and chewy with plump raisins and lightly crisp edges.
Flavor Profile: Warm cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice with sweet raisins and hearty oats.
Difficulty: Easy
Why You'll Love These Cookies
🍂 Perfect for Fall Baking: The warm blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice fills your kitchen with the comforting aroma of fall.
🍪 Soft and Chewy: Quick oats and soaked raisins help create cookies with a soft, chewy texture and lightly crisp edges.
👩🍳 Easy to Make: Simple ingredients and straightforward steps make this recipe a great choice for beginner bakers, teens, or anyone looking for an easy homemade cookie.
🥛 Perfect with Coffee or Milk: Whether you're enjoying an afternoon coffee break or packing an after-school snack, these cookies are always a welcome treat.
🍇 Plump, Juicy Raisins: Soaking the raisins before adding them to the dough helps keep them soft and flavorful in every bite.
Ingredients
- Raisins - I use regular seedless raisins for this recipe, but you can easily substitute golden raisins if you prefer their slightly sweeter flavor. Whichever variety you choose, soaking the raisins in hot water before mixing them into the dough helps keep them soft and plump while the cookies bake.
- Quick Oats - Quick oats create a softer, more uniform texture that works well in these cookies. Old-fashioned oats are larger and chewier, giving the finished cookies a heartier texture. Since this recipe was developed and tested with quick oats, I recommend using them for the best results.
- Allspice - Instead of adding separate cloves and ginger, I use allspice. Made from the dried berries of the allspice tree, it naturally combines flavors that remind many people of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. It adds warm spice without overpowering the oatmeal and raisins, making these cookies flavorful while keeping the ingredient list simple.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Spiced Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Prepping the ingredients is a surefire way not to forget something that needs to be added to your cookies.
Prep
Step 1: Weigh or measure the sugars into a bowl and set aside. Next, weigh or measure the flour into a bowl. Add the baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, salt, and run a whisk through to blend them.
Step 2: Soak the raisins in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes, then drain them well and set them aside.
Mix the Dough
Step 3: Cube the room temperature butter and place it in the mixer bowl.
Step 4: Cream the butter on a medium mixer speed for a minute. It should be light in color and fluffy looking.
Step 5: Add both sugars and mix on a medium mixer speed for 3-4 minutes. Make sure the sugars are fully blended with the butter.
Step 6: Add the egg and vanilla extract, blend for a minute before adding the other egg.
Step 7: With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in thirds, mix until incorporated. Try not to overmix.
Step 8: Finally, add the oats and raisins and blend for another 15 seconds.
Chill
Step 9: Cover the bowl and refrigerate the cookie dough for 30 minutes.
Scoop and Bake
Step 10: Line cookie sheet pans with parchment paper. Add 12 cookie dough mounds to a prepared sheet pan using a medium cookie scooper.
Step 11: Bake at 350°F (175°C or 180°C) for 13-15 minutes. Don't overbake these cookies. When the edges start to turn a light brown, pull them out of the oven. The tops will be soft but leave the cookies on the pan for a minute or two, and they will start to firm up.
Step 12: Then move your cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling.
🫙🍪 Storage
Store the cookies in a container with a tight-fitting lid. They will stay fresh for about 5-6 days. If they start to lose some of the softness just add a piece of bread into the container. Don't let the bread touch the cookies or they will get too soft.
FAQs
Dry oatmeal cookies are usually caused by measuring too much flour, overbaking, or not soaking the raisins first. For the best results, measure the flour carefully, soak the raisins in hot water before adding them to the dough, and remove the cookies from the oven when the edges are lightly golden and the centers still look slightly soft. They will continue to set as they cool.
Absolutely! Chopped walnuts or pecans are delicious additions to these cookies. You can also try dried cranberries, chopped dried apricots, or even white or semi-sweet chocolate chips. Keep the total amount of mix-ins close to the amount of raisins called for in the recipe so the dough stays balanced.
Still Have Questions?
Need help with ingredient swaps or wondering if these cookies freeze well? I've added a few extra baking helpers below for common home baker questions.
Other Oatmeal Cookies
If you tried this Spiced Oatmeal Raisin Cookies recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it goes below. Thanks!
Recipe
Spiced Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (227 g) Butter unsalted room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 g) Sugar granulated
- ½ cup (110 g) Light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 2 Egg room temperature
- 1 ½ cups (187.5 g) All-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon Allspice
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 3 cups (243 g) 1- Minute Quick oats
- 1 cup (145 g) Raisins
Instructions
- Weigh or measure both sugars into a bowl and set them aside. In a separate bowl, weigh or measure the flour, then add the baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Whisk to combine the dry ingredients.
- To plump your raisins, bring water to a boil on the stove or in the microwave. Place the raisins in a bowl and pour enough hot water over them to cover. Let them soak for 10 to 15 minutes, then drain them well before adding them to the cookie dough.
- Using a mixer, cream the butter on medium speed for about 1 minute. Add both sugars and continue mixing on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, mixing until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then reduce the mixer speed to low.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients about one-third at a time, mixing until just incorporated after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the oats and raisins. Mix on low speed for 10 to 15 seconds, just until combined. If needed, use a spatula to finish folding the oats and raisins into the dough. Chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C or 180°C). Line two cookie sheet pans with parchment paper. Using a medium cookie scoop, place 12 mounds of dough onto each prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn golden. Be careful not to overbake. These cookies can become hard after a few days if baked too long.
- Once you remove the cookies from the oven, the tops will still feel soft but will firm up as they cool. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Recipe Notes
- Soak the raisins. Soaking the raisins in warm water for 10 to 15 minutes helps keep them plump and adds moisture to the baked cookies. Drain them well before adding them to the dough.
- Use quick oats. Quick oats give these cookies a softer, more uniform texture. Old-fashioned oats will produce a chewier, heartier cookie.
- Don't overmix. Once you add the flour, mix just until incorporated. Fold in the oats and raisins gently to keep the cookies tender.
- Avoid overbaking. Remove the cookies when the edges are just beginning to turn golden and the centers still look slightly soft. They will continue to set as they cool.
- Storage. Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. If stacking, place wax paper or parchment paper between the layers.
NUTRITION DISCLAIMER
I am not a certified Dietitian or Nutritionist. The nutrition amounts given below are provided through a program and are only a guideline.
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