I lived in the dorms during my freshman year of college, and with only a small fridge the size of a microwave and no kitchen, I purchased a meal plan and ate most of my lunches and dinners in the dining hall. Although usually somewhat skeptical of the entrées, I could always count on the salad bar for healthier options before stopping by the dessert station for sweet treats. Even then, I needed my daily fix!
Sometimes I felt adventurous and sampled their latest raw vegan carrot cake or tofu chocolate cupcakes, but their cookies were always the best. Chocolate chip, peanut butter, snickerdoodle, tuxedo… Those were the softest and chewiest you’d ever imagine. It was like biting into little circles of heaven!
But with the extra chewy factor and ample amounts of cinnamon, the oatmeal raisin cookies were always the first I’d reach for. I often headed down to dinner with my next door neighbor, who enrolled in many of the same classes and quickly turned into my study buddy. Since oatmeal raisin were his favorite too, we’d grab a plate to nibble on while quizzing each other about mechanisms and equations for our next chemistry and physics midterms.
Thank goodness the rest of the freshmen seemed to avoid that flavor!
So now, quite a few years later, I decided that it was finally time to develop a recipe of my own that rivaled—if not surpassed—those oatmeal raisin cookies. Something incredibly soft, unbelievably chewy, and absolutely irresistible… Exactly the opposite of the boring, bland, or dry reputations oatmeal cookies sometimes attract. And of course, being me and my blog, I wanted to make them healthier.
So… These are it! They’re the Ultimate Healthy Soft & Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. They’re chock full of hearty oats, sweet raisins, and lots of warm cinnamon. They’re also just 100 calories with no refined flour or sugar. Trust me, you’ll never need another recipe ever again!
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST HEALTHY OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES
Now let’s go over how to make these ultimate healthy oatmeal raisin cookies! I’m going to walk you through some important ingredients you’ll need and a few keys steps to help you avoid some of the more common issues. I cover many of these things in the video beneath the recipe too. If you’d rather skip straight to the recipe and start baking, go right ahead!
To start, you’ll need whole wheat flour or gluten-free flour. No refined all-purpose flour in these cookies! You’ll also need instant oats (also called “quick cooking” or “one minute” oats). Instant oats are smaller and thinner than traditional old-fashioned rolled oats. This means they soften faster, which keeps your ultimate healthy oatmeal raisin cookies supremely soft and chewy! You can usually find instant oats in canisters right next to the old-fashioned oats at the grocery store. (And no, they’re NOT the same thing as in those flavored individual brown paper packets!)
It’s extremely important to measure both the oats and flour correctly. Use this method or a kitchen scale if you own one. (I highly recommend the latter! This is the one I own.)
If your cookies turned out dry or failed to spread on the baking sheet, it’s mostly likely because there was too much of either of those dry ingredients, especially the oats. They act like little sponges and soak up moisture, so adding too many will quickly turn the cookies crumbly.
I promise these ultimate healthy oatmeal raisin cookies are worth taking the extra 10 seconds to measure your flour and oats correctly!
Whereas traditional recipes usually call for a full stick (or more!) of butter, you just need 2 tablespoons of coconut oil or butter. That really helps keep your ultimate healthy oatmeal raisin cookies low calorie and low fat, and if you use coconut oil, they’re also dairy-free!
Also unlike traditional recipes that use refined granulated sugar, you’ll actually sweeten your ultimate healthy oatmeal raisin cookies with honey, agave, or pure maple syrup. These are unrefined sweeteners, and they all work equally well!
Then here’s one of my favorite tips for making the best ever healthy oatmeal raisin cookies…
Don’t add your raisins into the cookie dough straight from the package! Instead, hydrate your raisins first. This is super simple to do! Add them to a microwave-safe bowl, cover them with water, and place a lid or plastic wrap on top. Microwave them on high for 1 minute. Let them sit for at least 5 minutes (or while you measure and mix together the rest of the ingredients!). By the time you’re ready to drain them and stir them into the cookie dough, they’ll be exceptionally plump and juicy… Which definitely creates the best healthy oatmeal raisin cookies imaginable!
Now that your cookie dough is all mixed together, chilling is mandatory. Most of the time. If you added the correct amount of oats and flour, the dough should be wet and look more like thick muffin batter. Chilling will help stiffen the dough so it doesn’t spread as much while baking. If your cookie dough is already stiff, skip the chilling and bake it right away.
(The video just above the recipe shows what the textures before and after chilling should look like!)
However, your ultimate healthy oatmeal raisin cookies will only spread some after chilling (not excessively!), so if you want wider, somewhat thinner cookies, make sure you flatten them slightly before baking. Just give them a little pat with a spatula. If you prefer thicker cookies, skip that and bake them right after scooping them onto the baking tray.
Finally, do not overbake these cookies! I always pull mine out slightly early, then let them sit on the warm baking sheet longer. This allows the centers to continue to set without turning the outsides crisp and crunchy. Your ultimate healthy oatmeal raisin cookies will stay soft and chewy for an entire week that way!
These Ultimate Healthy Soft & Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies didn’t stand a chance at my house. Even with just me eating (and sneaking) them, they only lasted four days. I hope you enjoy them just as much!
And when you make your own oatmeal raisin cookies, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your ultimate healthy oatmeal raisin cookies!
(My Healthier Chocolate Treats cookbook is full of sweet and healthy recipes like these oatmeal cookies! You can see a sneak preview of all of the recipes inside here!)
The Ultimate Healthy Soft & Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (100g) instant oats (measured like this & gluten-free if necessary)
- ¾ cup (90g) whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp (28g) coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120mL) honey or agave
- ¼ cup (40g) raisins (see Notes!)
Instructions
- Whisk together the oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, egg, and vanilla. Stir in the honey or agave. Add in the flour mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Fold in the raisins. Chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Drop the cookie dough into 15 rounded scoops onto the prepared sheet, and flatten slightly. Bake at 325°F for 11-14 minutes (see Notes!). Cool on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
Here is what the cookie dough should look like just before chilling. It resembles thick muffin batter more than cookie dough!
Here is what the cookies look like before and after baking. They some, but not too much, so be sure to flatten them slightly with a spatula just before popping the baking sheet in the oven.
You may also like Amy’s Other Recipes…
♡ Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
♡ Healthy Almond Joy Oatmeal Cookies
♡ Healthy Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cookies
♡ Healthy Raspberry Oatmeal Cookies
♡ Healthy Apple Pie Oatmeal Cookies
♡ …and the rest of Amy’s healthy oatmeal cookie recipes!
Can we use sugar instead of agave
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Chanah! I’ve actually answered that already on my Oatmeal Cookie FAQ Page, which is linked to in the Notes section underneath the Instructions. It can be easy to miss! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of the cookies!
Omg, these are soooooooooooooo good. I’m making cookies for Christmas presents and I know my brother tries to eat healthier like I do so I was looking for a healthy oatmeal raisin recipe and I found this. I’m so glad I picked trying this recipe over the others. After I mixed up the batter (which I doubled because I wanted at least two dozen), I was trying not to eat them already! Then I made them and had to try one. My mind was already made up that I was going to keep the second dozen and I’ll just make another batch for my sister another time. They are soooooo good I want to eat all of them right now.
I didn’t have enough agave though, so almost half of my sweetener was maple syrup. It definitely still tastes amazing and I’ll definitely be making them again. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the cookies!! That means so much to me that you’re baking them for your family as Christmas gifts — and keeping a batch for yourself too! I’m truly touched that you selected my recipe for such a special occasion. 🙂 If you’re a fan of oatmeal cookies, you can find all of my healthier oatmeal cookie recipes here! Happy holidays!
Um, i must have done something wrong because these were terrible. I used stone-ground whole wheat flour and the agave syrup and they tasted like cardboard. I’m an amateur chef so this certainly isn’t my first rodeo–
Any tips?
That sounds frustrating Lindsay! What do you mean by “terrible?” Was it the taste, texture, or something else? I’d recommend starting by reading my Oatmeal Cookie FAQ Page (there a link to it in the Notes section underneath the Instructions). I’d also recommend watching my video just above the recipe to compare the texture of your cookie dough to mine at each stage of the recipe. If you still haven’t figured out what happened based on those two things, I’d be happy to address any specific concerns you have! 🙂
Hi! These cookies look and sound incredible, I have to try this recipe asap! I have one question though, since I’m vegan, I don’t use eggs, so do you think this recipe would work without them or should I use some kind of substitution? Thank you in advance!
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Em! My brother is allergic to eggs, so my favorite egg replacer is Ener-G. It’s shelf-stable, keeps for ages, and works in nearly all of my recipes — including this one! For each egg, you’ll need 1½ teaspoons Ener-G + 2 tablespoons warm water + ½ tablespoon extra coconut oil (to compensate for the missing egg yolk!). 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of the cookies!
Hi Amy!
Just wanted you to know I just made these cookies and they’re fantastic!!! I’m constantly on the lookout for healthy alternatives for a dessert and these are so yummy!! I printed it out… this is a keeper! Going to make them again tomorrow because these are not going to be around long 😉
I also substituted a real egg for a flax and egg it didn’t seem to alter the flavor or texture… FYI 🙂
Your video was very helpful along with all your other tips. I microwaved my raisins in water too and they are soft and chewy in the cookie as if they were fresh.
Thanks so much for creating this delicious recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the cookies Gina! That means a lot to me that you’d call my recipe a keeper. Thank you so much!! 🙂 I have lots more healthy oatmeal cookie recipes here too, if you’re ever interested in a different flavor!
I made them. to be honest, I have not eaten any chewy oatmeal cookies before. so, I can’t compare them. actually I made them to make my breakfast easier. thank u very much for sharing a easy recipe. my only question is, how to store these cookies?
I hope you enjoyed the cookies Farhina! 🙂 To store, I simply put them in an airtight container. If the cookies stick together, place a sheet of wax paper, parchment paper, or a paper towel in between the cookies. Super easy!
You said you store them in an airtight container. Is that on the counter at room temp? Or in the fridge? Thanks for clarifying!
On the counter is fine! They’ll keep for longer if stored in the fridge, if you don’t think you’ll finish off the batch in a week. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of the cookies Kris!
Hi Amy! Firstly I want to say that I tried this recipe last weekend and I was very pleased with the results! I am currently gluten, egg, dairy and refined sugar free, and I was looking for an oatmeal cookie recipe that would meet those requirements. I substituted the egg with a flax egg and they turned out great! Chewy and delicious! One thing I wanted to point out though is that your measurements for your suggested gluten-free flour do not add up. When you use the ingredients and quantities you suggest, you end up with quite a bit more than a three-quarter cup of flour the recipe calls for, maybe about 20-25% more. I was nervous the cookies would turn out dry, so I just increased the liquid ingredients by a small amount. Thankfully they turned out great, despite not sticking to your exact measurements. Thanks for the tasty (and healthy) treat!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the cookies Michelle! 🙂 I’m not quite sure what you mean about the gluten-free flour substitute that I provided. My gluten-free flour substitute does add up to ¾ cup (½ cup millet flour, 2 tablespoons (aka ⅛ cup) tapioca flour, and 2 tablespoons (aka ⅛ cup) brown rice flour). Did you measure by volume or by weight?
That is strange. I measured by volume, not weight. Does it really make a difference? I am pretty sure I measure accurately, as I use a knife to level it off perfectly. I made this recipe twice, once last weekend, and then again last night, and I had more flour than needed both times. Maybe some of my measuring cups are off?
Yes, that can make a difference Michelle! Especially with the technique you use to measure. If you scoop directly from the container using the measuring cups and spoons, you’ll end up with up to 1.5 times as much flour as when you lightly spoon and level the flour into the measuring cups and spoons. (See the link in the Ingredients list for more info!) To ensure you don’t end up with too much flour, I actually recommend using a fork to spoon and level because it acts like a sifter if you gently shake it back and forth over the top of the measuring cups and spoons. 🙂
I so wanted to like these. But they came out just like every other healthy recipe I’ve tried. Bland and dense. I weighed out the dry ingredients so no chance of that being the problem. Even if the texture was better they don’t have the flavor. Hopefully the kids will like them haha.
That sounds disappointing — and not at all how they’re supposed to be! Did you make any substitutions, by chance? And did you check over my Oatmeal Cookie FAQ page in the Notes section? I’d like to work together to figure out what happened so your cookies turn out perfectly sweet and chewy!
Just made these using honey in place of agave and regular plain flour instead of GF or whole wheat. Added cardamom as well because it’s my favourite spice and I add it to most sweets lol. The flavor was incredible!! However the texture was more cake-like than soft and chewy.. Do you think the flour made that difference? Regardless, I loved them and will make them again!
I’m so glad you loved the cookies’ flavor Sophie! That means a lot to me that you’d like to make them again — thank you! I actually answer what causes a cakey texture instead of chewy on my Oatmeal Cookie FAQ page, which is linked to in the Notes section. It can be easy to miss! 🙂 (And I definitely need to try your idea of adding cardamom!!)
Hi just to say your cookies look amazing and you have made it very easy to follow the recipe,
However this is the second time I have attempted these and they have always turned out dry and cakey.
What am I doing wrong, I have been following the ingredients to the letter? They still taste lovely but soooo dry.
The flour and oats are the correct amounts I even pulsed them a little to see if that would help. Maybe it’s the wet ingredients but the only thing I think I maybe didn’t measure properly was the coconut oil but I added 2 tbsp as req, added 1/2 cup argave, 1 large egg and the vanilla, it looked a little drier than your picture but not much, when I took it out the fridge it had thickened right up. What can I do to fix them, I really, really want to try your delicious cookies, soft and chooey.
I really appreciate your kind words Tracy! Have you reviewed my Oatmeal Cookie FAQ Page? It’s linked to in the Notes section underneath the Instructions, and I address what causes a dry, cakey texture there. How do you measure the flour and oats? With a kitchen scale or with measuring cups?