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!
My girls (ages 4 and 2) and i just made these, and I also substituted with honey and butter… before seeing the video! We are thrilled. Right now they are in the 10 minute on the baking sheet phase, but the smell alone is so cozy and warm. We left out raisins because I don’t care for them. Also, we cut the honey in half and used a 1/4 cup of whole milk to make sure they are moist. We don’t give the girls refined sugar yet, so this recipe is ideal! Thanks!
I’m truly honored that you’d bake these cookies for your daughters, Anna! That means so much to me! 🙂 I really hope everyone enjoyed them! (And I have lots more oatmeal cookie recipes that don’t use raisins — you can find all of my oatmeal cookie recipes here, if you’re interested!)
Cookies with no refined sugar! Will try to bake it tonight for my 20 months old boy, thanks for sharing!
I’m so honored that you’d want to make these for your son, Jacqueline! I can’t wait to hear what you both think of these cookies! 🙂
This recipe looks SO yummy! I had planned to bake them tonight, but am out of whole wheat flour so I’ll have to wait until tomorrow. If they taste as wonderful as they look, I’ll post again. One question: do you ever add protein powder to your recipes to amp up the nutrition? If so, any tips?
I can’t wait to hear what you think of these cookies, Sharon! 🙂 Baking with protein powder can be a little tricky since every brands’ protein powder behaves differently. I have an entire FAQ page dedicated to protein powder here, so hopefully you find that useful!
These cookies were every bit as yummy as I’d hoped! I followed your recipe exactly; very, very easy and truly scrumptious. My only complaint is that I’m not sure I can stop at eating just one. Maybe I’ll hop on the exercise bike so…
I’ve been scouring the Web for healthy treat recipes and have been disappointed until now. You are definitely my “go to” for healthy indulgence. Thanks so much for a great recipe!
I’m so glad you loved these cookies Sharon! That really means a lot to me — and I’m truly honored that you’d call my website your “go to” for healthy indulgences! What a huge honor! Thank you!! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what recipe you try next!
Hi Amy! You must be psychic – your email arrived while my husband and I were driving home from a visit with one of our daughters and her family. We were in the midst of a discussion about my plan to make your Double Chocolate Muffin recipe. It looks like a perfect grab and go breakfast for a chocolate loving, health conscious, working mom of two little ones (and her mom who loves to spoil them all?). Heading for the store tomorrow to pick up ingredients.
BTW: I shared some of the oatmeal raisin cookies with my daughter. She loved them, too. We are both among your greatest fans!
Oh my goodness, Sharon!! My heart is about to burst — thank you SO much for your sweet comment! ♡ I’m so glad your daughter loved the oatmeal raisin cookies too! That really means a lot to me. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of the muffins! I’m just as big of a chocoholic as you seem to be, and they’re definitely a favorite of mine! 😉
I made these cookie with the kiddos and they found them ravishing!! two thumbs up here
I’m so glad you and your kids enjoyed these cookies Laurie! That means a lot to me! 🙂
The texture of my pre-baked cookies and batter look the same when placed on the baking sheet, but they spread flat during the oven time, becoming one large flat cookie [sad face]. I was very careful with the amount of flour and oats used and how these were measured, using the method you described. The oil, egg, and honey mixture thickened up well as I creamed these elements together gently. I chilled the batter. Nevertheless, it seems I have yet to fully master the art of baking with oil instead of butter. They smell great though, and I can’t wait to taste them regardless!
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Atrela! Let’s figure out what happened. 🙂 When you said you creamed the oil, egg, and honey together, did you use an electric or stand mixer? Or did you use a whisk (or fork), like in the instructions? If you used a mixer, you probably incorporated more air into the cookie dough, which could contribute to them spreading. I’ve also found the cookies spread more when the weather (or your kitchen!) is warmer. Next time, you can also skip the gently flattening part of Step 3 and make your cookie dough mounds as tall as they are wide (I use a spatula for this!), so they’ll still be thicker even if they spread. 🙂 Does that all make sense?
These are really good! I substituted buckwheat flour and honey. Since I didn’t have any raisins, I threw in some pumpkin seeds. They came out a bit lumpy but still tasted great.
I’m so glad you enjoyed these cookies, Caitlin! Thanks for including your recipe modifications — I always love hearing what tweaks work! 🙂
Firstly I want to say how much I love your recipes especially since they are an healthier alternative but still taste good.
So I made these tonight, they are really tasty except it’s a bit dry and I think it’s because I used wholemeal spelt flour. Is there anything I can do next time if I’m using the same type of flour?
Thank you so much for your sweet words about my recipes, Natalia! I’m truly honored! 🙂 Let’s sort out that dryness issue! How did you measure your spelt flour and your oats? Did you use a kitchen scale or measuring cups? If the latter, did you happen to scoop either the oats or flour directly from their containers with the measuring cups?
Hi Amy, I scooped the oats and flour directly from the container to the measuring cup?
Thanks for the info, Natalia! That’s not how they’re actually supposed to be measured. When measured like that, you can end up with 1.5 times as much flour as when you lightly spoon and level (aka 1.5 cups of oats and nearly 1.25 cups of flour!), and that extra flour and oats are definitely causing the issues that you’ve experienced! If you don’t own a kitchen scale, here’s what I recommend doing for measuring flour (and cocoa powder, oats, etc!): use a fork to “scoop” up flour from the container, and lightly shake the fork back and forth over the top of your measuring cup to transfer the flour into it. Once there’s a small mound of flour extending past the rim of the measuring cup, then place the flat back of a knife against the top of the measuring cup, and gently scrape it across the top to get rid of the excess flour. Never “pat” the flour down with the knife or fork. This fork method acts like a sifter (without dirtying another dish!) and guarantees you’ll add less flour to the batter, so you’ll end up with soft and chewy cookies. Does that make sense? 🙂
I also go over this exact dryness issue in detail on my Oatmeal Cookie FAQ Page, which is included in the Notes section of the recipe underneath the Instructions. I highly recommend reviewing that FAQ Page before baking your next batch! 🙂
Thanks for that advise Amy. I will be making these cookies again and will go over the FAQ Page and do as you have suggested and report back.
Thank you for taking time to reply to me.
It’s my pleasure, Natalia! I’m always happy to help! 🙂 I’m really excited to hear how your next batch turns out!
These came out so perfect and I love how health they are without sacrificing taste nor texture in any way! Will try the carrot version n nextt, thank you!
I’m so glad you loved these cookies Nataly! That means so much to me that you want to try another flavor version. I’m honored! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of the carrot cake oatmeal cookies after you try them!
FYI – coconut oil is not at all “healthy”.. it is full of saturated fat, which makes it extremely bad for your heart and LDL cholesterol. You’d be better off using canola or olive oil as a replacment.
I never post comments on anything but these cookies were perfect. I subbed almond flour and maple syrup (1/4 cup instead of 1/2 cup though). They were plenty sweet with the raisins. Thank you!
I’m so glad you loved these cookies, Dot! I’m truly honored that you’d take the time to comment. Thank you so much!! 🙂