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 or oil 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!
Hey Amy!
Thanks for this recipe. Can’t wait to try it
I’m trying some vegan alternative and was wondering what could replace the egg in the recipe ?
Thanks you !
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe! My brother is actually allergic to eggs, and Ener-G is my favorite substitute. Ener-G is a shelf-stable powder that keeps for ages. It works perfectly as an egg replacer in nearly all of my recipes, including this one! For my recipes, use 1 ½ teaspoons Ener-G + 2 tablespoons warm water for each egg white, and you’ll need an additional ½ tablespoon of coconut oil or Earth Balance (or another vegan butter!) for each egg yolk.
I’d love to hear what you think of these oatmeal cookies if you end up making them!
Can you use a sugar substitute instead of honey? If so how much would you use? Looking to make these for a diabetic.
It means a lot that you’d consider making these cookies for someone else, Shirley! What’s the exact sweetener (brand + product name!) that you’d like to use?
I’m really sorry I’m just now getting back to you. I had to take more time off than I anticipated to take care of some family things, but I’m still happy to help if you’d like! 🙂
I have Truvia, both brown and white.
Thanks for sharing, Shirley! If they’re the ones from Truvia’s “Sweet Complete” line of products that sweeten cup-for-cup like regular sugar, then I’d recommend using ½ cup (96g) of either of those and also adding ½ cup of milk (any type should work!). It’s necessary to add the milk {a} to compensate for the missing liquid volume and {b} because erythritol both absorbs and dissolves differently in liquids compared to cane-based sugar. If you watch my video above the recipe, that’ll show you what the consistency of the cookie dough should be like before and after chilling. That’s the same consistency that you’re aiming for by adding the milk! 🙂
I’d love to hear how your cookies turn out and what you think of them!
This recipe is amazing!!!!!!! Soft, sweet, wholesome, yummy all around. I used coconut sugar and milk instead of honey/agave and the cookies turned out beautifully. We’ll be making these again!
You’re such a sweetheart, Kelly! Your comment just made my entire WEEK! ♡ That many exclamation points and that you’re already considering making them again… That’s the highest praise there is. I’m honored! 🙂 Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know — it really means a lot!
My daughter asked for cookies this morning, so I quickly looked for a healthy recipe and found these. They came out great! I added some chocolate chips (not so healthy but oh so tasty!), and a sprinkle of ground flaxseed and hemp hearts. Delicious! Happy toddler and happy mommy here!
I’m so glad you and your daughter enjoyed these cookies, Patricia! Thank you for taking the time to let me know. It really means a lot! (And as a huge chocoholic, I’m completely on board with adding chocolate chips too! 😉 )
I followed all the instructions but my cookies came out dry. I think 2tbs of coconut oil is not enough for this recipe.
It means a lot that you tried my recipe, Ana! That sounds disappointing and not like how these cookies should turn out at all, so I’d love to work with you to figure out what happened. In order to do so, I have some questions for you!
Did you make any substitutions or modifications to the recipe, including those listed in the Notes section and/or on my Oatmeal Cookie FAQ Page?
Did you use a kitchen scale or measuring cups/spoons to measure all of the ingredients — especially the flour, instant oats, and honey?
If the latter, can you describe how you used them to measure? For example, did you dip your measuring cups directly into the containers of instant oats and/or flour?
Did you use the whole wheat flour option or one of the gluten-free options I provided? If the latter, which one?
Which sweetener did you use — honey, agave, or something else? And did you use the full amount?
How long did you chill your cookie dough?
Can you describe the texture of your cookie dough before and after chilling? (And did it match the consistency of mine in the video directly above the recipe?)
How much did you flatten your cookie dough prior to baking?
How long did you bake your cookies?
How was their sweetness level and flavor? Was it just the texture that was off, or was their taste not quite right too?
I know I just asked a LOT of questions, but I’ll have a much better idea of the culprit once I know your answers to all of them!
Thank you for this recipe. I just ate a freshly baked cookie! My son and I were craving oatmeal cookies but we’re both trying to eat more healthful foods, These definitely fit the bill. My batch turned out good but a little dry, so I’d welcome any suggestions.
I used 2 tbsps butter, whole wheat flour, and honey, all measured by weight. I used a cookie scoop, flattened the scoops, and baked for 11 minutes. I will bake them again because we do like them and they’re practically guilt free! Off to look at your other recipes!
It means a lot that you tried my recipe, Alicia! That doesn’t sound like how these cookies are supposed to turn out, so I’m happy to help figure out what happened with your batch. In order to do so, I have some questions for you!
Did you make any substitutions or modifications, including those listed in the Notes section?
When you weighed the honey, did you use grams or ounces?
How much honey did you add?
How long did you chill your cookie dough?
Did the consistency of your cookie dough look the same as the cookie dough in my video above the recipe, both before and after chilling?
When you used your cookie scoop, did you make exactly 15 cookies? If not, how many cookies did you make?
About how thick (in inches or millimeters!) were your cookies after you flattened the cookie dough prior to baking?
When you removed the cookies from the oven after 11 minutes, did the centers still feel a little soft and underdone? Or were they mainly firm?
How long did you let your cookies cool on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack?
I know I just asked a LOT of questions, but I’ll have a much better idea of the culprit (and how to fix it!) once I know your answers to all of them! 🙂
I made the recipe as written, using butter. I weighed ingredients in grams, including the honey. I used a cookie scoop to measure out the dough into 15 cookies. However, I initially forgot to flatten them, so I opened the oven a minute later and pressed down the scoops of dough to about 1/2 inch thick and baked for 11 minutes more. Could that have been the problem? Also, I’m using a new oven with better technology than the old one. I guess I still have to get used to it. Thanks for your help!
Thanks for sharing this information, Alicia! I seem to be missing a few key details. I promise I’m asking all of these questions for a reason!! 😉
How many grams of honey did you use?
How long did you chill your cookie dough?
Did the consistency of your cookie dough look the same as the cookie dough in my video above the recipe, both before and after chilling?
You just mentioned using a new oven with better technology. That’s interesting too! What makes this oven and its technology different? Is it a gas or electric oven, and does it have a convection setting?
Thank you for your patience and answering these questions too — we’re nearly there! 🙂
Thank you for helping me get this right!
-I used 170 grams of honey
-Chilled dough for 25 minutes
-Consistency looked similar to the photos
The new oven has convection bake but I used regular baking. The technology difference is it’s a “smart oven” that uses convection. My old oven had a convection bake setting, but the new oven seems like it’s using convection even on the regular bake setting, because everything seems to be cooking faster. Maybe I should have decreased the bake time more instead of assuming that 11 minutes would be ok.
You’re welcome, Alicia! I’m happy to help! 🙂
I’m SO relieved to hear you used 170g of honey. When many people use a kitchen scale to measure the liquid sweetener called for in my recipes, they use 4 ounces — without realizing that they’re measuring dry ounces instead of liquid ounces — and don’t convert to the proper weight measurement using the sweetener’s density. It throws off the ratio of wet and dry ingredients, but since you did the right thing and used 170g, it sounds like that wasn’t the issue here. Whew!! (You’re one smart cookie, no pun intended! 😉 )
That’s really interesting! Is it a smaller countertop oven or a regular-sized oven?
If everything seems to bake faster, not just these oatmeal cookies, then it does sound like it might be your oven. With some convection ovens (and if yours is trying to “outsmart” you by using the convection setting, even on the regular bake setting! 😉 ), it’s necessary to set them temperature about 25°F lower in order for things to bake in the “proper” amount of time provided in recipes to compensate for the oven’s convection. However, it could also be that your oven runs hot! Do you have an oven thermometer that you could use to check? Either way, baking for less time would definitely make them less dry — and more soft and chewy!
I’ve just took them fro the oven and they smell soooo good!!!
What attracted me from this recipe was the only 2 tsp of coconut oil although I used unsalted butter compared to other recipes with 1\2 cup of butter +6 tbsp !!!!
I took the advise of another blogger to use 1 tbsp of melasses and I did included to the 1/2 cup honey.
My kitchen smells amazing even my husband was curious to see what I was baking!!!
Thank You!!!!
I’m so glad you loved these cookies, Cristina! I hope your husband enjoyed them as well! Your molasses addition sounds fantastic. I’m thrilled it turned out, and I appreciate you taking the time to share! I’m truly honored that you’d rate this recipe 5 stars too. Thank you so much for your sweet comment — it made my day!! 🙂
Hello, I’ve made your recipe quite a few dozen times now and loved every bit! I’ve made alterations to your recipe in the past but I have a question regarding butter. Could I subsitute pumpkin puree for butter? If so is it the same amount? I’m not sure if you’ve baked with it. I mostly wanted to cut out the cholesterol and both butter and coconut oil are unfortunately culprits for it. Thank you so much for your time 🙂
It means a lot that you’re enjoying these cookies and would rate the recipe so highly, Marcus! Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know. I’m honored! 🙂
I don’t recommend substituting pumpkin purée for the butter or coconut oil. Because it doesn’t have fat, it’ll change the texture of the cookies and make them more bready and possibly dry. However, if your goal is to reduce the cholesterol, coconut oil generally shouldn’t have any! All of the jars that I’ve used in the past have listed “0g” for the cholesterol amount. Perhaps it’s worth a second look at the nutrition label — or trying a different brand, if your coconut oil does have cholesterol, for some reason?
Otherwise, there are lots of great stick-style vegan butter products out there that have no cholesterol, and those would be a perfect substitute for the butter instead! I love Earth Balance, and I just recently tried and liked Country Crock’s plant butter too. 🙂
Thank you for the reply! 🙂 And of course it’s a great recipe! As for the subsitutes, unfortunately coconut oil is high in saturated fat no matter which kind thus elivating the over cholesterol I’d be getting. At least that’s what I read online. That said even the vegan butter has inflammatory attributes since it’s quite processed. Thank you for all the feedback either way and especially about not using pumpkin puree! I’ve read olive oil may do the trick but I couldn’t imagine it being a good hold for the cookies. I may be stuck with butter but at least everything else is healthy lol. I appreciate all your help! Have a wonderful week!
It’s my pleasure, Marcus! I’m happy to help. 🙂 If you do end up trying olive oil, I’d love to hear how that turns out. I always enjoy hearing about the results of recipe tweaks and modifications!
Hello! You may not remember my comment which is completely fine, but I wanted to let you
know that I have success substituted olive oil for butter! This is my second batch what really worked for me was 3 tablespoons of olive oil & I upped the baking powder to two teaspoons. I kept having issues with the cookies rising so I’m glad it all worked out. Thank you so much for the recipe! I’ve baked it a dozen times as I stated before – but also so much playing around to make it healthier. I even mixed honey with maple syrup which should be a wild taste. Thanks again 🙂
Yes — I absolutely remember your previous comments, Marcus! I’m thrilled the olive oil substitution worked out!! Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with that, as well as the tidbit about the baking powder. It means a lot that you’d do so, and I always love hearing about what fun recipe tweaks turn out! 🙂
These were the best oatmeal raisin cookies I have ever tasted in my life. I only made a few changes like I used almond flour so I could have a no salt cookie and I added some chopped walnuts. I also used no salt baking powder. They were amazing. I actually had a no salt no sugar cookie that was so delicious. The reason I’m back on the site is because I’m going to make another batch. Thank you for the recipe!!!
Oh my goodness — you just made my entire day, Evelyn!! I’m truly honored that you’d call these the best oatmeal raisin cookies you’ve ever tasted. That’s such high praise! Thank you SO much for taking the time to let me know!! ♡
Hi!
I was looking for an oatmeal cinnamon cookie recipe with a refined sugar alternative and found your recipe! Is it possible to make this as written but without the raisins or would I have to adjust the recipe somehow? Thanks!
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe! Yes, you can easily omit the raisins for plain cinnamon-spiced oatmeal cookies. No modifications needed! 🙂
I’d love to hear what you think of these cookies if you do end up making them!