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!
I’m waiting for these to come out of the oven now!
But in the meantime… just curious, are these supposed to be 15 “mini” sized cookies?
I followed the recipe exactly, using weight measurements. It made 6 cookies. Granted, they may be slightly larger than regular cookies, but definitely not over double the size of a regular cookie.
Out of curiosity, what is the diameter of one of your cookies? Thanks!
We’re honored that you decided to try this recipe, Liat! Amy actually has a video within this blog post, shortly before you get to the recipe box. I know it can be easy to miss! In that video, you can watch her scoop these onto the baking sheet, so hopefully that will help compare to the size that you baked! They’re typically between 2 ½ to 3″ inches in diameter after baking, and sometimes up to 3 ½”, but that depends on how much you flatten them and how much they spread. We hope you enjoy these cookies! 🙂
Made them with chocolate chips and no raisins and cinnamon and they were delicious!
I’m so happy you enjoyed these cookies! Thank you for taking the time to comment and share. It really means a lot! (And as a big chocoholic, I’d never turn down a batch that used chocolate chips instead! 😉 )
This is the best gluten free recipe I have made since going gluten free! Absolutely perfect! Only change was using maple syrup instead of honey! I think this would also be great with some chocolate chips.
Oh my goodness, Aspen! I’m thrilled to hear that you enjoyed these cookies. That’s the best compliment there is, if you think they’re absolutely perfect and the best gluten-free recipe you’ve made! I’m so honored. Thank you for taking the time to share and rate this recipe too — it truly means a lot! (And as a chocoholic, I definitely approve of using chocolate chips! 😉 )
In case it’s helpful, I have lots more gluten-free recipes on my website. Just like with this one, I’ve shared the best way to make each one gluten-free in the Notes section. (If you’re a chocolate fan, I’d recommend starting with these double chocolate oatmeal cookies and these fudgy brownies!)
If you end up trying any of my other recipes, I’d love to hear what you think of them too!
I am baking my second batch of these cookies and it is a double batch because they are soooooo good. My sister-in-law doesn’t like raisins, so what would you suggest as a substitute. I put unsweetened coconut in with the raisins.
You’re so sweet, Sandy! I’m thrilled that you’re enjoying these cookies. A double batch is the best kind of compliment! Thank you for taking the time to share that and rate the recipe too. It really means a lot! ♡
It’s so considerate of you to make a version that your sister-in-law would enjoy! You can substitute almost any type of dried fruit for the raisins (cranberries, blueberries, cherries, apricots, pineapple, dates — I’ve done them all!). If the dried fruit is larger than raisins, like apricots or pineapple, then I’d recommend cutting it to be about the same size as raisins to ensure a more even distribution. I also recommend hydrating the dried fruit, just like with the raisins. It often makes a big difference in the flavor and texture!
Otherwise, chopped nuts, chocolate chips (minis or standard sized), or any type of chopped chocolate (dark, milk, white — you name it!) will also work in place of the raisins. I’m a big fan of dark chocolate, so that might be my top choice! 😉
I’ve also shared lots of other oatmeal cookie recipes with different flavor variations, but they all have basically the same soft and chewy cookie dough base as these oatmeal raisin cookies. I just wanted to share a link to all of them in case your sister-in-law might like one of those other flavors too!
I made them and it was a huge hit! I find it cakey though… I used all purpose flour and milk + brown sugar, scaled correctly.
I also chilled 30 min in fridge. Did I mix it too much? I loved the flavor, so it would be great if I can make them chewy and flat like yours!
I’m so glad you enjoyed these cookies! Thank you for taking the time to share. It means a lot! 🙂
These cookies aren’t supposed to be cakey — they should be soft and chewy — so I’m happy to help figure out what happened with your batch. I have an initial idea, and these questions will narrow down the potential culprit. Then we should be able to fix it so your next batch of cookies turns out flatter and chewier!
Did you make any other substitutions or modifications to the recipe, including those listed in the Notes section? (Besides the all-purpose flour and brown sugar + milk!)
Did you use a kitchen scale or measuring cups/spoons to measure all of the ingredients — especially the oats, flour, brown sugar, and milk?
How much milk and brown sugar did you use?
Did you use regular light brown sugar, dark brown sugar, or a “brown sugar” substitute (such as golden/brown monk fruit, brown erythritol, brown stevia, etc)?
What type of milk did you use?
Did your cookie dough’s consistency match mine before and after chilling? (You can see the consistency of mine in the video directly above the recipe box from 1:44 to 2:24!) If not, what was the consistency of yours like compared to mine?
How much did you flatten the mounds of cookie dough prior to baking?
How long did you bake your cookies?
Did they spread while baking?
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 didn’t make any change to your recipe. So, milk and brown sugar was the amount you mentioned in the recipe. I used scales but I used a measuring cup for milk.
The dough was similar to what I saw in your video but slightly more loose.
I baked at 170 degrees for 12 minutes. No fan. Yes the dough spread a bit, but some of the more cakes one didn’t spread much. The milk I used was full fat mik.
Thanks so much for sharing this with me! This is really helpful. Once I know your answers to the two remaining questions (I included them again below!), I’ll know how to improve your next batch. 🙂
Did you use regular light brown sugar, dark brown sugar, or a “brown sugar” substitute (such as golden/brown monk fruit, brown erythritol, brown stevia, etc)?
How much did you flatten the mounds of cookie dough prior to baking?
I used dark brown sugar. I didn’t flatten too much like a cookie shape, I made a ball and flattened a bit like you did in the video. Maybe my oven temp was too high?
Thank you for this too! We’ve discovered the culprits, and the first one is exactly what you said. Your oven temperature was higher than I use in this recipe! If you’re able to use 160°C instead of 170°C, that would be better. Too hot of an oven affects the cookies and yields a cakier texture.
Baking them for less time (closer to 11 minutes) will also help them turn out chewier. Try pulling them out when the center still look soft, a little squidgy, and slightly underdone. You can even pull them out around 10 minutes, if you like really chewy cookies! The residual heat from the hot baking sheet continues to cook the centers while they rest for 10 minutes after you remove them from the oven. If you wait to remove them from the oven until the centers feel firm, they’ll overbake and turn out cakier. By pulling them slightly sooner, your cookies should have a chewier texture.
Next, if you’d like thinner cookies, try flattening them a bit more. This gives them a spreading “head start,” so they won’t turn out quite as tall and cake-like. (They’ll also bake faster, so keep a close eye on them!)
One more way to make them flatter and spread more is to add an extra tablespoon of milk (so 5 tablespoons instead of 4). This should also help them turn out chewier!
Does all of this make sense? I’m happy to clarify anything or answer any questions you might have! 🙂
Amazing! Thank you so much for your advice!! I will definitely make them again tomorrow. I will let you know how it goes😀
You’re welcome! I’m happy to help. Tomorrow can’t come soon enough — I’m excited to hear how your next batch of cookies turns out! 🙂