My grandmother used to bake oatmeal raisin cookies with me from the time I was old enough to stand on a chair and hold a spoon. Making these cookies taught me how to measure, how scrape down the sides of a mixing bowl, and the purest pleasure of all—licking the bowl. Whoever helped with the cooking got first dibs on the bowl, so guess who was the first to volunteer to help?
Our Favorite Oats
Old-fashioned rolled oats or quick rolled oats are the best to use for oatmeal cookies. We’ve always used Quaker brand. Do not use steel-cut oats (they’ll be too hard) or instant oats (they’ll cook up too mushy).
Butter Vs. Shortening
My grandmother used shortening, not butter, when making her cookies (see her original oatmeal cookie recipe). These days I almost always use butter. Either will do; the shortening cookies I think tend to be a bit chewier.
Storing or Freezing These Cookies
Once cooked, keep the cookies stored in a covered container on the counter. They’ll stay fresh for several days. You can make the dough ahead of time and refrigerate it for up to 2 days (cover tightly with plastic wrap), before scooping and baking. Or, you can scoop out individual cookies onto a baking sheet, freeze them until firm, then transfer them to a storage container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Frozen balls of cookie dough can be baked from frozen (no need to thaw), but might need a few extra minutes of baking time.
More Oatmeal Cookies to Love
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Cowboy Cookies Oatmeal Lace Cookies Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip Orange Pecan Cookies Oatmeal Almond Butter Breakfast Cookies
Rolled oats yield chewier, flatter cookies. We recommend chilling the dough for a couple of hours (or up to 2 days, covered) before baking to keep the cookies from spreading too much. Avoid organic, rustic brands that produce extra-thick rolled oats. We like Quaker.Quick oats produce thicker, taller cookies. There’s no need to chill the dough before baking. If you do, you may need to add a minute or so to the bake time.
Do not overbake these cookies! The edges should be brown, but the rest of the cookie should be very light in color. If you use salted butter, omit the salt called for in this recipe. You can adjust the sweetness slightly by using between 1/2 cup and 2/3 cup white sugar (in addition to the brown sugar). Note that the cookies will seem underdone and lightly colored everywhere but the edges. That’s okay, they will firm up as they cool. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough.
