Soft and Chewy High Altitude Brown Butter Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Soft and chewy high altitude oatmeal raisin cookies are a classic favorite cookie that’s been beloved for generations.  I’ve raised the bar on these cookies with nutty brown butter that adds so much depth of flavor, making them even better. A mixture of white sugar and brown sugar, cinnamon, crunchy oats and chewy raisins are to be expected, and the baked cookies are the perfect balance of soft and chewy, salty and sweet, rich and nutty.

You might also love these chocolate chip oatmeal cookie bars, oatmeal cream pies, and oatmeal raisin muffins.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Tested for High Altitude. This is a high altitude tested recipe that bakes up perfectly at Denver’s altitude of 5,280 feet, so high altitude bakers can be assured of perfect results!

Thick, Soft and Chewy. Oatmeal is such a treat, whether it’s in the form of these oatmeal raisin cookies, hearty oatmeal muffins, or a bowl of hot oatmeal topped with fruit, brown sugar and cream. These cookies have quickly become a favorite with my little boys, and they just love the soft, chewy texture, and the sweet raisins scattered throughout.

Quick and Easy to Make. By using melted butter, the cookie dough comes together easily with just a bowl and spoon, no mixer needed. From start to finish, this recipe takes just a little over an hour!

See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.

Ingredients

• Unsalted Butter. I brown the butter for these oatmeal raisin cookies, and the browned butter adds the most wonderful, nutty depth of flavor that’s simply delicious.
• Granulated Sugar + Dark Brown Sugar. Adds sweetness and moisture to the cookies.
• Egg. Adds structure, and emulsifies the dough so it doesn’t crumble.
• Vanilla Extract. Flavor.
• All-Purpose Flour. Adds structure and stability.
• Old-Fashioned Oats. Old-fashioned oats have a hearty texture that’s wonderful in these cookies.
• Coarse Kosher Salt. Balances the sweetness and enhances the flavors.
• Baking Soda. Leavens the cookies for a subtle rise.
• Cinnamon. Flavor.
• Raisins. Raisins and oatmeal are so good together, with the sweet chewiness of the raisins and the hearty oat texture. If you like, you can also add chopped pecans and chocolate chips to these cookies, which are both so good with the oats.

Instructions

Make the browned butter.

• In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue to cook the butter for about 4-5 minutes, swirling occasionally to see the bottom of the pan, until the butter is very fragrant, and nutty, golden brown solids have formed on the bottom of the pan.
• Pour the brown butter, scraping up all of the browned bits, too, into a medium-sized mixing bowl, and let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Add the sugars, egg and vanilla.

• After cooling the brown butter, add the granulated sugar and brown sugar, and mix vigorously with a wooden spoon for 1 minute.
• Stir in the egg and vanilla until smooth.

Mix in the dry ingredients.

• Separately, whisk together the flour, oats, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, and stir together into a dough.
• Stir in the raisins and chopped pecans.

Divide the cookie dough into portions and chill.

• Divide the dough into 12 portions (slightly less than what would fill a cupcake scoop), roll into balls, and flatten the balls slightly with the palm of your hand. Note that if you added the pecans, divide the dough into 14 portions.

• Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, and place the dough balls 3 inches apart on the baking sheet. Place the pan in the refrigerator to chill for 20 minutes.

Bake the cookies.

• While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350 F.
• Bake the chilled cookies on the center oven rack for about 8 minutes. They should appear set around the edges, underdone in the middle, and very pale. Do not over bake, or they will end up dry.
• Cool the cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do oatmeal cookies stay soft?

Leftover cookies should be stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days.  Since oats are very absorbent, oatmeal cookies tend to dry out faster than other cookies, but a slice of plain sandwich bread in a cookie jar does wonders to keep them soft. The cookies can also be wrapped well and frozen for 3-6 months.

What kind of oats do you use?

Old-fashioned oats, not quick oats or steel-cut oats.

Do I have to let the brown butter cool before mixing the dough?

Yes, you do need to let it cool for the time noted in the recipe. I’ve tested this recipe without cooling the brown butter, and the results weren’t as good as when it’s cooled for a bit first.

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