Ingredients
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture until just combined.
- Stir in the oats, raisins, and walnuts (if using) by hand until evenly distributed.
- Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the centers are still slightly soft.
- Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition
Notes
Pro Tips:
Choose old-fashioned rolled oats over quick oats because their larger surface area absorbs butter and egg moisture more slowly, preventing the cookies from becoming dense and creating that signature chewy texture with subtle oat pieces you can actually taste. After years of making these, I've learned to slightly under-bake them - pull them when the edges are just set but centers look barely done, because they continue cooking on the hot pan for 2-3 minutes, achieving perfect chewiness. Soak your raisins in warm rum or orange juice for 15 minutes before folding them in - this Dominican technique prevents them from stealing moisture from your dough during baking, keeping both the raisins plump and cookies tender. Use a combination of light and dark brown sugar (2:1 ratio) instead of all light brown - the molasses in dark brown sugar adds depth and helps create those beautiful golden-brown edges while keeping centers soft and chewy.
Choose old-fashioned rolled oats over quick oats because their larger surface area absorbs butter and egg moisture more slowly, preventing the cookies from becoming dense and creating that signature chewy texture with subtle oat pieces you can actually taste. After years of making these, I've learned to slightly under-bake them - pull them when the edges are just set but centers look barely done, because they continue cooking on the hot pan for 2-3 minutes, achieving perfect chewiness. Soak your raisins in warm rum or orange juice for 15 minutes before folding them in - this Dominican technique prevents them from stealing moisture from your dough during baking, keeping both the raisins plump and cookies tender. Use a combination of light and dark brown sugar (2:1 ratio) instead of all light brown - the molasses in dark brown sugar adds depth and helps create those beautiful golden-brown edges while keeping centers soft and chewy.
