Gluten Free Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Name: Gluten Free Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 48 min
Total time: 98 min
Ingredients: 3/4 cup non dairy butter (softened); 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar; 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 2 Large Eggs; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 200 grams gluten free flour blend (about 1 1/2 cups); ½ teaspoon xanthan gum; 1 teaspoon gluten free baking soda; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 270 grams Gluten Free quick oats (uncooked, about 3 cups); 1 cup raisins

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“More cookies please!” This is what you’ll hear when a plate of these gluten free oatmeal raisin cookies are within reach! They’ve got this chewy but soft texture and a generous helping of raisins. It’s a classic cookie that rivals any store bought one!

gluten free oatmeal raisin cookies on a wire cooling rack

These oatmeal raisin cookies have a special place in my baking collection. They are finally THE ONES! They’re the perfect balance of chewy and thick, soft, but not crumbly, that makes everyone reach for seconds. And the recipe makes a large batch so you’ll have plenty to go around.

What makes these the best oatmeal raisin cookies?

As far as cookies go, very few rival the taste, flavor and texture of these. They’re soft and chewy on the inside and have that classic sweetness that are characteristic of indulgent cookies. But what makes them more amazing…

The recipe uses 2 kinds of sugars – brown sugar and granulated sugar. Brown sugar keeps them chewy while granulated sugar keeps them from spreading too much.
One word – cinnamon! Cinnamon is a delicious, essential spice in this recipe, and in this French toast casserole recipe and these cinnamon rolls too!
They’re dairy free! Yep, dairy free butter works amazingly well here!
Want a big batch of cookies? This is your recipe! The recipe makes about 4 dozen cookies, so bake sales, road trips and sharing are all encouraged!
It’s easy and quick. Well the rest time is long, but the recipe is super easy and doesn’t take long to mix together. The rest time in gluten free baking is never fun!

How do I make these gluten free oatmeal raisin cookies?

The ingredients

ingredients for gluten free oatmeal cookies sitting on a white counter

There’s wo important steps here – bringing the ingredients to room temperature and weighing the flours. Gluten free baking recipes are really picky when it comes to temperature. (Check out these gluten free English muffins to see what the heating and cooling process does to the batter.) If a few items are too cold and others are too warm, they won’t fully combine to create a thick delicious batter. So before starting the recipe, make sure to bring your eggs to room temperature and let your butter soften at room temperature too.

And weigh your flour and oats to make sure it’s the correct amount!

Cream the butter and sugars

gluten free oatmeal raisin cookies creamed batter in a mixing bowl

That thick, sweet batter that forms when the butter and brown sugar and granulated sugar are mixed together is the first step to chewy gluten free oatmeal raisin cookies. So sweet and so fluffy, it should look fully mixed, with no specks of butter left.

Add in the rest of the ingredients

If you like an easy cookie recipe, this is definitely the one for you. Add the eggs in with the butter mixture, then the dry ingredients. And, bonus points for the dry ingredients… they don’t even need to be mixed in a separate bowl – just add them right in to the mixing bowl. Stir the oats and raisins in with a sturdy spoon and viola – cookie batter!

gluten free oatmeal raisin cookie batter in a mixing bowl on a counter

Portion the cookies

Using a cookie scoop, portion each ball of dough onto the cookie sheet. I actually use insulated cookie sheets and line them with parchment paper every time, because you know, easy clean up!

Leave the cookies in the ball shape as they will spread during baking.

gluten free oatmeal raisin cookies portioned on a cookie sheet

gluten free oatmeal raisin cookies on a cookie sheet before baking

What kind of oats are best for oatmeal raisin cookies?

Quick oats, instant oats, old fashioned oats… what’s the difference? While they’re all in the oats family and all readily available, they produce completely different results. Old fashioned oats are larger and absorb more liquid. Instant oats are used more for instant oatmeal. Quick cooking oats are smaller in size and work perfectly in this recipe.

What kind of gluten free flour mix is used in these cookies?

The gluten free flour mix that has been tested to work well in this recipe is this one: Gluten free flour mix. It’s a high quality blend that produces excellent cookies!

Can I substitute the eggs in the recipe?

Yes, the eggs can be substituted with an egg substitute. However, they will not be as thick and may spread more than they would if they were made with eggs.

Can I use real butter instead of dairy free butter?

Absolutely! Real butter can be used with no other changes to the recipe.

Does the batter really need to rest?

Yes! This is an important step that many bakers will skip, but I want you to have the best cookies ever, so don’t skip it!
Once the batter is fully mixed, set it aside for 30 minutes. (Use this time to clean up the cookie making mess and prepare the cookie sheets!) The batter will not be visibly different after 30 minutes, but the flours and oats will have absorbed the liquids and will produce noticeably better cookies!

How long do oatmeal raisin cookies stay fresh?

We can thank the brown sugar for this, but these cookies will stay nice and fresh for up to 3 days! Yes, 3 days (if you’ve been baking my bread recipes you know that 3 days is like an eternity!)
Just place them in a plastic bag and seal – they’ll stay as delicious as the day you made them.

More oatmeal recipes we think you’ll love

If you want a cookie that’s the right balance between chewy and soft, then these gluten free oatmeal raisin cookies are the ones for you!