My spiced oatmeal raisin walnut cookies are the perfect combination of chewy gooey texture with sweet nutty flavor! These family-favorite treats get gobbled up with a quickness every. single. time. And best of all, they only take 30 minutes to make.
And if you enjoy this recipe, you'll love my spiced peanut butter cookies, too!
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❤️ Why You'll Love this Recipe
Simple to Make - This spiced oatmeal cookie recipe is quick and easy and beginner-friendly, with wholesome, everyday ingredients. You're just 30 minutes away from your new favorite oatmeal cookies.
Perfect Texture - These old-fashioned oatmeal raisin cookies come out with soft and chewy centers and crisp golden brown edges. The raisins help them stay moist with crunchy bites of walnut pieces. The beauty is in the balance!
Sweetly Spiced - I tested and tasted countless batches of homemade oatmeal cookies to crack the code for a blend of spices and sweeteners that create cookies that are sweet but not too sweet. And with flavor so good it's damn near impossible to eat just one cookie...or even two.
I don't know about you, but I only want to eat cookies that knock my socks off so I take my time creating recipes that don't disappoint, like my easy carrot cake cookies, pumpkin snickerdoodles with chai spices, peanut butter jelly thumbprints, no-chill chocolate chip cookies, and sweet potato pie cookies!
What You'll Need for this Recipe
Rolled Oats, aka old fashioned oats are the best to use in this recipe because they absorb the wet ingredients and become soft enough but still hold up in the finished cookie without falling apart in your hands. Quick oats are too small and steel cut oats are too hard.
Brown Sugar gives each cookie sweetness and softness with a touch of molasses flavor. Use either light or dark brown sugar interchangeably depending on what you have available.
Sweet Warming Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and just a teeny pinch of white pepper elevate this cookies beyond a basic oatmeal cookie into quite possibly the best you'll ever taste.
Check out the recipe card below for full ingredients list, measurements, nutrition facts, and step-by-step instructions!
Substitutions & Variations
Raisins - Some people don't like raisins in oatmeal cookies and this recipe can work without them but I'm begging you to try it as-is and let them change your life! Use black, red or golden raisins just use 'em!
Nuts - Feel free to use pecans instead of walnuts or in addition to them. Or leave out the nuts altogether if you have an allergy.
Egg or Flax - The price of eggs is a hot topic right now and I threw a couple of egg-free rounds into my recipe tests to make these cookies as accessible as possible. This recipe works with or without egg, just follow the recipe notes below to replace it with flax and water!
Vegan - Use the flax egg substitute and your favorite plant-based butter to make these cookies vegan.
How to Oatmeal Raisin Cookies with Walnuts
- Step 1: Soak the raisins in water while you make the cookie dough.
- Step 2: Cream the butter and sugars until they form a thick brown paste.
- Step 3: Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.
- Step 4: Beat egg and vanilla into the wet mixture then mix in the flour mixture, oats, raisins, and walnuts until just combined.
Pro Tip #1
It's important not to overmix the cookie dough so I recommend stopping the mixer once the dough starts to come together and finishing with a few stirs by hand.
- Step 5: Scoop the cookie dough out onto baking sheet leaving at least two inches between each ball of dough.
- Step 6: Bake until golden brown with set edges.
Pro Tip #2
The cookies will look and feel gooey in the middle after baking but don't worry, they'll firm up as they cool. So resist the urge to eat them immediately! I recommend letting them cool for at least 15 minutes before you dive in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can bake these spicy oatmeal cookies several days in advance as long as they are stored correctly. You can also make the dough ahead of time and chill or freeze it for later.
Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature and they will keep for up to one week.
Yes, to freeze the cookie dough, scoop it into balls and flash freeze on a baking sheet until solid (about three hours) then transfer to an airtight, freezer-safe container and freeze for up to three months. To freeze baked cookies, cool them to room temperature then transfer to an airtight, freezer-safe container, placing slips of parchment paper or wax paper between each cookie to prevent them from sticking together. They will keep in the freezer for up to three months.
How to Serve
Serve these oat raisin nut cookies warm with a mug of tea or coffe or a glass of milk--I like mine with warm almond milk.
They also make fantastic ice cream sandwiches with a scoop of vanilla ice cream between two cookies. The best dessert!
And if you dream of starting your day with cookies, check out my healthy oatmeal cookies for breakfast recipe next!
More Favorite Sweet Treat Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
I hope you'll enjoy my best oatmeal raisin walnut cookies recipe soon and very soon. And sharing is caring so be sure to pin this recipe for later and follow me over on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!
📖 Recipe
Spiced Oatmeal Raisin Walnut Cookies
Equipment
- 1 small bowl or cup
- 1 stand mixer or hand mixer
- 1 whisk
- 1 silicone spatula or kitchen spoon
- 1 cookie scoop 1.5 T size
Ingredients
- ½ cup raisins
- 6 tablespoons butter softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup brown sugar light or dark, packed
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 egg or one flax egg (see notes)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla paste or vanilla extract
- ¾ cup flour plus one tablespoon
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 ½ cup rolled oats
- ⅓ cup walnut pieces chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Place raisins in a bowl or cup and cover with water.½ cup raisins
- Using stand mixer with paddle attachment fitted or hand mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until they form a smooth brown paste (about four minutes).6 tablespoons butter, ¾ cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- Add in the egg and vanilla and continue to mix for about three minutes or until the mixture is creamy and thick.1 egg, 2 teaspoons vanilla paste
- Meanwhile, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, cardamom, salt, and white pepper in mixing bowl. Drain water from the raisins.¾ cup flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon cardamom, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
- Add flour mixture to butter mixture and beat on medium until it starts to come together then add in oats, drained raisins, and walnuts and continue mixing until uniform. Use silicone spatula or kitchen spoon to stir a few times by hand.1 ½ cup rolled oats, ⅓ cup walnut pieces
- Use cookie scoop to scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet, leaving at least two inches of space between each ball of dough so that they don't stick together as they spread.
- Transfer pan to middle or upper rack of oven and bake for 12-14 minutes or until edges are golden brown and set. Middles of cookies will still be gooey when they come out of the oven but they'll set as the cookies cool. Cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Maria says
This is my new favorite oatmeal cookie! The spices make them so cozy. Love love LOVE.
Jazzmine Woodard says
So glad you like the cookies, Maria! The spices really set them apart.
John says
What a great sounding cookie! Your spice blend sounds especially delicious - white pepper - brilliant! It would be lovely to get your measurements in grams, especially for the flour, oats, and sugars, as the measuring becomes so much easier and more accurate when baking with children (which is the only time I bake.) I'm assuming, for instance, your "3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon" measurement for flour must have come from a weight measurement of some sort? May I assume 98g for the flour, 160g for the brown sugar, and 135g for the oats? I'll be making your recipe with my little granddaughters tomorrow. Thank you in advance from all three of us for our enjoyable afternoon together!
Jazzmine Woodard says
Hi, John! Thanks for your note and question. I will work on getting grams measurements including in my baking recipes. For this one, I recommend 102g for the flour, 165g for the brown sugar, since it is packed, and 130g for the oats. I hope this is helpful and that you and your granddaughters enjoy the baking time together as well as the cookies!