Oatmeal Craisin Cookies

Delicious, chewy oatmeal craisin cookies are easy-to-make and full of fantastic flavors that are sure to make them a new favorite. Loaded with molasses, cinnamon, vanilla, and old fashioned oats that all combine to make the perfect cookie.

Jump to:

• 🥘 Ingredients
• 🔪 How To Make Oatmeal Craisin Cookies
• 🥡 Storing & Reheating
• 📖 Recipe Card
• 💬 Comments & Reviews

Soft and chewy, my oatmeal craisin cookies are always a hit come snack time or dessert. The craisins add a special flavor that makes these cookies stand out from the traditional oatmeal raisin.

When I bake these (which I do often!), the scent permeates the air throughout the house. It always makes it hard to wait until they’re hot and fresh out of the oven!

I love these cookies when I am not in the mood for chocolate chip cookies. They are just sweet enough, thanks to the essence of brown sugar and the richness of molasses. The scent of cinnamon, orange peel, and vanilla extract make me smile as I anticipate these ridiculously delicious cookies.

This recipe will make 36 cookies, so adjust the quantities accordingly to make more or less cookies. If your family is anything like mine, 36 cookies will be gone in a flash! I often make a double batch to keep everyone satisfied.

🥘 Ingredients

To prep for this oatmeal craisin cookies recipe, the ingredients list is relatively straightforward, with some unique touches which make these treats extra-special. The familiar oatmeal cookie flavor comes through with some extra “oomph.”

• Butter – Gotta have butter for rich, ooey-gooey cookie goodness.
• Light Brown Sugar – Perfect for oatmeal cookies, warm and satisfying.
• Sugar – Part of the sweetness we all love in cookies.
• Eggs – A must-have for binding and texture.
• Molasses – Sweetness, softness, and an amazing aroma.
• Vanilla Extract – One of my favorites and something I say you can never have enough of. I've been known to be quite liberal, but I've never regretted it!
• Baking Soda – Adds volume to your cookies.
• Ground Cinnamon – Fill your senses with some nice spice. This warm baking spice makes everything so much better!
• Dried Orange Peel – A unique addition to give your cookies a gourmet touch.
• Salt – Balances out the sweetness and highlights all of the delicious flavors in your cookies!
• All-Purpose Flour – A baker’s go-to for adding the bulk of what makes all of your favorite cookies so good.
• Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats – They are oatmeal cookies! Use the old fashioned oats for best texture to these tasty cookies!
• Craisins (or dried cranberries) – The sweet-tart chewiness is addictive and appetizing.

🔪 How To Make Oatmeal Craisin Cookies

You don’t have to be a seasoned baker to make these cookies well. The recipe is easy to follow, and the cookies will come out wonderfully.

Once you nail this recipe, store-bought cookies will be a purchase of the past. You’ll be doing the homemade thing from here on out!

Step1: Mix the Cookie Dough

1. In a large mixing bowl or in the bowl of your stand mixer, cream together the cup of softened butter with 1 cup packed light (or dark) brown sugar and ¼ cup sugar until smooth.
2. Add 2 room temperature large eggs, 2 tablespoons molasses, and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, then mix into the creamed butter and sugar mixture. Use 1 tablespoon of your all-purpose flour if desired to keep the wet mixture from looking curdled.
3. Mix in 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon dried orange peel, and ½ teaspoon of salt.
4. Next, mix in 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour until all of the flour has been incorporated smoothly into the wet ingredients.
5. Finally, fold in 3 cups of old-fashioned rolled oats and 1 ½ cups of craisins or dried cranberries.
6. Your dough will still be sticky to the touch once everything is combined.
7. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before baking, an hour (or more) is optimal.

Step 2: Bake the Cookies

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175 °C) and line a baking sheet(s) with parchment paper or a non-stick silicone baking mat.
2. Portion out roughly ½ tablespoon bits of the dough and roll them into 1-inch balls. (Add more dough to get the right size dough balls as needed). Place the dough onto your prepared baking sheets leaving about 2 inches of spacing between each to allow room for the cookies to spread as they bake.
3. Bake at 350°F (175°C) with the baking sheet placed in the center of the middle oven rack. My smaller cookies bake for 10 minutes, larger will take about 12-15 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven when the edges are slightly golden brown, and the center of the cookie still looks a bit under-cooked.
4. Allow the baked cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Serve and enjoy your oatmeal craisin cookies! They are delicious!

Dunk ‘em in cold milk, serve with coffee or tea, or make ice cream sandwiches with vanilla ice cream squished between two cookies. I sometimes eat a couple of these as a quick breakfast - they are oatmeal, after all!

🥡 Storing & Reheating

Store any leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. Cookies stored in an airtight container and refrigerated will last for up to a week.

Sometimes I prep the dough ahead of time and store it in the freezer, so whenever I have the craving for oatmeal craisin cookies, the dough balls are ready to go. You can freeze both baked cookies and cookie dough balls for up to 3 months.

📖 Recipe Card