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    Home » Recipes » Cookies & Bars

    November 18, 2019 Last Modified: August 29, 2020 By Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com 13 Comments

    Oatmeal Molasses Raisin Cookies (World War II Cookies)

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    Oatmeal Molasses Raisin Cookies aka WWII Cookies

    These Oatmeal Molasses Raisin Cookies (also called World War II (WW2 cookies) Cookies due to the need to use sugar substitutes during the economics of the time period) are an oldie but goodie that needs to brought to the forefront of your recipe card index! These cookies are super chewy, extra tasty, and highly addictive!!

    Oatmeal Molasses Raisin Cookies

    These super chewy Oatmeal Molasses Raisin Cookies (aka World War II Cookies) are an oldie but goodie that all are sure to enjoy!!

     

    Oatmeal Molasses Raisin Cookies (World War II Cookies) Recipe

    If you're unfamiliar with these cookies, you have truly been missing out on something that was a childhood staple and favorite for me. They were always on hand, or easily baked upon request, when I visited my Grandma...which is why this post totally deserves the #justlikegrandmamadethem hashtag...in the post even, which I don't think I have ever done!

    Tips for baking Oatmeal Molasses Raisin Cookies

    1. I prefer to use Old Fashioned oats for these cookies as they yield a chewier cookie, using quick oats will change the texture and yield a more moist cookie.
    2. Yes, you most certainly can substitute dried cranberries or cherries for the raisins. You can also add chocolate chips or nuts, if desired.
    3. This is a one bowl recipe for drop cookies that do not require any chilling time, which makes these cookies quick, super easy, and easy to clean up after too!
    4. Room temperature butter and eggs shorten the amount of time cookies require for baking, if you are making cookies in a hurry you can soften butter by placing near your preheating oven and warm eggs by placing them in a cup or bowl of warm water.

    Every time I bake or cook one of the recipes that we shared, or that has been handed down through our family, I think about how wonderful time spent in the kitchen together was and is.

    Thankfully, our daughter Lauren is so enthused about learning to be a great home chef that we are frequently found sharing these memorable moments in the kitchen together.

    For all of you that are working hard at creating great food at home for your families and sitting down with your family to spend quality time around the dining room table...take advantage of another great time to spend with your kids!

    So many treasured memories from childhood and in life have food as a component, don't miss a chance to build life-long memories with your loved ones.

    One of my childhood memories, was whenever I went to my Great Grandma's house she would always have the iced Santa sugar cookies in a tin, regardless of the time of year. Which explains my fixation with sugar cookies, since both my beloved Grandma Janet and Great Grandma T baked sugar cookies with me every year during the holidays.

    Even though I was, and am to this day, addicted to sugar cookies I am a huge fan of great cookies in general. So many to share! But these Oatmeal Molasses Raisin Cookies are one of my all-time favorites and a great way to start out a return to sharing my recipes here at Bake It With Love.

    I have missed posting and sharing my family recipes here, and even though we still had to eat so there was never any shortage of cooking, I have been away from baking as well. It feels so good to have recipes ready to be added, and a large queue of baking I'd like to get completed before the holidays.

    With love from one cookie obsessed individual that adores anything with oatmeal and/or molasses, enjoy!

     

    Desserts with Oatmeal

    • Oatmeal Molasses Raisin Cookies (aka WWII Cookies) (this page)
    • Old Fashioned Irish Oatmeal Cake with Caramel Pecan Frosting
    • Peanut Butter Oatmeal No Bake Cookies
    • Apple Oatmeal Muffins
    • Chocolate No Bake Cookies (without peanut butter)
    • Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
    Oatmeal Molasses Raisin Cookies
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    Love This Recipe?Click On A Star To Rate It!
    4.82 from 22 reviews

    Oatmeal Molasses Raisin Cookies (World War II Cookies)

    These quick and easy one-bowl oatmeal molasses raisin cookies are sure to be a hit with their chewy texture and addictive flavors!
    Author | Angela
    Servings: 24 cookies
    Calories: 179kcal
    Prep 5 minutes
    Cooking 12 minutes
    Cooling Time 15 minutes
    Total Time 32 minutes
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    Ingredients
     

    • ½ cup butter, salted (softened, at room temperature)
    • 1 ¼ cups sugar
    • 2 large eggs (beaten, at room temperature)
    • 6 tablespoon molasses (or more, be generous for chewier cookies)
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
    • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
    • 2 ½ cups old fashioned oats
    • 1 cup raisins (substitute dried cranberries or cherries, if desired - you can also add chopped walnuts or chocolate chips)

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and line your baking sheet(s) with parchment paper.
    • In a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer, cream the (softened, room temperature) butter and sugar together until smooth.
    • Add wet ingredients (eggs (beaten, room temperature) and molasses). Stir, then add salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Combine thoroughly.
    • Add flour, stir in gently to wet mixture. Add old fashioned oats and raisins, then stir until all ingredients are combined into a sticky cookie dough.
    • Using a tablespoon, portion out the dough into 1-1 ½ inch dough balls and place cookies onto baking sheet approximately 2 inches apart to allow the cookies room to spread during baking.
    • Bake cookies at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 12-15 minutes, or until cookies are browned on the edges (the baked cookies are lighter brown in appearance than the dough).
    • Remove cookies from the oven and allow them to set up on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Cool for an additional 10 minutes before serving.

    Video

    Notes

    Both the dough and the cookies freeze very well for later use. Place either the dough or cookies in a large freezer bag or air tight container to store in the freezer. I have thawed the frozen dough or cookies up to 1 month after freezing with very good results.
    Store baked cookies in an air tight container at room temperature for approximately 1 week and refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
    Dough can be mixed and stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 179kcal (9%) | Carbohydrates: 32g (11%) | Protein: 3g (6%) | Fat: 5g (8%) | Saturated Fat: 3g (19%) | Cholesterol: 28mg (9%) | Sodium: 139mg (6%) | Potassium: 187mg (5%) | Fiber: 2g (8%) | Sugar: 14g (16%) | Vitamin A: 144IU (3%) | Vitamin C: 1mg (1%) | Calcium: 29mg (3%) | Iron: 1mg (6%)
    Did you try this recipe? Rate it below!I can’t wait to see your results! Mention @bake_it_with_love or tag #bake_it_with_love!
    Course Cookies & Bars Recipes, Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine American
    author profile photo
    Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com

    Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!

    bakeitwithlove.com/
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ron says

      March 14, 2022 at 5:54 pm

      5 stars
      Wonderful recipe. I also added hemphearts,fine ground flax and chia seeds. Also skor bits

      Reply
    2. Gryphonisle says

      February 15, 2022 at 12:27 pm

      4 stars
      Nice flavor and texture, easy to make. Realizing that todays leavening agents are more stable than they were in the War era, I combined the baking powder and soda with the flour as you would today and added the flour mixture to the creamed ingredients without incident. All in all a nice cookie to add to my collection.

      Reply
      • Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says

        February 15, 2022 at 9:33 pm

        Wonderful! So glad that you like these cookies!

        Reply
    3. Rachel says

      December 12, 2021 at 6:27 pm

      5 stars
      I am eating these cookies right now and they are SO GOOD! I realized I was out of eggs after promising my 4yo we could make them, so we substituted a single over-ripe banana. That obviously changed the flavor profile and consistency a bit, so I can't claim we made them exactly how you said. But they are delicious!

      Reply
    4. Rachael says

      November 25, 2021 at 9:20 am

      This is an amazing recipe! I followed it exactly and came out with a batch of beautiful and delicious cookies! This ones going in the recipe box. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says

        November 25, 2021 at 10:19 am

        Thank you so much for the kind words I love these cookies too!

        Reply
    5. Isadora says

      September 14, 2021 at 5:16 pm

      5 stars
      We meaning me and my brother love makeing it.

      Reply
    6. AEmilia Jarvis says

      July 07, 2021 at 9:32 am

      5 stars
      I can find, and have watched, your video easily but CANNOT obtain the recipe no matter how I search for it.

      Reply
      • Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says

        July 07, 2021 at 10:28 am

        Looks like you've found the post, the recipe card is at the bottom of the page (above the comments section). I did add the link to my youtube video - thanks for letting me know it was missing! ~ Angela

        Reply
    7. Teresa says

      January 19, 2020 at 12:49 pm

      The butter was softened and the eggs were at room temperature. I did not refrigerate the dough for the first batch. I added a little more flour then the recipe called for. I tried refrigerating the dough after they spread out so much they weren't edible. I looked at some other recipes for similar cookies and saw that they called for a lot less molasses. I did not add any more then stated in the recipe. The dough was sticky and very thick. I am very disappointed in this recipe and will not try it again.

      Reply
      • Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says

        January 19, 2020 at 8:42 pm

        I'm sorry to hear that your results were poor. Without having been there, I cannot say what may have gone wrong? As you can see, the exact recipe and method was baked as photographed in the video here in the page. Again so sorry to hear that your cookies flattened!

        Reply
    8. Teresa says

      January 19, 2020 at 8:06 am

      I made these cookies exactly as you directed and they spread so flat they weren't edible. I them refrigerated the dough for one hour and the same thing! The dough was definitely cold and stayed cold while I shaped them. What could I have done wrong!

      Reply
      • Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says

        January 19, 2020 at 11:32 am

        Hello Teresa, since this is one of those cookies that are best made with room temperature ingredients, I have never refrigerated the dough. So that shouldn't be the issue. May I ask if the butter was softened, or melted? Either way, when making a new recipe of cookies, I like to bake a test batch of 2-3 cookies. Add flour as needed to work best for your oven, altitude, humidity, etc. These are great cookies, so I do hope you try them again! Message me for any other thoughts or questions, I'll be glad to help 🙂

        Reply

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    Hi there, I'm Angela! I am an avid vintage cookbook collector, recipe creator, animal lover, and total foodie. I love sharing recipes that are new, fun, and creative as well as great classic recipes just like my Grandma used to make!

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