The Most Popular Cookie of 2024 Is a Tried-and-True Classic
They’re a soft, chewy delight.
Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
Growing up as a kid of Chinese immigrants, our snack drawer was usually filled with Asian treats. Long before they made their way to the shelves of Costco and Target, Pocky, Hi-Chews, and Hello Panda cookies were my family’s go-to sweets. As much as we loved these, my brother and I—in typical third-culture kid fashion—also craved the all-American ones we saw in our classmates’ lunchboxes.
Every now and then, my mom would stop by a Western supermarket and surprise us with things like Oreos, Entenmann's pound cake, and my personal favorite, Little Debbie’s Oatmeal Creme Pies. I loved opening up each bag, having a waft of spices hit my nose, and biting into the chewy cookie sandwich filled with sweet vanilla icing. It’s probably why I have a soft spot for oatmeal raisin cookies and I’m not alone—a staggering 1.5 million readers looked at our recipe this year, making it the most popular cookie on Simply Recipes in 2024.
Why You’ll Love These Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Elise Bauer’s recipe is an instant classic and makes oatmeal raisin cookies that one reader calls “perfect.” These cookies stand out for their ideal balance of flavor and texture and they’re praised for being soft and chewy, with just the right amount of cinnamon to add warmth and depth. I also love Elise’s addition of fresh nutmeg, which helps the spiced fragrance up a notch. Plus, the recipe is straightforward to make and doesn’t require a stand mixer, making it accessible for both novice and experienced bakers. The result is a nostalgic, comforting treat that’s ideal for any occasion.
Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
Tips for Making the Best Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Use the right oats. Old-fashioned rolled oats or quick rolled oats yield the best texture and even with those, there are slight differences. Rolled oats make chewier, flatter cookies, while quick oats yield thicker, taller cookies. Avoid steel-cut oats, which won’t cook thoroughly, or too-mushy instant oats. When it comes to brand, Elise recommends good ol’ Quaker instead of more expensive organic oats, since they’re often too thick.
Chill the dough, if needed. Going with old-fashioned rolled oats? Place the dough in the fridge for at least two hours before baking. This will prevent them from spreading too much.
Don’t overbake! While this piece of advice crops up in many a cookie recipe, it’s especially important for oatmeal raisin ones. Unlike chocolate chip or sugar cookies, which taste just as good crispy (even if that’s not your preference), oatmeal raisin cookies are at their best when they have some chew, not crunch, to them.
Add nuts or chocolate chips. If you like your cookies with more textural contrast, fold in chopped walnuts, pecans, or even macadamia nuts. You can also add chocolate chips to the mix.
Swap out the raisins for other dried fruit. Some may consider this oatmeal raisin heresy considering the ingredient is right there in its name, but if you’re not a fan of raisins, it’s easy to substitute in any number of dried fruit, including cranberries, currants, cherries, or even mango for a tropical twist.
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