These easy Oatmeal Raisin Bars are thick and chewy with the perfect balance of crisp exterior and buttery soft center.
Cookie bars are quintessential in the kitchens of home bakers and these chewy Oatmeal Raisin Bars are an all time classic.
Why This Recipe Works
- The moisture in the dark and light brown sugar helps create a chewy, soft center.
- The salted butter levels out the sweetness and adds a rich buttery flavor.
- The sweetness of the raisins is perfectly balanced by the warm spiced flavors of the cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Using vanilla adds an extra depth of flavor.
How could anyone resist a freshly baked cookie bar, especially with a glass of ice cold milk? These oatmeal raisin bars are buttery, soft baked oat bars that are bursting with plump, juicy raisins!
How To Make Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Bars
- Sift the dry ingredients.
- Beat the butter and sugars together until fluffy.
- Mix in the eggs one at a time.
- Add the vanilla and spices.
- Combine the ingredients to make a cookie dough.
- Spread into a pan and bake for around 30 minutes.
- Cut into squares once cooled.
- Serve and enjoy!
Ingredient Notes
- Flour: I use all purpose flour for these cookie bars along with baking soda and baking powder (always check your raising agents are fresh, this has a huge effect of the end product). If you have self rising (self raising in the UK) this works fine, just omit the raising agents.
- Butter: I always use salted butter in my baking, I love how it seasons and helps balance the sweetness. If you don’t have salted or it’s not your preference, unsalted butter works well too.
- Sugar: I use a combination of packed light brown sugar, dark brown sugar and a small amount of granulated sugar. This adds a delicious caramel element to the cookie bars without too much sweetness. If you don’t have one of the brown sugars, they can be swapped with the other like for like.
- Oats: For this recipe, I used American quick cook oats (not to be confused with instant oats, in other countries both jumbo porridge oats and rolled oats work well.
Step By Step Instructions
Sift the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder together.
In a large mixing bowl. Beat the butter, brown sugar, dark brown sugar, and granulated sugar in until fluffy.
Mix in the eggs, one at a time, then add the vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Add the flour mixture.
Mix until combined and then add the oats raisins.
Mix into the dough by hand until combined.
Spread the dough into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, give the pan a little shake. If it jiggles in the middle, put the pan back in and try again every 5 minutes until there is no longer any jiggle.
Remove from the oven and let cool 10 minutes before cutting.
Cut into squares before serving.
Erren’s Top Tips
- Don’t skip the creaming of the butter and sugar. This process helps give structure to the cookie bars so they don’t crumble or fall apart.
- Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, this takes about 3 minutes.
- Use room temperature ingredients. Ingredients that are at the same temperature blend together much easier.
FAQs
A bake sale and pot luck star, bar cookies (or cookie bars) are made in a rectangular or square baking tin, once baked, cooled they are cut into bars, squares or diamonds.
To know your cookie bars are done give the pan a wiggle, if there is movement put them back in the oven and check at 5 minute intervals. You can also use a toothpick to poke the centre of the cookies to see if it comes out clean.
Storing and Freezing Instructions ❄
- At Room Temperature: These cookie bars will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- In The Fridge: Keep in the refridgerator for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
- In The Freezer: These cookie bars are perfect for freezing, wrap in plastic wrap and keep in a freezer safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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Let’s Make Oatmeal Raisin Bars
Ingredients
- 2½ cups of all-purpose/plain flour
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda/bicarbonate of soda
- 1⅓ cups of butter softened
- 1 cup of packed light-brown sugar
- ½ cup of packed dark brown sugar
- ½ cup of granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons of vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg
- 2 cups of rolled oats
- 1 cup of raisins
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F/190C.
- Grease and flour an 9×13 inch baking pan
- Sift the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder together into a large mixing bowl.
- In a large mixing bowl. Beat the butter, brown sugar, dark brown sugar, and granulated sugar in until fluffy.
- Mix in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Mix in the flour mixture and mix until combined.
- Stir in the oats by hand, followed by the raisins.
- Spread dough evenly into the pan.
- Spread the dough into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, give the pan a little shake. If it jiggles in the middle, put the pan back in and try again every 5 minutes until there is no longer any jiggle.
- Remove from the oven and let cool 10 minutes before cutting.
- Best served warm, but great cooled as well.
Nutrition Information:
Update Notes: This recipe was originally posted in 2016, but was republished in 2021 with new photos, ingredient notes, and step by step instructions.
Lonna says
I love how customizable this recipe is. I can adjust the flavors to my liking and it always turns out great! My son just loves them with chocolate chips!
Erren Hart says
Thank you for leaving a comment about this recipe. Your feedback is appreciated, and I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed it. Please let me know if you have any questions or suggestions for future recipes. Thanks again for trying it out and sharing your thoughts!
Conswelo says
Can these be made with almond flour? I’m diabetic and looking for a lower carb option…
Erren Hart says
I haven’t done it, but here are some tips for experimenting – When substituting almond flour for regular flour in baked goods, it’s important to adjust the ratio, add binding agents, and use extra leavening agents. Start with a 1:1 ratio of almond flour to regular flour, but keep in mind that almond flour is denser and more absorbent than regular flour. To hold the mixture together, add an extra egg. Additionally, almond flour requires more leavening agents, so add an extra 1/2 to 1 teaspoon per cup of almond flour used. To improve texture and structure, you can also combine almond flour with other gluten-free flour like coconut flour or tapioca flour. Finally, be mindful of baking time, as almond flour baked goods tend to brown faster than those made with regular flour. I hope this helps and please let me know if you try it!
Lelei says
I followed instructions exactly and since it jiggled at 30min I left in for 5min, but even though it still seemed a little too squishy, the edges looked like they’d get burnt if I went any longer so I pulled it out to cool. The outer 2″ or so is definitely fully cooked and would’ve been too dry/hard if I’d baked longer, but the upper half of the center feels undercooked and kinda goopy…
I’ve never had issues with my usual oatmeal cookie recipe and my oven temp is correct, but maybe I shouldn’t have used a pyrex dish for this? I thought the pics showed it in one, but on closer examination I can see it might be ceramic instead.
I’m not ruling out making these again, but since they’re so thick, I would definitely bake them at 350F instead next time just to avoid the drastic consistency difference between edges and middle! (I will persevere and eat them all nonetheless lol.)
Erren Hart says
Hi Lelei, it sounds like your oven might run hot, or you used a pan that was too small. What size pan did you use?
Lee says
Just made these.
I used old fashioned rolled oats, not quick oats. My husband is eating the bars for lunch and loving them. Next time, I’ll try quick oats. Mine were 25 minutes in my oven.
Erren Hart says
Thank you for the feedback, Lee! I’m glad you and your husband are enjoying the recipe, and I appreciate you letting me know!
Sheila Gause says
Hi Erren! My question is, please, are the oats you’re using “quick” rolled oats OR “old fashioned” whole grain oats? I use both in baking, and read your notes, BUT the pic of the oats above look like old fashioned rather than quick. It may be close up of the pic that makes it look that way … I’m just trying to make sure I use the correct type. TY! Looking forward to making these!
Erren Hart says
Hi Sheila, For this recipe, I used American quick rolled oats (not to be confused with instant oats); in other countries, both jumbo porridge oats and rolled oats work well. Old-fashioned oats can work, but I find it’s much chewier. I’ve also used a mixture which works well too. It’s a pretty forgiving recipe, so it’s hard to go wrong unless you use instant oats. Hope this helps! Happy baking!
Dawn says
I followed the recipe and instructions exactly! Perfect, exactly the goody I was craving, went great with coffee. Just a nice buttery chewy raisn-y sweet handful of comfort and happiness.
Erren Hart says
Thank you for trying our oatmeal raisin bars, Dawn, and for leaving such a positive review. We’re so happy you enjoyed them! Thanks again for your support!
Sharon Gabert says
These are really good! I was looking for something for my early morning break that was filling but not overly sweet. These are perfect. Even better than I expected!
Erren Hart says
Wonderful to hear, Sharon! Thanks so much for taking the time to share your experience.
Ladybug59 says
These came out so moist and flavorful. I adjusted and added 2 cups of raisins and extra nutmeg. Will make this again.
Erren's Kitchen says
I’m so glad you liked them, thank you for stopping by to let me know 🙂
Tweb says
So glad I tried this recipe. I did add more raisins because we like lots of them. Chewy on the inside and perfectly crispy on the outside.
Erren's Kitchen says
Nothing wrong with more raisins, I’m so glad you liked it, thank you for stopping by to let me know 🙂
Martha says
Ohhhhh wow!!!! Is this recipe goooooddd rich in flavor and crunch and chewyness!
Erren Hart says
So great to hear and thank you for taking the time to comment! 🙂