Raisin Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

Cookie, Desserts / Friday, April 9th, 2010

The problem with most oatmeal-raisin cookies is that they’re flat and boring and look a lot like chocolate chip cookies. Which means that, inevitably, one of your raisin-hating loved ones is going to snag one off the cooling rack and give you a lecture about responsible baking and how ALL the world’s raisins should be replaced with chocolate chips.

You won’t hear that lecture with Ina Garten’s Raisin Pecan Oatmeal Cookies. They are, unmistakably and unapologetically, what they are. Big honking cookies fully loaded with oatmeal, raisins and the magic of toasted pecans. Sweetened with dark brown sugar. Spiked with cinnamon. Fresh from the oven, they smell heavenly, and that crunchy-chewy texture is addictive.

Like, eat a cookie right after breakfast addictive. Because there’s oatmeal in it.

This is a very simple cookie recipe, but there are two things to keep in mind:

1. Don’t forget to set the eggs out with the butter, so both can come to room temperature.

2. Don’t be afraid to mound the dough on your baking sheet. The cookies don’t spread very much, so it’s OK to pack them fairly tightly.

These cookies belong in picnic baskets, lunch boxes and gift tins for teachers. As for the raisin-haters, I guess that’s why God created Oreos.

Raisin Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

Adapted from Ina Garten’s “Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics”

Makes 30-35 cookies

  • 1 1/2 cups pecans
  • 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
  • 1 1/2 cups raisins
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Place the pecans on a sheet pan, and bake for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool. Chop very coarsely.
  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
  4. With the mixer on low, add the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla.
  5. Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together into a medium bowl.
  6. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture.
  7. Add the oats, raisins, and pecans and mix just until combined.
  8. Using a small ice-cream scoop or a tablespoon, drop 2-inch mounds of dough onto sheet pans lined with parchment paper. Flatten slightly with a damp hand. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Transfer the cookies to a baking rack and cool completely.

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27 thoughts on “Raisin Pecan Oatmeal Cookies”

  2. I was going to sign up last year, for the group, but I realized that I had cooked/baked my way through all of Ina's books before I found the blog alongs…and her recipes were/are always a hit with the guys here…we can't go wrong with Ina. These cookies look really wonderful, I need to make these soon again…yours look the best ever.

  3. I enjoyed this recipe too. I'll definitely make these cookies again. Maybe next time I'll do 1/2 with raisins, half without. I left them out this time around because my husband doesn't like them AND including them would've meant a trip to the store.

  4. Mmmm. I want one of those cookies now! I love raisins and I love pecans, so I can already imagine how heavenly these cookies would taste, having the decadent combination of my two favourite foods.

  5. I just can't understand those people who don't like raisins. They're palates just aren't sophisticated enough to appreciate them, I guess. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. These look fantastic!

  6. This is great..I've often had the same complaints about oatmeal cookies, and have been looking for the perfect recipe. This sounds like it's it!

  9. "Like, eat a cookie right after breakfast addictive. Because there’s oatmeal in it." No, no, no, no! You have it all wrong! Let me rephrase…because there's oatmeal in it you can eat it FOR breakfast. There. That's more like it. The whole reason God even bothered making raisins was for these cookies. I know I read that in the Bible somewhere. Lovely cookies…once again you have flung a craving on me.

  11. yeah, I'm not sohphisticated nor do i even try. Raisins=Hate, put in chocolate chips next time. Chocolate chips=Love

  12. Normally I'm not the biggest fan of raisins in cookies, but these just look soooooo freaking good! And yeah, oatmeal cookies are acceptable after (or for) breakfast, right?

  13. My family loves these cookies! One of our favorites!
    By the way, I posted a little something about Barefoot Contessa myself, a helpful tip concerning her cookbooks.

  14. OH my! I am drooling over these cookies right now. I do a slight variation of the quaker recipe, but I think these might even be better! I think I will have to run into the kitchen to try this! Yumm!

    Great post!

  20. I notice Ina’s recipes often call for Extra Large eggs…I always buy Large eggs (as that is what most recipes call for). Do I need to adjust the recipe if I want to use Large eggs?

  21. These look fabulous. I think I actually prefer oatmeal raisin cookies to choc chip ones! And yes, I have been known to eat them at breakfast time too! They are oaty and fruity afterall

  22. I must be unsophisticated too, I just don't like raisins. I'll tell you what though, I made these with craisins and I felt pretty darn classy!

  23. I made these and they turned out great! The toasted pecans really are magic. I think next time I will add even more raisins and cinnamon, though. I baked my for 15 minutes, which is how long it took for them to brown, but they came out a little crispier all the way through than I would have liked. Next time I'll try baking them on a different rack in the oven for a shorter amount of time in order to get the brown-ness without the done-ness. Definitely a keeper though!

  25. These sound wonderful! I am making them today. My husband loves oatmeal raisin cookies, so I will surprise him when he is home from his hunting trip! I actually was looking for a Honking Big Cranberry Oatmeal Cookie. Had one at a conference in Austin. I think I will try cranberries in this recipe too. and yes, my old recipe makes thin crispy cookies, which we love but I want them big!!

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