Description
There’s nothing quite like the warm, cozy flavors of oatmeal raisin cookies, but what if we took all that chewy goodness and made it even easier? Enter these Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Bars! They’re thick, soft, packed with sweet raisins, warm cinnamon, and hearty oats, and best of all—you don’t have to scoop individual cookies! Just press the dough into a pan, bake, and slice into perfect, chewy bars.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Wet Ingredients:
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- ¾ cup brown sugar (light or dark)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp milk (for extra chewiness)
Mix-Ins:
- ¾ cup raisins (or more, to taste)
- ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
- ½ cup chocolate chips (optional, for a twist)
Instructions
1️⃣ Preheat & Prepare the Pan
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line an 8×8 or 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper and lightly grease it.
2️⃣ Mix the Dry Ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
3️⃣ Mix the Wet Ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth.
- Add the egg, vanilla, and milk, whisking until well combined.
4️⃣ Combine & Fold in Mix-Ins
- Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined.
- Fold in the raisins (and nuts or chocolate chips, if using).
5️⃣ Bake to Perfection
- Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the center looks set.
- Let cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes before slicing.
6️⃣ Slice & Enjoy!
- Use a sharp knife to cut into squares or bars and enjoy!
Notes
- Use old-fashioned rolled oats – They give the best chewy texture. Quick oats will work, but the bars will be softer, and steel-cut oats are too tough for this recipe.
- Soak the raisins for extra juiciness – If your raisins are dry, soak them in warm water for 5-10 minutes, then drain before adding to the batter.
- Measure your flour correctly – Spoon and level the flour instead of scooping directly from the bag to avoid dry bars.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 18-22 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: ~210
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 25mg