April 30 is National Oatmeal Cookie Day. As a bonus, it's also National Raisin Day. How coincidental that those two share a day. National Raisin Day seems to have more of a known history. It was started by The California Raisin Growers and has been around since 1909. As for National Oatmeal Cookie Day, I couldn't find a solid origin story, but like to think someone in the oat biz knew it was National Raisin Day and jumped on for the ride. But there could be a million other reasons because oatmeal cookies are so well-loved.
What to Make for National Oatmeal Cookie Day
I have so many oatmeal cookie recipes and more than one of them say they're the best. After all these years, one of the top recipes is still Quaker's Best Oatmeal Cookies
Quaker's Best Oatmeal Cookies
One of my all-time favorites is adapted from Quaker's Best. They don't look like anything special, but they are delicious -- light, buttery, fairly thick, only slightly chewy and with crispy edges. You can make them with or without raisins. Today I used Sun Maid assorted jumbo style and added toasted pecans. For the oats, I prefer using old fashioned but today I got stuck using "Quick" (not instant) and the cookies were still terrific...maybe even better than when I use the old fashioned type.
Oh, one last note. Since I'm using my stand mixer these days, I started with cold butter and beat it with the paddle until creamy. Whenever I do that, I get cookies with very nicely rounded edges.
Quaker's Best Oatmeal Cookies Small Batch
¾ cup all-purpose flour (100 grams)
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ to ½ teaspoon salt (reduce to ¼ tsp. if using salted butter)
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg (fresh if possible)
10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (5 oz)
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lightly beaten egg (24-26 grams)
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ cups Quaker oats, (quick or old fashioned, not instant)
⅓ cup raisins, can soak ahead of time if desired (soak in boiling water or whiskey)
⅓ cup toasted walnuts or pecans, toasted and chopped
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Stir together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg; set aside.
In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat the butter until creamy. Add both sugars and beat on medium until light and fluffy. Scrape bowl and beat in egg and vanilla, beating for about 30 seconds or until egg is incorporated.
By hand or using lowest speed of mixer, stir in the flour mixture. When flour is absorbed, stir in oats, raisins and nuts. Turn dough onto a clean surface and divide into 4 equal parts. Divide those parts into 9 balls to make about 36 balls of equal size. Keep dough balls chilled until ready to bake or bake immediately.
On parchment lined or lightly greased cookie sheet, space dough balls about 2 ½ inches apart and press down slightly so that tops are flat.
Bake 8 to 9 minutes for a chewy cookie or 10 to 11 minutes for a crisp cookie. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.
This recipe should yield about 18 cookies
Brown Butter Variation
This recipe can also be made with brown butter, though I usually only brown half of it. Just brown half the butter, let it cool and follow the recipe as written.
Recipe
Quaker's Best Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (200 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ to 1 teaspoon salt reduce to ½ tsp. if using salted butter
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg fresh if possible
- 2 ½ sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into small chunks (or you can just use softened)** 10 oz (280 grams)
- ¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar (160 grams)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 cups Quaker oats (quick or old fashioned, not instant)
- ¾ cup raisins
- ½ cup toasted walnuts or pecans toasted and chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Stir together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg; set aside.
- In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat the butter until creamy. Add both sugars and beat on medium until light and fluffy. Scrape bowl and beat in egg and vanilla, beating for about 30 seconds or until egg is incorporated.
- By hand or using lowest speed of mixer, stir in the flour mixture. When flour is absorbed, stir in oats, raisins and nuts. Turn dough onto a clean surface and divide into 4 equal parts. Divide those parts into 9 balls to make about 36 balls of equal size. Keep dough balls chilled until ready to bake or bake immediately.
- On parchment lined or lightly greased cookie sheet, space dough balls about 2 ½ inches apart and press down slightly so that tops are flat.
- Bake 8 to 9 minutes for a chewy cookie or 10 to 11 minutes for a crisp cookie. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.
- This recipe should yield about 36 cookies
Dolce says
I did not know a national day for oatmeal cookies existed! Damn it!!
Thanks for the reminder on these great cookie recipes though.
Barbara says
I think my kids would have me by the throat if I didn't make my old recipe. It was from that old series Make It Now, Bake It Later and had cchips in it.
But when they're not around, I'm going to try the ones with butterscotch chips. Love that idea!
Cookie Sleuth says
I made the oatmeal butterscotch last week. So good! Very crispy...
Elena says
I made oatmeal cookies the other day using Carole Walters' recipe from "Great Cookies" and the King Arthur Chewy Oatmeal cookies, picking this and that from each recipe. The cookies are still moist and chewy! I'll have to try the cookies you've listed here; I'm a HUGE oatmeal cookie fan. Thanks!
Anna says
Hi Kim,
The "Vanishing" recipe is a good one, but it's not the same. It calls for much less butter. This one is adapted from their "Quaker's Best" recipe. I'll have to try the "Vanishing" recipe again soon. It's been a while since I've made them, but I remember them as being great.
Kim says
I made the Quaker Vanishing Oatmeal Cookie recipe, with the following changes: Some fresh grated nutmeg, and creaming the cold butter, like Anna did with her oatmeal cookies. I did half of them with raisins, and the other half with butterscotch chips. They were good, but I don't remember them needing so long in the oven.
Tara says
No way! I just made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies 2 days ago and was just now sitting here eating one from the freezer! Celebrating the holiday and didn't even know it! 🙂
vanillasugar says
butterscotch! yes why not. amazing how the most simplest are the ones i have yet to do.
i did a levan bakery clone recipe using oatmeal & raisin. i need to post it soon. it was so good.
Cookie says
I had no idea it was Oatmeal Cookie Day! I love oatmeal cookies, especially the Quaker recipe. I'll have to bake a batch soon.
melissa says
I love the King Arthur recipe you gave me -- so yummy. Have to make those again soon. Had no idea it was Oatmeal Cookie Day today!
Have a great weekend!
Sue says
I looked at my notes and it was the Easy and Good Oatmeal Raisin cookies that were such a hit with my son. I'll have to try some of these too.
https://www.cookiemadness.net/2009/01/easy-and-good-oatmeal-cookies/
Chris Mower says
I should take the day off to celebrate National Oatmeal Cookie Day and go home and bake some cookies... especially on this rainy day.
Debbi says
That must have been hard just to choose one! I'm going to have to make these.
Sue says
I can't remember which of the following recipes turned my son around on Oatmeal Raisin cookies? The Best Oatmeal Cookie or the Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cookie? I'll have to go back and look at my notes.
I was thinking of making the Frog Commissary cookies today. I just found out we're having unexpected visitors this evening, and I know one of them LOVES oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.