Food and Recipes Desserts Cookies Soft Oatmeal Cookies Be the first to rate & review! These old-fashioned oatmeal cookies are soft the first day you bake them, and stay soft for longer than other cookies, if you store them properly. By Robin Asbell Robin Asbell Robin Asbell is an experienced and award-winning food writer, and the author of 11 cookbooks. She is a nationally known expert in whole foods, plant-based, and whole grain cooking, Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on February 6, 2023 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stying: Torie Cox Active Time: 20 mins Total Time: 40 mins Yield: 24 cookies There are two kinds of cookie lovers: the people who crave a crisp cookie, and the people who seek out soft, comforting versions of their favorites. If you long for a soft, chewy oatmeal cookie, you’ve found it. These soft oatmeal cookies are laced with plenty of brown sugar and butter flavor, formed around lots of chewy, comforting oats, and studded with sweet and chewy raisins. All it takes to make a tender cookie are a few ingredients that add tenderness and hold moisture, and a few tricks for baking the best soft oatmeal cookies. Make Oatmeal Cookies Your Way Of course, there are folks who don’t like raisins, and even those who want more add-ins. These cookies have a modest half cup of raisins, which can be doubled, and swapped out with chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or a combination that will make the perfect oatmeal cookie for you. The Secrets to Making Soft Oatmeal Cookies This cookie will bake up soft, and stay soft longer, thanks to a few baking secrets: Soft cake flour is lower in gluten than all-purpose flour, so it makes a more tender cookie. (You can use all-purpose flour, however, if it's all you have and you want these cookies now.) A combination of butter and shortening delivers both buttery flavor and a tender texture. Moist, molasses-kissed brown sugar and a dab of honey softens the cookie more than sugar sugar, which turns crisp when baked and cooled, and thanks to the honey, the cookie will stay soft for a few days. Ingredients 1 cup cake flour 3/4 tsp. table salt 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened 2 Tbsp. shortening 1 cup light brown sugar 2 Tbsp. honey 1 large egg 1 tsp. vanilla extract 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 1/2 cup raisins, (up to 1 cup) nuts, chocolate chips, or a combination Directions Preheat oven to 350*F. Arrange cookie sheets at top and middle of oven. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon. In a stand mixer or a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, mix the butter, shortening, and brown sugar until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and beat for 1 minute, until lighter in color. Add the honey, egg, and extract, and beat for 1 minute, until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides, and add the flour mixture, then mix on low until combined. Add the oats and raisins and mix in. Let the cookie dough stand for 10 minutes before scooping, to hydrate the oats. Scoop 2 tablespoon-sized portions of cookie dough, round lightly with your palms, and place 12 on a parchment paper-lined pan, evenly spaced. Complete with rest of dough. Scoop 2 tablespoon-sized portions of dough, round lightly with your palms, and place 12 to a pan, evenly spaced. Bake both pans for 6 minutes, then swap shelves, and bake for 6 minutes longer. The cookies will be lightly golden around the edges and look paler in the centers. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring the cookies to the cooling rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to a week. Rate it Print