If you’re looking for a cookie that’s perfectly chewy and deliciously chunky, these Oatmeal Raisin Pecan Cookies are for you! They have the perfect ratio of cookie dough to fillings and are incredibly easy to make. These are a must for the holidays!
I’m a big fan of cookies and while I’ve always enjoyed oatmeal raisin cookies, I always felt something was lacking, until I added pecans and the rest is history!
The pecans give these cookies just the right texture and balance.
These oatmeal raisin pecan cookies are chewy, nutty, buttery, and the cinnamon and vanilla take the flavor over the top.
They are wonderful all year round, but I especially love them for Christmas alongside other favorites like lemon ricotta cookies, chocolate chip cookies, and Italian almond cookies.
Table of Contents
Recipe Ingredients
All ingredients for this recipe are shown in the pic below and special notes are made in this bulleted list to assist you.
- Flour. I used King Arthur’s all-purpose flour.
- Butter. Unsalted butter at room temperature.
- Eggs. 2 large eggs at room temperature to help bind the ingredients together.
- Light brown and granulated sugar. Sugar provides sweetness but also contributes to the texture and structure of the cookies.
- Vanilla. For wonderful flavor.
- Oats. Use old-fashioned oats for a great chewiness.
- Raisins and pecans. If you cannot have nuts, you can omit them or substitute them with dark chocolate, similar to how I make my oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Walnuts could also be used in place of pecans.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make it
Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.
- Preheat the oven to 350f and set the rack to the middle level. Line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon baking mats. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat 1 cup (226g) of room temperature butter on medium-high until smooth. Add 1 cup (213g) of packed light brown sugar and 1 cup (198g) of granulated sugar and beat on medium-high until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add 2 room temperature eggs, one at a time, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and beat on high for 1 more minute. (Photo #1)
- In a separate bowl combine 1 1/2 cups (180g) of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder,1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and mix until combined. (Photo #2)
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture while beating on low speed until combined. (Photo #3)
- Fold in 3 cups (267g) of old-fashioned oats, 1 1/2 cups (225g) of raisins, and 1 1/2 cups (171g) of chopped pecans just until combined, then cover the dough and chill it in the fridge for 45 minutes before using. (Photo #4)
- Use a medium (#30 or 40) cookie scoop to scoop and drop approximately 2 tablespoons worth (37g) of dough onto the baking sheet keeping 3 inches of space between the dough. (Photo #5)
- Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are lightly brown, then allow to cool for 5-7 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. (Photo #6)
Top tips
- Use a cookie scoop. This will help provide cookies that are uniform in size and is far easier than using a spoon to drop the dough.
- Use room-temperature butter and eggs. This oatmeal raisin cookie with pecan recipe calls for these ingredients to be at room temperature. This enables them to emulsify and bond together creating a more uniform batter.
- Let the dough chill. Skipping this step may cause the cookies to spread too much while baking.
More cookie recipes
We love cookies, especially around the holidays! They’re the perfect make-ahead dessert and always hold up well to travel. Here are a few of our favorites!
- Walnut Snowball Cookies – the easiest cookie ever!
- Linzer Cookies – almond-flavored tartlets filled with raspberry jam.
- Almond biscotti – dipped in dark chocolate and ready to dunk!
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Oatmeal Raisin Pecan Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (180g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup (213g) light brown sugar packed
- 1 cup (198g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups (267g) old fashioned oats
- 1 1/2 cups (255g) raisins packed
- 1 1/2 cups (171g) pecans chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350f and set the rack to the middle level and line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon baking mats.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat the butter on medium-high until smooth.
- Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar and beat on medium-high until creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla and beat on high for 1 minute scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon and mix until combined, then slowly add to the butter mixture while mixing on low speed until combined.
- Continue beating on low speed while adding the oats, raisins, and pecans and mix just until combined. If using a hand mixer, fold in the ingredients using a spoon or spatula. Cover dough and chill for 45 minutes before using.
- Use a medium (#40) cookie scoop to scoop and drop approximately 2 tablespoons worth (37g) of dough onto the baking sheets 3 inches apart.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are lightly brown, then allow to cool for 5-7 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- A 2 tablespoon ball from a medium cookie scoop (either #30 or #40) will make a 35-40g dough ball or approximately 40 medium-sized cookies.
- Baking time will change slightly based on the size, but cook until the sides just start to turn golden brown.
- This recipe was written for a conventional oven. For convection ovens, reduce the temperature by 25 degrees and begin checking for doneness at the 75% mark.
- Oatmeal raisin pecan cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 5-7 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Oh my goodness these are soooooo good!
Loving your podcast and your recipes 🙂
The best ❗️I didn’t use pecans i used walnuts I’ve been trying to get rid of since Christmas 😂
Love these cookies! Chewy with just the right amount of crunch and sweet.
Hi James and Tara! I want to make these for a family gathering but we have some family members with nut allergies. Is there a good substitution you would recommend for the pecans or could they be left out entirely? Thanks!
Hi Meghann, you can leave out the nuts entirely or replace them with chocolate chips or maybe even seeds, like sunflower seeds, if you want that nut-like texture.
Can you us e quick oats instead
Hi Sue, we recommend using old fashioned oats for the best texture. We haven’t tested the recipe with instant/quick oats so can’t say for sure what the results will be. If you do test it, let us know how it turns out.