There are some recipes that instantly transport you back to childhood, and for me, that’s Quaker Oats oatmeal raisin cookies. Trust me, after trying dozens of other oatmeal raisin recipes through the years, I always come back to this one, and i’m not the only one.

I cannot tell you how many times my mom made these wholesome, classic cookies for my brother and I growing up, but they are so good, she continues to surprise us with them as adults. In fact, she once made a giant heart-shaped one and sent it with my Dad on a flight as his carry-on when he was visiting me (they really are that good).

Not only does each bite taste like home, but it’s full of heart-healthy oats, omega-3 rich walnuts, anti-inflammatory cinnamon, and sun-kissed raisins (hello partial serving of fruit). It’s the perfect treat for all-ages, especially little ones that you’re trying to sneak healthy foods into. I love to also add chia seeds to this recipe for a boost of fiber, protein, and antioxidants. Now, let’s get baking!

Ingredients

Recipe yields ~24 cookies.

• 1/2 cup and 6 tablespoons room temperature butter

• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 2 large eggs, room temperature

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 heaping teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 3 cups uncooked oats

• 1 cup raisins

• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts

• 1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

3. In a large bowl or KitchenAid mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed until creamy. Add eggs, vanilla, and chia seeds (optional), mixing until smooth.

4. Gradually add the dry ingredients until fully combined.

5. Add the oats, raisins and walnuts, mixing until fully combined.

6. Using a small cookie scoop or spoon, create balls of cookie dough approximately 1 tablespoon big and place on a lined baking sheet. Space cookies 2 inches apart.

7. Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown. Every oven is different, so keep an eye on them for the last few minutes.

8. Allow cookies to cool for 5-10 minutes on the pan before moving to a wire rack to cool further.

Recipe Notes

• The cookies are good for 3-5 days if kept in an airtight container at room temperature.

• My wonderful mother-in-law introduced me Siplat silicon cookie sheet liners and they are a game changer! You will never have a cookie stick to the cookie sheet ever again.