Oatmeal Raisin Blondies are my go-to when I want the comfort of an oatmeal raisin cookie but in an easy soft cookie bar form. They bake up thick, chewy, and a little buttery around the edges.
These have that warm, familiar brown sugar and vanilla flavor with plenty of oats, plus raisins that stay tender instead of dry. I like a touch of cinnamon here because it makes the whole pan taste more like a real cookie.
For me, they’re especially good for snack plates, bake sales, and weekends when I want something simple that still feels like a treat. They also hold up well, so I’m happy to slice them and set them out with coffee or cold milk.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Soft and Chewy: The mix of oats and brown sugar gives you that classic oatmeal cookie chew, but in a thick bar that stays tender.
One Bowl Feel: You don’t need anything fancy here, and the batter comes together quickly with basic pantry ingredients.
Cookie-Bar Convenience: No scooping, no rotating sheet pans, no batches. Just spread it in the pan and bake.
Raisin-Friendly: This recipe is great if you actually want raisins to taste good—plump, sweet, and not shriveled or hard.
Easy to Customize: Add walnuts if you like a little crunch, or leave them out for a more classic, kid-friendly bar.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Wet
- Unsalted butter: Melted butter keeps these dense and chewy. If you want a deeper flavor, you can brown it first and let it cool slightly.
- Light brown sugar: This is where the blondie flavor really comes from. Dark brown sugar works too and makes them a little richer.
- Eggs: Room temperature is easiest to mix in, and it helps the batter come together smoothly.
- Vanilla extract: Don’t skip it—vanilla makes these taste like a real cookie bar instead of just “sweet.”
Dry
- All-purpose flour: I use regular flour here. Measure it lightly so the bars don’t turn dry.
- Old-fashioned rolled oats: Rolled oats give the best chewy texture. Quick oats are fine if you prefer a softer, more uniform bar.
- Baking powder: Helps the bars lift a bit so they don’t feel heavy.
- Baking soda: A little baking soda gives a more cookie-like bite and helps the edges brown.
- Ground cinnamon: This is subtle but important for that classic oatmeal raisin cookie flavor.
- Fine salt: Salt makes the brown sugar and oats taste more balanced and less flat.
Mix-ins
- Raisins: I like soaking them in hot water for a few minutes so they bake up plumper. Just drain and pat dry so you’re not adding extra water to the batter.
- Walnuts: Totally optional, but really good if you want a little crunch. Pecans work too.
Recipe Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with parchment paper and lightly grease it.
- Mix the butter and sugar: In a large bowl, whisk the melted (slightly cooled) butter and brown sugar until glossy and mostly smooth.
- Add the eggs and vanilla: Whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients: Stir in the flour, rolled oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt just until you don’t see dry streaks.
- Fold in the mix-ins: Fold in the raisins and the chopped walnuts (if using) until they’re evenly mixed through.
- Spread the batter: Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, spread it evenly, and smooth out the top.
- Bake: Bake for 22 to 28 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly browned and the center is just set.
- Cool and slice: Cool completely in the pan, then lift out using the parchment and slice into bars.
Some of my tips!
This is the part that really makes a difference. If you only read one section, make it this one because this is where I share the little trick that helps the recipe turn out so well.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
Soak the raisins if yours are a little dry. Ten minutes in hot water is enough. Drain well and pat them dry so the batter doesn’t get wet.
Don’t overmix after the flour goes in. Stir just until the dry ingredients disappear. Overmixing makes the bars tougher instead of chewy.
Brown the butter if you want a deeper flavor. It gives the blondies a more toasty, caramel kind of taste. Let it cool a bit so it doesn’t scramble the eggs.
Pull them when the center is just set. The edges should look done and lightly browned, but the middle shouldn’t look dry. They keep setting as they cool.
Swap quick oats for softer bars. Rolled oats give more texture and chew, but quick oats make the whole bar a little more tender and uniform.
Make some touches!
There are plenty of easy ways to serve this depending on the occasion. Keep it simple, or add a few small touches to make it feel a little more special.
Serving Suggestions
- Milk: A cold glass of milk is classic with oatmeal raisin bars. I like this especially if you’ve added walnuts.
- Coffee or espresso: These are really good with coffee, especially in the afternoon. A latte or iced coffee is great if you want something a little sweeter.
- Fruit: Fresh berries or sliced apples are nice on the side. It keeps the plate simple and not too heavy.
- Ice cream: Serve a bar with vanilla ice cream if you want to make it feel more like dessert. Let the bar come to room temp, or warm it for a few seconds first.
- Yogurt: Plain Greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey is a good brunchy pairing. It’s also nice if you’re serving smaller pieces.
Save it for later
This section covers how to store leftovers and what parts of the recipe you can prepare ahead of time.
Storage and Make Ahead
Store baked blondies covered at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. I usually keep them in a tight container so they stay chewy.
If you want them to last longer, store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Let them sit out for a bit before serving so they soften back up.
You can also freeze individual portions or freeze a whole slab (wrapped well). It’s nice to have a few bars tucked away for quick snacks.
Thaw in the fridge overnight or on the counter for a couple hours. If you like them warm, a short microwave warm-up brings back the soft texture.
A few quick answers
This section covers a few extra details that may help before you head to the recipe card.
Recipe FAQs
How do I know when oatmeal raisin blondies are done?
Look for set, lightly browned edges and a center that looks just set, not wet. If the middle looks dry and fully firm in the oven, they’ll usually end up more cakey once cooled.
Can I use quick oats instead of old-fashioned rolled oats?
Yes. Quick oats make the bars a little softer and more uniform, while rolled oats give more chew and texture.
Do I have to add walnuts?
No, you can leave them out. The bars are still plenty chewy and flavorful without nuts, and they slice a little more cleanly too.
Can I brown the butter for this recipe?
You can, and it’s really good here. Just brown it, let it cool slightly so it’s not piping hot, and then mix it with the brown sugar like the recipe says.
You might also like
Before you go, take a look at a few other recipes below the recipe card. They use similar ingredients in a different way and are worth saving too.
MORE DINNER RECIPES TO TRY
Oatmeal Raisin Blondies
INGREDIENTS
Wet
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract.
Dry
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp fine salt.
Mix-ins
- 1 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts optional.
INSTRUCTIONS
Prep
- heat oven to 350 F
- line a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with parchment and lightly grease
- whisk melted butter and brown sugar until glossy and mostly smooth
- whisk in eggs and vanilla until combined.
Bake
- stir in flour oats baking powder baking soda cinnamon and salt just until no dry streaks remain
- fold in raisins and optional walnuts
- spread batter evenly in pan and smooth top
- bake until edges are set and lightly browned and center is just set 22 to 28 minutes
- cool completely in pan then lift out and slice into bars.
