Spelt oatmeal raisin cookies are a classic, chewy cookie made with old fashioned oats, cinnamon, and raisins. Whip up a batch in less than an hour and enjoy!
Heather's recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Classic, chewy oatmeal cookies filled with raisins and old fashioned oats.
Chilling time: This dough requires a 30 minute chill time to reduce spread while baking.
Yield: 21 cookies
Similar to: Chai Oatmeal Cookies
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About spelt flour
Spelt is an ancient form of wheat, with a unique genetic makeup that makes it easier to digest and more nutrient-dense than modern wheat.
- Higher in protein, minerals, and fiber.
- Delicate gluten structure makes it easier to digest.
- Has a subtle earthy, nutty flavor that's more flavorful than modern wheat.
- Requires less kneading (in bread recipes) due to its fragile gluten structure.
For more information: Grand Teton Ancient Grains - What is Spelt?
Ingredients and substitutions
- Oats - Old fashioned oats provide the best texture for an oatmeal cookie. Quick cook oats can work as a substitute, but the cookies will have slightly less chewy texture. I don't recommend using steel cut oats because they're thicker and take longer to cook through.
- Spelt flour - This recipe was developed for whole grain spelt flour. Modern whole wheat can work as a substitute. To substitute with all-purpose flour, add ¾ cup (90 grams) instead.
- Raisins - Can be omitted or substituted with golden raisins, M&M's candies, or chocolate chips.
How to make spelt oatmeal raisin cookies
- Use a hand mixer to cream together the butter and sugars, then mix in the egg and vanilla.
- Add dry ingredients and stir to combine. Chill dough for 30 minutes.
- Divide with a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake until cookies are golden across the tops and look set.
Tips and tricks
Bring ingredients to room temperature quickly - Slice sticks of butter into small, ½ inch slivers. Small pieces warm up faster than a whole stick. Place eggs into a bowl and cover with very warm tap water. They'll come to room temperature in about ten minutes.
Use parchment - Use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat instead of greasing your pan. Adding grease to a baking sheet causes cookies to spread more while baking.
Cookie scoop - I used a medium OXO cookie scoop for this recipe for perfectly sized, round cookies. Cookie scoops work especially well for a sticky dough like this one.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, either kind of oats will work in this recipe, but you'll get different results. Old fashioned oats are more "meaty" and substantial. They add chewiness and texture to your cookies. Quick cooking oats are powdery and thin. They'll cook into the dough, have less texture, and your cookies may spread more.
Yes. This recipe requires the chilling step to help the dough firm up so that it doesn't spread too much while baking. No-chill cookie recipes include more flour, which creates a slightly blander, drier cookie once baked. This recipe uses slightly less flour and requires chilling to prevent spreading and results in a more flavorful, buttery, and chewy cookie.
There are several spelt farmers and millers in the US and abroad. Here are my favorite vendors for purchasing whole wheat spelt flour:
- Barton Springs Mill
- Amazon - Bob's Red Mill
- Central Milling
No, spelt is a type wheat and forms gluten. However, spelt has a weaker gluten structure than modern wheat and is often easier to digest for most people.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Spelt Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup (106 g) brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup (100 g) spelt flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups (133 g) old fashioned oats
- ½ cup (70 g) raisins
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat until fluffy, about a minute. Add egg and vanilla extract. Beat until fluffy, about a minute.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the spelt flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Gradually stir dry ingredients into butter mixture until just combined.
- Add oats and raisins and stir until just combined. Dough will feel sticky.
- Cover bowl or wrap dough in wax paper. Chill for 30 minutes (up to 24 hours) in the refrigerator. Refrigerating helps the flavors meld and also creates a firmer, less sticky dough to roll into balls.
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Remove dough from refrigerator and scoop dough using a 1.5 tablespoon (medium) scoop or shape by hand into 1.5 inch balls.
- Place cookie dough balls 2 inches apart onto a prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 12-14 minutes, or until lightly browned around edges and across the tops. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Whole wheat spelt flour measurements: 1 cup = 100 grams
- Storage: Cookies will keep for up to 5 days in a sealed container. To help keep cookies fresh, you can place a slice of bread in the container with the cookies. Replace the bread slice as needed.
- Dough storage: Raw dough will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days. Cookie dough balls (and baked cookies) freeze well, up to 3 months in a sealed plastic container or freezer bag. Allow frozen balls to thaw for up to 10 minutes on the baking sheet before baking, or add 1-2 minutes to the baking time.
- Tips: Be sure to check out my 10 tips for baking cookies, based on reader comments and questions!
I had so much fun creating this recipe! I hope you give it a try and love it as much as I do. If you have a question, check out the post above, which is packed with information about the recipe. Tried the recipe? I'd love to hear your thoughts — leave a comment and a star rating to share your feedback!