Oatmeal Raisin Bars

These delicious Oatmeal Raisin Bars taste just like the classic cookie…but they’re easier to make. Grab a skillet and bake these bars for dessert tonight!

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I struggled with what to call this recipe. The oatmeal raisin flavor is easy. But what were they? They’re too thick to be called a cookie. And they’re not a cake – they’re definitely more in the cookie family than the cake family. I’ve come across the term ‘brookie’ before – a mashup of cookie and brownie. I was tempted to go with Oatmeal Raisin Brookies, but I ended up settling on bars. Bars that are shaped as triangles. Whatever you call ’em, I’ll say that these Oatmeal Raisin Bars are mighty delicious!

My wife thinks anything with cinnamon and oats should be a breakfast food. I made a batch of these Oatmeal Raisin Bars for dessert recently. When she walked into the kitchen, she asked, “Why are you making a breakfast recipe?” SMH. My son and I devoured these bars for dessert. My wife? She waited and nibbled on one with her coffee the next morning. You do you.

Oatmeal Raisin Bars

I love using a cast iron skillet to bake these Oatmeal Raisin Bars. The edges get nice and crispy thanks to the hot cast iron while the middle stays chewy thanks to the oats. They’re basically the perfect cookie…err, bar. See? I can’t even keep the name straight!

One of the best things about this recipe is how easy it is to make. Sure, you have to cream butter and sugar together in a mixer, but that’s about it. All of the other ingredients go into the mixer, and you’re left with a thick dough. Transfer that dough into a cast iron skillet and send it off to the oven.

Since all of the dough gets pressed into the skillet, you don’t need to worry about rolling, cutting or shaping individual cookies. ~30-40 minutes later, you’ll be looking at an amazing skillet full of raisins, cinnamon and oats. I could’ve dug right in with a fork!

I consider a good oatmeal raisin cookie to be one of the best things ever. (My wife doesn’t agree, but that’s ok. More for me!) And if you love oatmeal raisin cookies, then you’ll really love these Oatmeal Raisin Bars. They’re thick, chewy and packed with flavor. Oh, and the glaze on top takes these bars to a whole new level.

…but what if I don’t like raisins?

No problem! Any dried fruit would work well as a substitution in this recipe. Dried cranberries come to mind first, but chopped dried cherries or even dried apricots would all work. Or maybe even a combination of all of the above? Just keep the total amount of dried fruit the same (1 cup). Chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans would also be delicious in this recipe!

What Kind of Oats Should I Use?

This recipe calls for old-fashioned oats. Old-fashioned oats, also known as rolled oats, are oats that have been steamed and flattened by large rollers. When making oatmeal, old-fashioned oats will cook faster than steel-cut oats, but they’re a bit slower than quick-cooking oats or instant oats.

Make sure to use old-fashioned oats for this recipe. Quick-cooking oats will absorb more moisture which will lead to dry, crumbly bars. Old-fashioned oats produce that classic chewy texture that we associate with oatmeal raisin cookies.

How to Store Leftovers

Leftover Oatmeal Raisin Bars should be allowed to cool fully before being stored in an airtight container at room temperature. They can be stored up to 5 days, but they’ll begin to dry out a bit by day #3. Still delicious, though! Oh, and these bars do freeze well, too. Just store ’em in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Let thaw at room temperature before serving.

If you’re looking for a fun and tasty dessert recipe, then I suggest making a batch of these Oatmeal Raisin Bars. My wife might consider this a breakfast recipe, but I say you can nibble on these bars any time of the day. I hope you enjoy these bars as much as we do – Happy Baking!

Did you make this Oatmeal Raisin Bars recipe at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!

Oatmeal Raisin Bars

These delicious Oatmeal Raisin Bars taste just like the classic cookie…but they're easier to make. Grab a skillet and bake these bars for dessert tonight!

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 329kcal

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Ingredients

For the Bars

• ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature
• ¾ cup light brown sugar
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 cups old-fashioned oats plus more for topping
• 1 cup raisins

For the Glaze

• ⅔ cup confectioner’s sugar
• 1 Tbsp milk

Instructions

For the Bars

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Using a countertop mixer, cream together butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy (~3-4 minutes on medium speed).
• Add vanilla extract and eggs; mix until well combined.
• Using a separate large bowl, add flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt; whisk together until well combined.
• Add half of the flour mixture to the bowl with the butter mixture; mix until well combined.
• Add remaining flour mixture; mix until well combined.
• Add oats and raisins; mix until well combined.
• Press batter evenly into a 10” cast iron skillet. Sprinkle additional oats on top.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until bars are fully cooked and just beginning to turn light golden brown on top.
• Let bars cool in pan before adding glaze.

For the Glaze

• Using a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk until well combined. Drizzle glaze over cooled bars before serving.

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