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These oatmeal raisin bars are what you make when you want a soft, chewy oatmeal cookie without scooping a dozen individual cookies. They’re topped off with a simple brown butter glaze that takes things from wow to WOW.
That glaze really knocks it out of the park here.
Turns out that oatmeal cookies made with raisins instead of chocolate chips are actually really good. I had no idea, because every time my dad (who adores oatmeal raisin cookies and bakes them often) tried to hand me one, I’d turn my nose up and go hunt down some chocolate.
I took my oatmeal cookie bars and swapped in raisins for the chocolate as a little treat for my dad and, you know what, he’s been right along. The raisins + the oats + the cinnamon…it’s a really magical combo.
These bars have been a long time favorite, but the raisin swap really has me loving them and then I decided to go just touch harder on the cinnamon and do a whole brown butter cinnamon glaze situation that is just…wow.
This is the same glaze I use on my brown butter rice krispies treats that are always getting rave reviews, but with the addition of a bit of cinnamon. So good. Really hope you try this one.
3 Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
- That browned butter glaze. It adds a warm, nutty flavor that regular powdered sugar glaze just can’t match.
- They’re make-ahead friendly. Bake these the day before you need them and they’ll be just as good.
- No mixer required. Everything comes together with a bowl and a spoon.
Ingredient Notes, Swaps, & Tips:
Swap the raisins for chocolate chips, dried cranberries, or chopped walnuts if that’s more your family’s speed.
Old fashioned oats work best here. Quick oats will still work, but the bars will be a little less chewy and more cake-like.
Watch the butter closely when browning it. It goes from golden to burnt fast once the foam settles, so stay at the stove and whisk often.
Don’t overbake. Pull the bars when a tester comes out with a few moist crumbs. They’ll continue to set as they cool.
Let the bars cool completely before glazing, or the glaze will slide right off instead of setting up.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step by Step Instructions:
Add the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to mix everything together.
Stir in the raisins. We’re using a lot for maximum goodness.
Spread the mixture in a 9×13 dish and bake at 350 for 25 minutes.
Once the cookie bars have cooled, brown the butter in a small sauce pan, whisking often. Keep an eye on it as it will go from brown to black real quick.
Remove from the heat an whisk in the powdered sugar and cinnamon to form a smooth glaze.
Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cookie bars and let the glaze firm up for an hour before slicing and serving.
Helpful Tip!
Storage & Freezing:
- Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Refrigerator: These will keep for up to a week in the fridge if you’d like them to last longer.
- Freezer: Freeze the bars without the glaze for the best results. Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw and glaze before serving.
Serving Suggestions:
These bars are perfect with a cup of coffee or a glass of milk, and they hold up well for lunchboxes or an afternoon snack. Cut them a little smaller and set them out on a platter for a potluck or holiday cookie tray, since they slice neatly once the glaze has set.
Recipe FAQs:
Yes, you can freeze these, but for the best texture, freeze them unglazed. Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw at room temperature and add the glaze right before serving.
You can, though the bars will be a bit less chewy and more cake-like in texture. Old fashioned oats give the best result.
Yes. Swap them for chocolate chips, dried cranberries, or chopped nuts, or leave them out entirely for a plain cinnamon oat bar.
Oatmeal Raisin Bars with Browned Butter Cinnamon Glaze
Ingredients
For the cookie bars:
- 2 ½ cups old fashioned oats
- 2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups butter melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 2 cups raisins
For the glaze:
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
To make the cookie bars:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray or line with parchment paper.
- Add the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt to a mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
- Add the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla to the dry ingredients and use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to mix until combined. Stir in the raisins.
- Spread the mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake for 25 minutes, until the top is just set and a tester comes out with a few moist crumbs. Don’t overbake.
- Let the bars cool in the pan completely before adding the glaze.
To make the glaze:
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Continue cooking, whisking often, until the butter gets very foamy. Keep cooking and whisking until the foam dies down, the liquid is golden, and there are browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Be careful not to burn the butter – it will go from golden to burnt fairly quickly once the foam dies down.
- Remove from the heat. Whisk in the powdered sugar and cinnamon until you have a smooth glaze.
- Use a spoon to drizzle the glaze over the cooled cookie bars. Let set for at least 1 hour for the glaze to firm up and slice into 20 squares.
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