Authentic Levain Bakery Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

These Authentic Copycat Levain Bakery Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are insanely delish! They taste just like the oatmeal raisin cookies from the famed NYC bakery but are so simple to make!

Welcome to the last (sad face) installment of my Levain Bakery Cookie Series!

Last but definitely not least are their amazing oatmeal raisin cookies and hooo boy, they are phenomenal!

I am firmly in the camp of raisins not belonging in cookies, but last time I went to Levain Bakery on the Upper West Side, I decided to take a chance and get an oatmeal raisin cookie to try out while walking through Central Park. You guys, it was CRAZY good. I don’t know what inspired me that day to grab an oatmeal raisin cookie since raisins aren’t my fave, but I am SO glad I did. I’ve thought about them since!

Levain Bakery ships their cookies nationwide, but last time I looked, shipping was astronomical. If I’m already paying $25-30 for cookies, I want them to be same-day fresh… not two-to-three days old like they’d be shipping-wise (on top of paying around $40 for shipping!). It’s just too insane and unthinkable to me to spend that much on cookies, albeit delicious ones.

Which is one of the reasons why I had to make these Levain Bakery cookies at home so we can all enjoy them without the crazy shipping prices!

These Authentic Copycat Levain Bakery Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are tasty, easy, come together quickly, and are gone even faster!

Here are some tips to getting the BEST cookies:

1. Cornstarch helps create a lovely texture and helps the cookies hold their shape when baking. I always love using cornstarch in my cookie recipes!
2. Cake flour is authentic to Levain’s recipe and it aids in a light and tender crumb. If we used all all-purpose flour, these cookies would be super dense and almost scone-like. The part of cake flour really does help lighten up the texture!
3. For best results, we’ll briefly refrigerate the dough for 15 minutes. This helps prevent the dough from spreading too much.
4. Cookies are baked one sheet at a time in the center rack of the oven with only 4 cookies per baking sheet for optimal results. This helps prevent the cookies from spreading too too much and ensures they are cooked evenly.
5. When it comes to forming the cookie dough, cookie dough balls should be rougher and craggly-textured. We’re used to using cookie dough scoops to make clean, smooth, perfectly compact cookie dough balls, but for this recipe we’ll barely form the cookie dough together with our hands for a rougher-textured exterior of the dough ball. This is signature to Levain’s way of doing things. And remember, these cookies are six ounces EACH, so for best and accurate results, I recommend using a digital kitchen scale.
6. Lastly, do not over-bake! Levain’s cookies are known for being underbaked in the center for optimal gooey goodness and these are no exception! There is a larger baking time range due to the fact that everyone’s ovens run differently in temperature. For best results, I recommend test baking 1-2 cookies first to see where your oven’s sweet spot is. Cookies should appear dry and duller textured on the exterior with slightly underdone centers.

Thick, chewy, soft and utterly gooey with hearty oats and juicy, plump raisins – these Authentic Levain Bakery Oatmeal Raisin Cookies can’t be beat!

*adapted from Modern Honey

Print Recipe

5 from 5 votes

Authentic Levain Bakery Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

These Authentic Levain Bakery Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are a dream! Thick and chewy cookies with supremely gooey centers filled with hearty oats and juicy raisins!

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time12 mins

Total Time32 mins

Course: Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine: American, Dessert

Servings: 8 cookies

Equipment

• Digital kitchen scale, for accuracy

Ingredients

• 1 cup COLD unsalted butter cut into small cubes
• 1 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract optional but recommended
• 1/2 cup cake flour
• 1½ cup rolled old-fashioned oats not instant oatmeal
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 cups raisins

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 410° degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners; set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on low speed for 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium and beat for another 30 seconds. Lastly, increase speed to high and beat for 30 seconds, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until mixture is light and fluffy.
• Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, followed by the vanilla, if using. Add in the cake flour, oats, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon and mix on low speed until incorporated. Lastly, stir in the raisins.
• Refrigerate the dough briefly for 15 minutes.
• Using your hands, weigh out 6 ounces of cookie dough and barely form into a very rough ball shape. Place in a staggered pattern, 3" apart on the baking sheet with only 4 cookies to a baking sheet. Bake one sheet at a time in the middle rack of the oven for 9-12 minutes or until the cookies appear dull and light golden brown on top; do not over-bake. Cookies will continue to finish cooking as they set and cool on the baking sheets. Allow cookies to set on the baking sheets for at least 30 minutes before moving as cookies are quite delicate after baking.

Notes

Vanilla extract is actually not used in Levain's recipe because they claim it is "not needed." I love vanilla so I added it in. 

Make sure you're using old-fashioned or rolled oats and not instant or quick oatmeal. 

These cookies are an actual dream and I know you’re going to LOVE them!

Craving more cookies from Levain? Check out these recipes!

Copycat Levain Bakery Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

Copycat Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies

Copycat Levain Bakery Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Have a super sweet day!

xo, Hayley