Oatmeal Raisin Cookies – Heart Shaped Cookies

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These heart-shaped oatmeal raisin cookies are soft, chewy, and perfect for Valentine’s Day. Made with rolled oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and raisins, they’re a fun twist on a classic oatmeal cookie. The simple shaping method makes these festive cookies easy to make for classroom parties, cookie exchanges, or sharing with someone special.

Recipe Testing

I tested these cookies to make sure they stayed soft and chewy while still holding their heart shape. Oatmeal cookie dough can spread during baking, so getting the right balance of ingredients is important. The rolled oats help provide structure, while the brown sugar keeps the cookies soft and tender.

I also found that slightly underbaking the cookies produced the best texture. The centers should still look a little soft when they come out of the oven. As the cookies cool on the baking sheet, they’ll continue to set while staying chewy in the middle. I’ve been making this same recipe for ten years, and it’s satisfying every single time.

For the photos, I had pressed the scoops of dough into a heart cookie cutter for a Valentine’s Day treat. To do this, I wet my hands so the dough wouldn’t stick. Then I flattened each cookie into a circle and gently pushed it into a heart shape.

Ingredients

See the recipe card for exact amounts.

• Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats: I use a combination of large flake oats and rolled oats in this recipe. The large flake oats provide a hearty texture and help create the chewy bite that oatmeal raisin cookies are known for, while the rolled oats blend more easily into the dough.
• All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure and helps hold the cookie dough together.
• Baking Soda: Helps the cookies rise slightly and creates a lighter texture.
• Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the flavor of the oats, cinnamon, and raisins.
• Ground Cinnamon: Adds warmth and pairs perfectly with the oats and raisins.
• Molasses: A small amount of molasses adds depth and richness to the cookies while helping create a soft, chewy texture. It works with the brown sugar to add a subtle caramel flavor.
• Butter: Adds richness and helps create soft centers with lightly crisp edges.
• Brown Sugar: Gives the cookies their chewy texture and subtle caramel flavor.
• Granulated Sugar: Helps balance the brown sugar and contributes to the texture.
• Eggs: Bind the ingredients together and help create a soft cookie.
• Vanilla Extract: Adds depth and rounds out the flavor.
• Raisins: Add sweetness and moisture throughout the cookies. I use sultanas in this recipe, but any raisin variety will work. Sultanas are slightly sweeter and softer than standard raisins, which helps keep the cookies moist. If your raisins are very dry, soak them in warm water for 10 minutes and drain well before using.

Tips for Making Heart-Shaped Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

• Don’t overmix the dough once the flour is added.
• Shape the hearts evenly so they bake at the same rate.
• Bake until the edges are lightly golden and the centers still look slightly soft.
• Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack.
• If making these for Valentine’s Day gifting, allow them to cool completely before packaging.

How to Make Heart Shaped Cookies

This recipe makes 4 dozen cookies when I use a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop them onto the cookie sheet.  

1. Mix the dry ingredients together until evenly combined.
2. Cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until smooth.
4. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.
5. Fold in the raisins and oats.
6. Shape portions of dough into hearts. Wet your hands so the dough doesn’t stick. Then I flatten each cookie into a circle and gently push them into heart shapes. Pull the cookie cutter up and away and repeat.
7. Place on a baking sheet, leaving space between each cookie.
8. Bake until the edges are lightly golden and the centers still appear soft.
9. Cool on the baking sheet for several minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

When the cookies come out of the oven after around 10 minutes, they’ll still look a bit underdone. Just a bit. Removing them then helps ensure they stay nice and chewy once they cool.  

Storage

Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

If four dozen seems a bit much to you, I’ll let you know that they freeze wonderfully. You could also try cutting the recipe in half – all the ingredient amounts make it pretty easy to half.

To freeze, place cooled cookies in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

FAQs

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