These air fryer oatmeal cookies come out soft and chewy in the middle with lightly crisp edges, and the whole batch is ready in about 12 minutes. No oven to preheat, no heating up the kitchen. The first time I made them I burned a few raisins, so further down I share the simple trick that fixes that for good.
Raisins give oatmeal cookies that classic chewy, lightly sweet bite, but the recipe is easy to customise (see the variations below for chocolate chip, cranberry, and nutty versions). If you are new to this, baking in an air fryer is genuinely simpler than using the oven, and these cookies are a great place to start.
Quick answer: Shape the dough into 12 cookies about ½ inch thick, then air fry at 360°F (180°C) for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping them halfway. Let them rest 5 minutes to finish setting before you move them.
How to make air fryer oatmeal cookies?
It is simple to make oatmeal raisin cookies in an air fryer. You only need a handful of pantry ingredients and one bowl for the dry mix, one for the wet. The full printable version with quantities is in the recipe card below.
Ingredients for air fryer oatmeal cookies
- 500 g oats (old-fashioned rolled oats work best)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup raisins
- 2 eggs
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- A pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the oats, flour, cinnamon and salt. Stir well and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, add the eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla extract. Whisk until the sugar is fully dissolved.
- Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir until just combined. Do not overmix, or the gluten activates and the cookies turn out hard.
- Scoop a portion of dough, tuck a few raisins into the middle, roll into a ball, then flatten into a round cookie about ½ inch thick. Keeping the raisins in the centre stops them burning on top.
- Preheat your air fryer to 360°F (180°C) for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Place the cookies in a single layer in the basket, leaving space between them. Cook at 360°F (180°C) for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Let the cookies rest for about 5 minutes so they finish setting, then serve. They are great for breakfast or as a snack.
You can find the full air fryer oatmeal cookies recipe in the printable card below.
No air fryer? Bake them in the oven
These work in a regular oven too. Preheat to 350°F (175°C), line a baking sheet with parchment, and bake for about 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden. The air fryer is faster and does not heat up the whole kitchen, which is why it is my go-to in summer.
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Which oats are best for oatmeal cookies?
Old-fashioned rolled oats are best. They hold their shape and give that classic chewy texture. Quick oats also work and make a slightly softer, more uniform cookie. Avoid instant oats, which turn pasty, and skip raw steel-cut oats, which stay too hard in the short air fryer cook time. If you need them gluten-free, choose oats labelled certified gluten-free.
Are air fryer oatmeal cookies healthy?
They are a more wholesome cookie than most. Oats add fibre, and air frying needs no extra greasing of a pan. A few easy swaps make them lighter still:
- Less sugar: swap part of the sugar for mashed banana or unsweetened applesauce.
- Egg-free / vegan: replace each egg with a flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water) or 3 tbsp applesauce.
- Gluten-free: use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and certified gluten-free oats.
- Natural sweetener: honey or maple syrup can stand in for some of the sugar.
Tips for perfect air fryer oatmeal cookies
- Always preheat the air fryer first so the cookies set evenly from the start.
- Make every cookie the same size and thickness so they cook at the same rate.
- Arrange them in a single layer with space around each one, and flip halfway through.
- If the dough sticks to your hands, dampen them with a little water before shaping.
- Do not overmix the dough. Stir just until combined, or the cookies turn out tough. See how to avoid dry air fryer bakes.
- Chill the dough for 15 minutes if it feels too soft. It makes the cookies easier to shape and keeps them from spreading.
Variations
The base dough takes add-ins beautifully. Stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons of any of these before shaping:
- Oatmeal raisin: the classic, with raisins tucked into the centre.
- Chocolate chip: add chocolate chips for a cross between oatmeal and our air fryer chocolate chip cookies.
- Cranberry: dried cranberries for a tart, festive version.
- Nutty: chopped walnuts or pecans, like our candied walnuts, for crunch.
- Banana oat: mash in half a ripe banana and cut the sugar back for a softer breakfast cookie.
Storage & freezing
Let the cookies cool completely first. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 days, or in the fridge for 5 to 7 days.
To freeze: freeze cooled cookies in a sealed bag for up to 3 months. You can also freeze the raw dough balls, then air fry from frozen, adding a minute or two to the cook time.
To reheat: warm them in the air fryer for 1 to 2 minutes at 320°F (160°C).
Frequently asked questions
QCan you bake cookies in an air fryer?
Yes. Cookies bake really well in an air fryer. It is faster than the oven and does not heat up the whole kitchen. See what you can and cannot bake for more.
QWhy are my oatmeal cookies hard?
Usually overmixing. When you overmix the dough, gluten develops in the flour and the cookies turn tough. Stir just until the dry and wet mixtures come together.
QWhy are my air fryer oatmeal cookies dry?
They were most likely cooked a little too long, or the dough needed more moisture. Check them at the 10-minute mark and pull them while the centres still look slightly soft. They firm up as they cool. Our guide on avoiding dry air fryer bakes goes deeper.
QHow do I stop the raisins from burning?
Tuck the raisins into the middle of each cookie instead of mixing them through the dough. Raisins sitting on the surface scorch in the air fryer's direct heat. More on preventing burning.
QCan I make them without eggs?
Yes. Replace each egg with a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water, rested 5 minutes) or 3 tablespoons of unsweetened applesauce for an egg-free, vegan-friendly batch.
QCan I store and freeze air fryer oatmeal cookies?
Yes. Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 days or refrigerated for 5 to 7 days. Cool them fully first. They also freeze well for up to 3 months, baked or as raw dough balls.
If you make these, let me know how they turned out in the comments. Hungry for more? Try our air fryer peanut butter cookies next.
You can also follow me on Instagram and Pinterest for more easy air fryer baking recipes.
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