Oatmeal raisin cookies are John’s favorite cookie, hence the reason I baked them what seemed like every other week when we first got married. Sure, we tied the knot and all, but I still had to make sure the man’s sweet tooth was satisfied. After all, there’s a lot of dessert out there in the world and I want to ensure that he only oogles at my goodies, if you catch my drift.
I’ve wanted to infuse the flavor of chai into cookies for a while now and thought this the perfect time since the weather is cooling down, the leaves are starting to turn, and I’ve officially started craving hot tea every single day. And so, a chai infusion it was.
To mock the flavor of chai* in these bars, I simply added all of the spices you’d find in traditional chai tea: cinnamon, clove, cardamom and ginger – some of the loveliest spices around if you ask me. And the result was a hearty dessert bar with all of the flavor and texture of a traditional oatmeal raisin cookie but with a punch of chai spice in each bite. Oh man, these are a total win.
*Learn about the fascinating origins of chai here!
Chai-Spiced Oatmeal Raisin Bars
Ingredients
- 1 stick butter (softened)
- 1/2 heaping cup light brown sugar (packed)
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1/4 tsp cardamom
- 1/4 tsp cloves (or sub pumpkin pie spice)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
- 1/2 cup jumbo mixed raisins
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C).
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth.
- Carefully pour flour, salt and baking soda into a sifter and sift over wet ingredients. Add spices and stir. Then add oats and raisins and stir once more.
- Chill the dough for 5-10 minutes. Then scrape into a buttered, lightly floured OR parchment lined 8×8 metal or glass dish and flatten until smooth (adjust number/size of pan if altering batch size).
- Bake for about 25-28 minutes or until nice and golden brown on top and the sides pull away from the pan.
- Let cool in the pan and then slice and serve. Store covered or in baggies to keep fresh.
Notes
Nutrition (1 of 12 servings)
Alex says
I’ve still got some chai spiced nut butter leftover from.one of your other recipes. How would i/can I adapt this recipe to incorporate the leftover butter?
Hi Alex, we think you could possibly reduce the spices and brown sugar and replace up to half of the butter with the chai-spiced nut butter. The bars will just be a little more chewy vs. crisp probably. Let us know how it goes!
Cara says
Thank you for another great recipe! Is it possible to sub the brown sugar for coconut sugar and sub the whole wheat flour for Bob’s GF flour with a good/predictable outcome?
Hi Cara! That might work. The brown sugar does help with the texture so they might be a little different. You also might need a bit more gluten-free flour as well. Let us know if you do some experimenting!
Katie says
Hi there I was just wondering if based off the consistency of the dough if you thought this would hold the shape of a cookie well instead of a bar?
Hi Katie, that could work, though they may be a little more crumbly than your average cookie. Let us know if you try it!
Marie D. says
My favorite cookie since childhood has been oatmeal raisin. I have fond memories of getting them at lunchtime as a kid at my grandma Laila’s. So, naturally, as a lover of chai and oatmeal raisin cookies, I was thrilled to come across this recipe!
I had been eyeing it for over a month and finally had time to make it – boy was it worth the wait! The perfect combo of spices and textures makes this one perfect for a snack, breakfast or even dessert.
I didn’t have raisins on hand and substituted chopped dates instead and it was just as perfect.
One suggestion I’d make is to have a crowd to share it with or you may end up eating it all yourself ;)
Aw, yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Marie. Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Sophie says
I was looking for a recipe that incorporate raisins. Raisins tend to dry up when baked in a cookie. I came across this recipe and thought, most likely baking in a dish will keep the raisins plump. And it is! Love this recipe. The chai flavor comes through so beautifully. Thank you for sharing!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Sophie. Thanks for the lovely review! xo
Caitlin says
I veganized these last night, and they were a hit! I subbed the butter for Sprouts Pumpkin Spice Apple Sauce (seasonal) with a touch of Earth Balance since I ran out of the applesauce, and an egg for a flax egg. Since the applesauce was already spiced, it made it extra spicy! My husband after one bite said that I have to make these again! He then ate half the tray! Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
Love it! Thanks so much for sharing, Caitlin! xo
Carly says
These have been dubbed the best oatmeal raisin cookie bars by the fam. Had to add a little extra flour because the dough was too sticky, but they turned out fantastic!
We’re so glad you and your family enjoy them, Carly! Thanks so much for sharing!
Del says
The flavor was good, but they were so so dry.
Sorry to hear that, Del! Did you make any modifications?
Nicole says
These are so yummy! I just ate a piece warm and my place smells amazing. I didn’t have whole wheat pastry flour and so subbed regular white all-purpose flour. I also didn’t have cloves and so subbed pumpkin pie spice, and subbed extra pumpkin pie spice for the cardamom which I also don’t have kicking around at the moment. They’re great and I’m sure they’ll be even better and maybe chewy when they’re fully cooled and set. Thank you for the recipe, baking is a way to stay sane in these strange times.
Salina says
This recipe is tagged “egg-free” but then calls for 1 large egg.
Vegan subs would be really appreciated : )
Hi Salina, sorry about that and thanks for letting us know! We think a flax egg would work though!
Pamela J Spears-Bradford says
Can I use egg replacer instead of eggs? Or flax seed meal and water or the equivalent of your vegan eggs in place of chicken in this recipe?
We haven’t tried it but it should work? Let us know if you do! We generally recommend 1 flax egg / 1 small chicken egg.
Megan says
How much is one stick of butter?
1/2 cup or 112 grams. Hope that helps!
Suzanne says
Made the recipe again, doubled 24 pieces. for the third time in just over a month. Friends enjoyed and asked for more. I subbed 3/4 cup canola for butter, added nutmeg/ginger/five-spice/cardomom for cloves, 3 small eggs for two large, molassas sugar for brown, white flour for wheat, instant oats for rolled. Used Goji berries and rasins, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds for added texture and colour. Yum! I will be making them often.
Suzanne Johnson says
Adapted well to the ingredients I could pull together in Wuhan, China. Subbed butter for oil and nutmeg for cloves, 3 small eggs for two large, molassas sugar for brown, white flour for wheat, baking powder x3 for soda. Trusting it will work for the bake sale tomorrow. Thanks for the variable recipe amounts I doubled the batch easily. I will make them again.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Suzanne. We are so glad you were able to use this recipe as a guide! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Peggy says
I made these last night and loved them. I made a couple changes but the spices and flavor were superb! I am trying to use less fat, so I substituted 1/4 c Melt vegan buttery stick and 1/4 c applesauce for the butter. I didn’t have raisins so I substituted dried cranberries. I also added 1/4 c unsweetened coconut shreds.
I will be making these often!
Thanks for sharing, Peggy! We’re so glad you enjoyed them! xo
Emma says
Hi! Thanks for this gorgeous-looking recipe!! I wanted to make it for fall on the go snacks (it’s September but a girl can dream, eh?) Instead of all butter, I did two tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon earth balance vegan margarine, and 3 tbsp. apple sauce for a lighter twist. I also did 1/4 heaping cup of brown sugar, added more vanilla and ginger. Since the mixture seemed a bit dry, I combined vanilla, 1 mashed spotted banana (it was small) and pumpkin pie spice to a bowl and then added to the oat batter for a more moist feel. (I would say you could do the same with a 1/4 cup pumpkin, but as I’ve never tried, don’t take my word for it).
I also sautéed diced apple with vanilla, allspice and cinnamon on high for five minutes and then added on top of the raw oatmeal batter and then baked for the suggested time (around 30 min @ 350, I think?)
For a nice little glaze, I combined 1/4 cup sunbutter (unsweetened) with a tbsp. each of vanilla and coconut milk, as well as honey. I then drizzled this glaze on top of my cooled oatmeal bars.
Thanks for this amazing recipe, and I hope my suggestions are helpful to your readers!!
Emma says
Oh yeah–and I totally forgot! I subbed the pastry flour for homemade blended oats, as my fam is gf! Thanks!!
Thanks so much for sharing, Emma! xo
Britt says
Hi, I was wondering if aquafaba could substitute the egg? I love the sound of this recipe, and I’ve been searching for a baked oatmeal breakfast recipe.
Thank you in advance!
-Britt
We haven’t tried it, but think it could work! If you give it a try, let us know how it goes!
Stacy says
I want but can’t! Advice to make these gluten-free??
We haven’t tried these gluten-free, but another reader commented that they used our DIY Gluten-Free Flour Blend successfully! Hope that helps!
A Kitchen Advisor says
What a healthy and light oatmeal bar recipe. I really love it. With a minimum of ingredient you created a masterpiece. Your twist with CHAI-SPICE is an excellent addition to this pastry.
Recently I made Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.
There are only 2 tablespoons of wheat flour in my recipe. I think it is possible to transform it into a healthier version with Almond flour. Also Butter could be easily replaced with Vegetable Oil.
Cooking is all about experimenting and enjoying what you do.
Thank you again for your inspiring recipe. Next time I will try to make my Oatmeal Cookies with a chai infusion.
Happy cooking!!!
Sabrina says
I know this is an old recipe but this would be awesome if you could veganize something like this!! I love having oatmeal for breakfast and would love an alternative that I could take to go (that’s not just overnight oats!!)
Gail says
Hi – I was wondering if I could substitute craisins for the jumbo raisins? Your recipe looks delicious – but no raisins on hand and it’s raining cats ? and dogs ? today! Or maybe chopped dates? ? Thanks, Gail
Hmm its worth a try! I think dates would work best but am not sure about the craisins!
Gail Steinke says
Hi – I was wondering if I could substitute craisins for the jumbo raisins? Your recipe looks delicious – but no raisins on hand and it’s raining cats ? and dogs ? today! ? Thanks, Gail
Isabel says
How well would sunflower oil sub for butter? And honey for brown sugar??
Stephanie says
So I tried making these a few months ago with a gf flour blend and I loved the spices, but they were horribly dry. I tried again today using the same flour blend, coconut oil instead of butter/earth balance and 1/4 cup homemade applesauce. So good! Much like a spice cake, and very easy. I’d imagine they’d be great with a basic powdered sugar glaze.
Edi [www.suncakemom.com] says
Easy and simple recipe. Just the way I like it!
Nicole says
It would be awesome if you could post a vegan-ized version of this!
Kristin says
Yum! I couldn’t even let these cool before trying them and they are great! I used a flax egg and vegan butter and your DIY gluten free flour blend so I ended up cooking them a little longer, but they turned out great. I think next time I’ll decrease the sugar a little to make them a little more breakfast and a little less dessert so these can become an everyday kinda indulgence.
Vivi says
To make this vegan, what are the ingredients that need to be replaced? I have an idea but I want to be a 100% certain!
I would say flax eggs + vegan butter :D
Suzy Friot says
I had to try my hand at these bars because I love chai spice :) Mine didn’t come out chewy, more crumbly in the way of an oat muffin, and I prefer more spice in my spiced oatmeal cookies. Next time I am going to try doubling the spice and perhaps adding molassas for more moisture :) Very good with a hot cup of chai tea with my mother-in-law.
Kristina says
I just made these and they are delicious! Perfectly soft and chewy on the inside. nom noms :)
Jennifer says
I didn’t have any eggs but found this recipe and had a massive craving, so I used ground flaxseed(linseed meal) and water (chilled in the fridge for 15minutes) as a binding agent and ground up some almonds and fresh ginger. Super-duper tasty. Thanks!
Alanna says
Thank you so much for this recipe! I made the bars yesterday for my aforementioned cousin; they were such a hit, that I’ve been instructed to make a double batch right away! They are absolutely heavenly – perfectly spiced, and just the right amount of sweetness. I used whole spelt flour in place of the whole wheat, added dried cranberries to the mix, used a level 1/2 cup of unrefined cane sugar in place of brown, and traded the quantities of cardamom and cinnamon since I’m a cardamom junkie. Simply delicious, thanks again!
PS. Love your blog!
Zan says
I’ve made these bars four times in the past month and a half. This morning I wanted to make them but found I only had white flour and half a cup of oats. Not wanting to go out, I replaced one cup of oats with some ancient grains granola I had lying around and the results were first-rate! At least that granola (which doesn’t have nuts, fruit, or particularly large chunks in it) did NOT alter the texture of the bars at all or make them crunchy. They still have a smooth, fluffy texture (a little fluffier because of the white flour) and now include a helping of quinoa, spelt, and kamut.
shakti says
Oh yes!
I wonder if it would be possible to always give the gf alternative with the recipe as some of us are just longing for these and miss out or do disasters tring to work an alternative.
It would make the whole thing change from so good to wonderfully sublime.
Alanna says
These look awesome! Love chai, cardamom, and oats. Planning to bake these for my cousin who just had a baby and needs easy, healthy snacks to eat throughout the day. Thanks!
Jennnifer says
These sound yummy! I hope I don’t sound too foolish but would the pumpkin pie spice be a sub for JUST the cloves or for all 4 spices?
Monica Vasquez says
Love this site, your right there are a lot of flavors out there and I need to make sure my honey bunny eating homemade. And what’s more homemade then chai oatmeal bars.
Tina @foodfortina says
Yum :) thanks for sharing this lovely and nice recipe! I really like your creativity in combining chai and oatmeal bars/slices/cookies :)
Alexandra says
These look amazing! cant wait to try…perfect treat and would be great for breakfaste even
Chelsea@Ahintofhealthy says
I love your recipes! I just tried your chocolate-chip oatmeal pancakes the other day and LOVED them! I can’t wait to try these out :)
britainknee says
Oatmeal cookies and chai tea lattes are two of my most favorite things- I’ll have to try these out soon!