Raisin filled cookies are some of Santa’s favorite cookies at our house. I must tell you, my husband is very good at what he does, and when he was young, he and his mother would make raisin filled cookies.
My grandmother also made raisin filled cookies, so when we could not find his mothers recipe, we used my grandma’s recipe with a few changes.
I have never posted these before, because me and raisins are not besties.:) I love chocolate too much and that is just the way it is.
These cookies are pretty amazing as far as raisin cookies go (yes, I did taste them). I do have a few kids that love raisins and so it was important to put their father’s favorite cookie recipe on the blog.
What Ingredients Do I Need For Raisin Filled Cookies?
Here’s a list of ingredients you’ll need to make these cookies (scroll down for the full recipe):
Filling:
- Water
- Brown sugar
- Chopped/ground raisins
- All purpose flour
- Cornstarch
Cookies:
- Butter or shortening
- Brown sugar
- White sugar
- Eggs
- Flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Baking soda
- Buttermilk
- Vanilla extract
How Do I Make Raisin Filled Cookies?
Here’s the simple steps you’ll follow to make these cookies (scroll down for the full recipe):
Filling:
- Mix all the filling ingredients together in a medium size pan; bring the mixture to a boil, and cook 3-4 minutes until mixture is thick, stirring as you do so.
- Allow the mixture to cool to lukewarm before adding to cookie. (Add according to cookie directions).
Cookies:
- In a mixer, cream together the butter and sugars.
- Add eggs one at a time.
- Sift, and then measure the flour in a separate bowl.
- Add the baking powder, salt and baking soda, and then sift again.
- Add the dry mixture and buttermilk, alternately, to the sugar and butter mixture.
- Next add the vanilla.
- The dough will be nice and soft.
- Roll the dough on a slightly floured counter top or board and cut into approximately 3″ circles.
- I like to roll a little thinner than a normal sugar cookie since you will have two together.
- Place 1 circle on a cookie or baking sheet.
- Put about 1-2 teaspoons of the lukewarm raisin filling in the center of the cookie.
- Over the top of the raisin filling, add another round circle made from cookie dough.
- Seal the edges with a fork, spoon or your fingers.
- Make a vent in the top of each cookie with a fork or knife.
- Bake in a 350 degrees oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the cookies are nice and brown.
Tips and Variations for Raisin Filled Cookies:
- Start by making the raisin filling first, that way it will be cool enough when you go to make your cookies.
- Cut with round cookie cutter or a canning jar ring. Drop a tablespoon of the filling in the center, and top with another cookie round.
- Crimp the edges with a fork by pressing the two rounds together to seal the filling inside.
- Puncture each cookie with a fork to allow steam to escape while baking. (Similar to empanadas!)
- Top your cookies with sliced almond by making a pretty design on top. You may also sprinkle some powdered sugar on top making a pretty design.
- Another thing you can do is to make mini pies. Use any of your favorite flavors in the center of the cookies!
How Do I Store, Freeze, and Reheat My Cookies?
- Store any cooled, leftover raisin-filled cookies in an airtight container or plastic bag at room temperature for up to five days.
- Freeze the raw dough and raisin filling separately for up to a month, or cooked (and cooled) cookies for the same amount of time.
- Reheat by letting the frozen dough and fruit filling thaw in the fridge overnight until they are thawed and ready to use.
Can I Use Another Dried Fruit Instead of Raisins?
- Yes! How about blueberries, cranberries or craisins, so many amazing choices.
- Another thing you can add would be pecans or walnuts!
More Delicious Cookies For You to Enjoy:
Chocolate Swig Cookies with Cookie Dough Frosting
Copycat Crumbl Muddy Buddy Cookies
Yield: 24 cookies
Raisin Filled Cookies
Raisin filled cookies are some of Santa's favorite cookies in our home. They are soft and chewy with a creamy raisin filling.
Prep Time
45 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Total Time
1 hour 5 minutes
Ingredients
Filling:
- 2 cups boiling water
- 1 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1 1/2 cups chopped/ground raisins (I use a food processor)
- 3 Tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
Cookies:
- 1 cup butter or shortening (used butter)
- 1 cups brown sugar
- 1 cup white sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 5 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3-4 Tablespoons buttermilk
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Filling:
- Mix all the filling ingredients together in a medium size pan; bring to a boil, and cook 3-4 minutes until mixture is thick, stirring as you do so.
- Allow the mixture to cool to lukewarm before adding to cookie. (Add according to cookie directions @ the time that it tells you in the instructions below).
Cookies:
- In a mixer, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and sugar.
- Stir in the eggs one at a time, until blended.
- Sift, and then measure the flour in a separate bowl.
- Add the baking powder, salt and baking soda, and then sift again.
- Add the dry mixture and buttermilk, alternately, to the sugar and butter mixture.
- Next add the vanilla.
- The dough will be nice and soft.
- Roll the dough on a slightly floured counter top or board and cut into approximately 3" circles.
- I like to roll a little thinner (about 1/8" thick) than a normal sugar cookie since you will have two together.
- Place 1 circle on a cookie or baking sheet.
- Put about 1-2 teaspoons of the lukewarm raisin filling in the center of the cookie.
- Over the top of the raisin filling, add another round circle made from cookie dough.
- Seal the edges with a fork, spoon or your fingers.
- Make a vent in the top of each cookie with a fork or knife, place the cookies about 2" apart.
- Bake in a 350 degrees oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the cookies are nice and brown.
- Remove the cookies to cool on a cooling rack.
Notes
Updated July 14, 2024
Nutrition Information
Yield
24Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 306Total Fat 9gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 44mgSodium 196mgCarbohydrates 53gFiber 1gSugar 30gProtein 4g
I’m sorry to say that this recipe should probably be taken down… 🙁 DID NOT TURN OUT. The dough is a sticky mess and took forever to get off my counter even after adding a ton of flour to try and salvage it… I’m pretty bummed that i wasted a lot of ingredients for this….
Thanks you for giving the cookies a try. I will go ahead and update the recipe. They have always turned out for us as this was my grand mothers recipe. However, she did use lard. Have a wonderful week. 🙂
This recipe is similar to the one I use. However, mine does not require any sifting–so my 5 cups of flour was more than yours. Also, the dough is covered and refrigerated for at least 30 minutes so it is easier to handle. I then roll out a piece large enough for 5-6 cookie bottoms. Sometimes I have to roll a piece twice, coating the counter and rolling pin with more flour to re-roll. The dough doesn’t seem to mind the extra handling–the cookies are delicious. My recipe calls for 2 T of vanilla and 1/4 tsp. nutmeg. I also don’t know why you would chop raisins. I use 2 cups and put 2 tsp. In each cookie and, no, there isn’t enough for all the dough. My son doesn’t love raisins so I fill some with apple pie filling–or make another batch of filling. Hope this helps. The cookies are worth the effort!
Thank you for sharing your suggestions. I may have to try some of them. We appreciate you coming by and taking the time to leave a comment.