Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. This gives your oven time to reach the proper temperature while you prepare the dough, ensuring even baking from the moment the cookies go in.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened vegan butter, packed brown sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla extract until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale—this should take about 2-3 minutes. This creaming process incorporates air into the dough, which helps create a tender cookie with better texture. I like using softened butter at room temperature because it beats in much more effectively than cold butter, giving you that lighter, fluffier base.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, rolled oats, ground cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Add this dry mixture to the creamed wet ingredients and mix until just combined—don't overmix, as this can make the cookies tough. The dough will be thick; if it seems too dry and isn't holding together well, add the dairy-free milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach a consistency that holds together when squeezed but isn't wet or sticky.

Gently fold the chopped walnuts and plump raisins into the dough from Step 3 using a spatula or wooden spoon, stirring just until evenly distributed. I find that folding rather than mixing prevents breaking up the raisins and distributes everything more uniformly throughout the dough. Make sure the mix-ins are scattered throughout so each cookie gets a good balance of texture and flavor.

Divide the dough from Step 4 into 16 equal portions and roll each one into a ball about the size of a golf ball. Place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Using the bottom of a flat-bottomed glass or your palm, gently flatten each ball to about 1/2-inch thickness. This even thickness ensures uniform baking across all cookies.

Bake the cookies for 11-13 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden brown but the centers still look slightly underbaked—they'll continue to cook on the hot pan after removal. The cookies should feel just set when you gently touch the center; they'll firm up as they cool. Don't overbake, or they'll become hard and dry rather than chewy.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 15 minutes—this resting time allows them to set and firm up enough to move without breaking, while they're still warm enough to develop a nice chewy texture. After 15 minutes, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. This two-stage cooling prevents them from becoming too dense while ensuring they maintain their structural integrity.