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04 Dec
Chewy Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies
Posted as Cookies
So, in order to understand why I felt the urge to whip up oatmeal raisin cookies in the midst of holiday baking season, you’ll need to know a little more about me. You already know that I love food and love to bake. And for the most part, I’m a girl’s girl. But… There’s a bit of tomboy lurking beneath the surface that comes out from time to time. Maybe you caught wind of my love for hockey and football when I made the Pittsburgh Penguins cookies earlier in the year for the Stanley Cup Finals or when I made the Pittsburgh Steelers cookies for the start of football season this fall. But wait, there’s more… Not only am I a crazy hockey and football fan (and currently waaaay too into my fantasy football team – it’s my first year playing), but I can’t get enough of the NHL09 game on PlayStation. My Chief Culinary Consultant and I can play for hours on end. I’m not even all that good, but winning every 4 or 5 games keeps me pretty well addicted.
So, where do the oatmeal raisin cookies come in? Well, over Thanksgiving weekend we were watching a Pens game and the announcers were talking about Matt Cooke, a scrappy 3rd liner (apologies for the hockey talk), who is affectionately nicknamed “Cookie”. They told a story about being on a recent road trip and at breakfast in the team hotel, Matt Cooke requested a cookie, saying that he eats a cookie everyday. And the cookie he requested? Oatmeal Raisin. First of all, it made me hungry for them as soon as I heard, and secondly, it was too fun a story and I felt like I HAD to make them.
Now, let’s talk about these cookies. They are absolutely incredible. Not only are they outright massive in size, but the flavor is awesome, they are thick and chewy (which I love), and neither the oats nor the raisins overpower the other. The “secret” ingredient in this recipe is that it includes no cinnamon like many other oatmeal raisin cookies, but rather just a smidge of nutmeg. It’s enough to bring all of the flavors of the cookie together and yet it plays a rather silent part. If you didn’t know it was in there, you probably wouldn’t be able to detect it. I love subtle, sneaky flavors like that. You definitely don’t want to over bake these cookies, so keep a close eye on them. The recipe says 22 to 25 minutes; I baked the first batch for 22 minutes and they were definitely overdone. The second batch I baked for 20 minutes and they were much, much better. I may shave another minute or two off the next time I make them. Keep in mind that everyone’s ovens are different, so baking times can always vary.
So here you go, Matt Cooke – an oatmeal raisin cookie. I’ll be at the game tomorrow night – perhaps you could either score a goal or level Hossa for me?
More Oat Yuminess:
Triple Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Baked Oatmeal
Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chewy Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies
Yield: 18 cookies
1½ cups (7½ ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
16 Tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened but still cool
1 cup packed (7 ounces) light brown sugar
1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1½ cups raisins1. Adjust the oven racks to the low and middle positions and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or spray them with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt together in a medium bowl.
3. Either by hand or with an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy. Add the sugars; beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time.
4. Stir the dry ingredients into the butter-sugar mixture with a wooden spoon or large rubber spatula. Stir in the oats and raisins.
5. Working with a generous 2 Tablespoons of dough each time, roll the dough into 2-inch balls. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them at least 2 inches apart.
6. Bake until the cookie edges turn golden brown, 22 to 25 minutes, rotating the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through the baking time. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes. Transfer the cookies with a wide metal spatula to a wire rack. Let cool at least 30 minutes.
(From Baking Illustrated
)
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Haha, so fun about the “tomboy streak” – great story related to the cookies!
Oh my, I’m used to put cinnamon to everything I bake, even it it doesn’t call for it (I’m a cinnamon junkie). But maybe I’ll try it someday… when I run out of cinnamon!
Great to hear about the ‘tomboy’ streak in you! I’m not a girl’s girl either, though I’m not interested in watching sports!! The cookies look fab, one of my favorite kinds!
I make oatmeal cookies ALL the time because they are my husbands favorite. Instead of the raisins though, I use white chocolate chips! :9
Yum oatmeal cookies are one of my favorite kinds of cookies – I like mine soft and chewy too! I think I would need to add chocolate chips to these cookies – I can’t eat anything without chocolate basically
That was a nice story about Cookie the hockey player!
Okay so you’re an amazing baker AND you’re a hockey fan!!! You’re too good to be true! Long-suffering Maple Leafs fan, here, thank you very much. Next time they make it to the playoffs I’ll have to create a cookie for them … it’s been awhile to say the least! I am all over oatmeal anything and these are GORGEOUS!
I have tried this recipe before and I think I like the cookies better with cinnamon – maybe a cinnaman/nutmeg combination would be good. I’m also an avid Penguins fan – the game last night must have been extremely frustrating for them! – at least it wasn’t a shut-out! Go Pens!
I love cinnamon, but I think that a lot of oatmeal raisin cookies have an overpowering amount of cinnamon flavor. These look like a really nice change of pace!
this is great! my husband & i are huge pens fans as well! i’ll have to try the lack of cinnamon oatmeal raisin cookies, i think my pops might like that!
love you blog btw!
go pens go! that’s how i cheered for them after my consistently inconsistent canucks lost to hawks last season!
when cookie was still with canucks, i loved him for a while cos, at first glance, he reminded me of orlando bloom, then i liked how hard-working he was. i was a little bit heart-broken when he’s traded to your team, but i’m glad that he was cos he seems to be showing his grit there!
the real cookies are wonderful. they are my mom-in-law’s favorite. i’m gonna replace them with dried cranberries though cos i’m a cranberry freak!
best ever says a lot – like the nutmeg switch….
I love bakes with a story! These cookies look truly immense – so deliciously thick and chewy.
I absolutely LOVE that there is no cinnamon in these! They must have a much more delicate flavor than the cinnamon versions. Great!
This is one of those cookies that scream comfort food, along with cocolate chip cookies, and ice cream. Very nice looking cookie, I’m sure it tastes awesome. BTW, how are you liking our Canuck player, Crosby? I’m a Habs fan, living in Montreal, but not too happy with all their change in players. Oh well, time will tell.
I have made these a few times too and they are my husband’s favorite cookie. I leave the nutmeg out though, use half the amount of raisins and add chocolate chips. They have definitely converted me from a chocolate chip cookie lover to an oatmeal-raisin chocolate chip cookie lover.
hehe too funny! You should send him a batch for good luck
Yum! Your cookies look very tasty… I wouldn’t mind a few of them right now!
Oatmeal raisin cookies… Soo good on their own. Love the dash of nutmeg you add in there — would’ve never imagined such a simple spice could bring it all together. Can’t wait to give these a try
Thanks for the great recipe. I’ll have to try this one next in my quest for the perfect oatmeal raisin cookie.