Filled Raisin Cookies
Quite a few years ago my Chief Culinary Consultant made mention of raisin-filled cookies and how much he loved them as a kid. He wondered if I could try making them, but there was one problem – I had no idea what these cookies were that he spoke of. I had never heard of them or seen them myself. So, I set about on some research and started poking around online for recipes and did end up finding a few. Not long after that, I spotted a box of these cookies at Sam’s Club. I snapped a picture and sent it to him and he confirmed that those were, indeed, the cookies. I had a visual! I picked up those cookies and we’ve since found them in a couple of other places, so I finally got to taste the cookies as well. However, I then displayed some seriously questionable behavior because I totally and completely dropped the ball on these cookies. I’m talking, for years. A thousand apologies to him, and to you.
It wasn’t until I was digging through a pile of my grandma’s old recipes looking for something else that I came across the recipe for these filled raisin cookies. This was it. THE recipe. I knew it immediately. But… if this recipe was in my grandma’s recipe collection… why had I never heard of these cookies before? Or tasted them? I asked my mom and she said that my grandma made these cookies all the time for my grandfather, who adored raisins. However, once he passed away (when I was 5), she stopped making them because no one else in the family really cared for raisins. How sad! The recipe has been officially resurrected and is definitely one that will get a lot of use in my kitchen.
These cookies consist of a very soft and almost sponge-like cookie wrapped around a thick raisin filling. It’s simple, homey and absolutely delicious. Not to mention addicting. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
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A few notes on the recipe:
- I know the first question many of you will ask is if you can use butter in place of margarine. Yes, the recipe calls for margarine and I know many people don’t use it anymore. However, when it comes to old-fashioned recipes, I almost never alter ingredients because you usually won’t end up with the exact same texture or flavor. Butter and margarine have different properties when it comes to baking (butter tends to spread more and creates a crisper final product), so I recommend using margarine as the recipe was written.
- The directions for mixing the dough are admittedly weird and counter-intuitive for anyone who has ever mixed dough before. I just went with it, and the dough was perfect, so I wouldn’t change a thing.
- You could substitute any of your favorite fruits in the filling. My mom mentioned that my grandma once made a version of this cookie with a peach filling. You could easily substitute in any dried fruit, just be sure to dice it up before proceeding with the recipe.
I couldn’t be happier that I came across this recipe. Not only is it an absolutely delicious cookie, but it makes me feel connected not only to my grandma, but to my grandfather as well. Baking something in my own kitchen for my favorite taste tester that my grandma baked countless times for the love of her life makes my heart happy.
So, what did my Chief Culinary Consultant think of these cookies after waiting years for me to make them? He said they were amazing and that this is a totally kick-ass recipe. Well done, Grandma, well done.
One year ago: Top 10 List: Favorite Muffin Recipes
Five years ago: Egg Muffins
Filled Raisin Cookies
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (227 g) margarine
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 6 cups (750 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (244 ml) whole milk
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Filling:
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1½ cups (375 ml) water, divided
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 15 ounces (425.24 g) raisins
Instructions
- Make the Dough: Cream together the sugar and margarine on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the salt, eggs, flour and milk. Continue to mix until just about all of the flour is incorporated. Add the baking powder, baking soda and vanilla extract and mix to combine. The dough will be very soft and sticky. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Make the Filling: In a small saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and ¼ cup of the water to form a paste. Stir in the remaining water, lemon juice and raisins. Set the pan over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens and the raisins plump, about 5 to 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature before using.
- Assemble and Bake the Cookies: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Using about 1/3 of the dough at a time, roll out the dough on a well-floured surface to about 1/8-inch thickness. (The dough is very soft and sticky, so use as much flour as necessary to roll it out without it sticking.) Cut the dough into rounds (I used a 2¾-inch cookie cutter). Place one on prepared baking sheet, spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons of the raisin filling onto the circle and then top with another round of dough. Just lay the circle on top of the filling; there is no need to seal them shut, as they will do so while baking. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
- Bake the cookies until lightly golden brown on top, about 15 minutes. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes on the pan and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
http://chefpast.blogspot.com/2013/12/filled-raisin-cookies.html
This blogger took your recipe and pics and claimed it as her own.
I was looking for the way to mix up my Grandmother’s delicious raisin filled cookies. Luckily, she wrote the ingredients down but not the steps, so happy to have found this! It’s exactly the same recipe as hers except it used Crisco instead of margarine and white vinegar instead of lemon juice in the raisin filling. I think it’s an old German recipe of my great grandmothers who immigrated to the states. For years I have been meaning to whip this up for my daughter to enjoy as I did. It’s one of the fondest memories of spending time with my Granny making these cookies and then how delicious they were, hopefully I can do the same for my grandchildren, someday! Thank you!
So, I tried these and they were interesting! However, I did substitute shortening for the margarine.
I don’t really like raisins, and I found the filling way too sweet, but I think dried cherries or jam would be lovely in a recipe like this.
They did bake wonderfully in my crappy oven. Thank you!
My Mother made raisin filled cookies when I was young. I love them! This recipie doesn’t seem to be too hard, so in the day or so, it will attempt it.
I made these this afternoon. I rolled mine 1/8″ thick and that was a little too thin. They browned quickly so be careful. The raisin filling ran out before all the dough so I used orange marmalade for the remainder of dough–DELISH! You won’t be disappointed in this cookie! I already ate the “mistakes” and my count is now up to 5 and it’s so early in the evening!! Thanks Michele for such a great recipe; tomorrow I’m making your snicker doodle biscotti. MERRY CHRISTMAS.
these are a favorite of my husband’s…I’ve had a hard time finding a recipe I believe in (lol) but I think I finally found one!!
I’ll be attempting it today…cross your fingers!
Is it possible to use 2% reduced fat milk instead of whole?
Hi Vika, I think that would be okay.
I have a very similar family recipe for raisin pie cookies. We do something a little bit different though. After we put the second cookie layer on the top, we pinch the two cookie layers together with a fork making it look more like the fluted edges of a real pie. We also take a knife and cut an X in the middle of the top layer. Right after they come out of the oven, we put them in a sealed jar with a fresh slice of bread on top and the next day they are moist beyond belief! My sister and I shared an apartment in our young and single days and we made these cookies all the time! It has been years since I have made them, looks like this will be the next thing on my list to bake.
Hi Michelle looking for recipes saw this cookies they look great my sister in law makes a similar ones we have a mixed background so we love food,we have italian, french spanish blood and i was born i s/america married to an italian, hubby loves sultanas so I know they will become my Xmas treat. I live in australia and I am always looking for new things to cook. I am a simple cook but I enjoy been in the kitchen, I will make them this coming week as a surprise thanks for all your recipes and sharing them
My grandad swore that raisin-filled cookies was grandma’s bait that hooked him! What a fond memory of both the cookies and my grandparents. THANK YOU.
Saw this recipe today and tried it out with my boyfriend. They are amazing! The dough was so easy to handle and the filling was delicious. They came out picture perfect and yummy! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
OMG! My grandmother used to make a cookie simliar to this with strawberry filling. I can’t wait to try this recipe.
BTW- I love your site.
I just have to thank you for the research you did on this recipe and posting it. I just made these today…and while I’m not a “huge fan” of raisins…I am now! So what made me make them if not a fan of raisins….my Mom. She’s been going on and on about her Mother’s raisin cookies but that she can’t find a good recipe the the stores put little filling in the ones she did find.
I just happened to come across your recipe….FABULOUS! I suer stuff them and use a much smaller diameter and don’t seal them…they almost look like sandwich cookies. I made the larger ones and sealed them, but that darn raisin mixture was so good Mom wanted to super stuff them. I just wanted to eat it with some frozen yogurt!
Thank you, you have made it possible to bring my Grandmother backing back through this recipe. I’ll now follow your FB posts to see what other unexpected delights you will offer.
Oh, and since your mission is to “To make you hungry and get your kitchen messy.”–you succeeded. What a nice little mess and sure eat a few of these!
Thanks,
Maryann, Riverside,CA
Hi Maryann, Thank you so much for sharing your story and your feedback about the recipe. It thrills me so much that you were able to share some wonderful memories of your grandmother through this recipe. I love how food can evoke so many wonderful, warm feelings.
my husband loves these cookies he would like to know if you could give him 1/2 the receipeas my freezer isnt big
Hi Darlene, You can simply cut the ingredients in half for half a batch of cookies.
The recipe is very similar to what my mom used to make except that she used a mixture of raisins (primary) and pineapple. Always made them for Christmas and Easter. After she died my older sister would make them for me, and others, although she knew they were my favorite. Now with her gone, my daughter made them once a few years ago. Boy do I miss them!
As a kid, my mom and I filled these with mincemeat pie filling. I love the stuff, but my mom always found it too sweet, this was our compremise.
I did them again this year, my hubby loved them. Also made the Lakerli, Swiss ginger bread type hunt it out…really good
Happy New Year
These are very traditional and popular in my Mennonite family cookie reportoire and my cousin figured out the easiest way to form and fill them. She rolls out the very soft dough and measures and marks it to form approx. 2 inch by 4 inch rectangles, and then cuts it. No dough is wasted at all, except minimally around the outside edge. Then, you place the spoonfull of filling in the center, and fold each short edge to the center, overlapping it slightly. Press to seal along the two edges. The top flaps kind of just bake into one another without really needing to press/seal them. And if some of the filling peeks out, thats ok too. LOVE THESE COOKIES!
these are a favorite of mine! I got my recipe from my grnadmother who always used a little nutmeg and cherry pie filling. I think she used the cherry pie filling to spoil my dad since it is his favorite.
I have a question – my dough is always quite sticky and hard to handle, does your turn out the same way? If so, how do you not give up after a few cookies?
Hi Staci, Yes, very sticky. I make mention of that in the recipe above; I just use as much flour as necessary to get it rolled out and assembled, then brush off any excess before I bake them.
Loved hearing the story behind this. I love fig cookies, so these look like something I’d love too. Can’t wait to try them!
Your story brought happy tears to my eyes. Thank you for sharing the story behind the recipe. :D
They look great! I had the same exact thought as jlhpisces! Any ideas for a fig filling?
I have almost the identical recipe from a friend’s mother. Must be 40 year old recipe or more! Instead of baking powder it uses cream of tartar. As for the margarine, my recipe uses shortening and comes out great. I agree butter would not be a suitable substitute, but Crisco works fine. Whomever added the KAF Sunshine Raisin Biscuit recipe, I love you!!!!!! I too have missed my favorite childhood treat and now I can make them myself. So there Kellogg.
I adore these cookies. My husband’s aunt makes them every year at Christmas time, only she cuts them with a scalloped cutter.
Cookies that double as a serving of fruit? :) That’s my kind of cookie!
The filling of these reminds me of butter tarts (it’s a Canadian thing – but they’re SO good!). If you like these, you’d probably love butter tarts too!
I am SO EXCITED about this recipe. In my hometown, there used to be a bakery that made these filled cookies. My favorite were always the cherry filled. My husband and I LOVE these cookies, but can’t get them where we live in Maryland so I’m really excited to be able to make them now! WATCH OUT! :-)
These sound blissful! I absolutely adore raisins and always have them in the house, I put them in anything I can, but I haven’t seen these before. However, I’ll definitely be making them soon!
Cute story behind the recipe. I will have to try it…thanks.
I’ve never heard of these before either but they sound really good! I love your idea to adapt the filling, I’m sitting here imagining all the possibilities :)
These were required baking when I was in High School (graduated 1979.) I remember them fondly, but then my favorite pie is Sour Cream Raisin (soaked raisins, please!) Yep, I’m gonna have to make these.