I guess I really need to spend some time cooking the basics. It surprises me when I go into my Recipe Trove and I don’t find what I’m looking for. After making peanut butter cookies a few weeks ago and not finding them over there, I guess it shouldn’t have surprised me to not find plain old Oatmeal Raisin Cookies in there either. That one is easy enough to remedy, though, and I had the perfect excuse.
Zander’s in charge of snack time all week this week at preschool, and in the land of Cheez-its and graham crackers, I’ve been curious whether homemade treats would pass muster. Yesterday’s cupcakes were apparently a success, as a brawl nearly broke out over the two remaining cupcakes. (Lesson learned, send enough for one per child only.) But for today I wanted to make cookies. Big cookies. With frosting and candy coated cupcakes going yesterday, I thought today I better keep my cookie a little low-key, and decided to make Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are almost never my first choice of cookie. And I’m not entirely sure why. Part of the reason is that I prefer my cookies with nuts, and plenty of them. I have a son who goes back and forth on whether or not he likes nuts, and if he happens upon a nut-studded cookie while in “no-nut mode” then he feels left out when cookies are passed around. When I told Zander I was going to make cookies for his snack today, he immediately asked if I would make cut-out cookies with frosting. Um, no, buddy, Oatmeal Raisin. He practically disintegrated, telling me he didn’t like oatmeal raising cookies. So then I had to assure him and tell him that he did like oatmeal raising cookies, he just didn’t care so much for the brown raisins, and should I use red raisins (craisins) or chocolate chips instead. He asked for the craisins, which I was thrilled about, and set to making him his cookies.
I used my jumbo cookie scoop, which holds about 2 tablespoons of dough, and put just six globs of dough on each cookie sheet. They spread beautifully and baked up to perfection. After all the cookies were baked, I selected out the sixteen biggest and most perfect cookies and packaged them up for the preschool. Of course, we had to try them, and they were the perfect crispy oatmeal cookie. Zander approved, and I think the preschool kids will be thrilled with them.
The Easiest Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening 2/3 cup sugar 2/3 cup brown sugar, packed 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup flour 3 cups rolled oats 1 cup raisins,craisins or other dried fruit 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)Directions:
Preheat oven to 375ºF.
In a mixing bowl, combine the butter, shortening, sugars, eggs, vanilla, baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Beat with a mixer until combined, or just use a wooden spoon and mix well.
Add the flour, oats, dried fruit and nuts, if using. Fold in just until mixed.
Drop the dough by two-tablespoons onto an ungreased baking sheet, at least 2 inches apart. Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until brown around the edges and mostly browned on top. Remove from the oven, and let cool on the baking sheet for one minute, then remove to cooling racks to cool completely.
Makes 30 4-inch oatmeal cookies.