Old-fashioned Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
An oldie but goody.
In leu of breakfast, I stuffed my face with seven freshly baked oatmeal raisin cookies. Cookies the size of my head. I have zero regret about this.
What is it about oatmeal raisin cookies that make me lose my mind? I don't even like raisins! Raisins are weird. They're what dentists hand out on Halloween, trying to claim they're nature's candy, which they aren't. They're sad, shriveled up grapes that wish they were wine. But...you mix raisins with cinnamon and molasses, add some oats, and of course flour, eggs, sugar, and butter, and viola! Raisins are amazing!
I didn't plan on eating seven. I thought one, maybe two. These were 5 inch cookies! To my credit, I did space the seven out over several...minutes. Oh, who am I kidding? I was basically the only contestant in an oatmeal raisin cookie eating contest. I did win, though. Hooray for me.
The secret ingredient in these wonderfully soft and chewy cookies is molasses. I'm very fond of molasses; it brings a rich depth of flavor and compliments the hearty oats beautifully. I add a generous amount of vanilla and kosher salt to balance the sweetness of the raisins. I like to make these cookies massive, like you'd see in a coffee house. Coincidently, I also love dipping these cookies in coffee, seven of them to be precise.
I'm a purist when it comes to oatmeal raisin cookies, but feel free to add chopped walnuts or mini chocolate chips to the batter. Perhaps cranberries, rather than raisins. Mix it up!
Old-fashioned Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
* Makes 15 monster sized cookies or 2 dozen small cookies
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (add 2 tbsp if at high altitude)
1/2 tsp baking soda (reduce by 1/4 tsp if at high altitude)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar (reduce by 2 tbsp if at high altitude)
2 eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tbsp molasses
3 cups old-fashioned whole rolled oats
1 cup raisins
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars on medium-high speed, till light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the eggs, vanilla, and molasses, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
On slow speed, add the flour mixture. Mix till just combined. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
With a wooden spoon, stir in the oats and raisins.
Drop the dough onto lined cookie sheets by generous tablespoons, about 2 inches apart. Bake on center racks for 12 to 15 minutes, till lightly browned on the outside. Bake a shorter time for chewy cookies and longer for crispy cookies. Transfer to wire rack to cool.
Store cookies in airtight container.
