Many of you know that I love oatmeal bread, but what you may not know is I love oatmeal cookies even more. I have tweaked, added, experimented, and generally tuned my recipe, until I’m fairly confident it’s the best Oatmeal-Raisin-Nut Cookie recipe there is. At a recent picnic, my suspicions were confirmed — comments were in the rave category. All 2 dozen disappeared — there weren’t even any crumbs.
These cookies make a large, 3-inch “fat” cookie, nothing chintzy here, but a good healthy dose of cookie heaven. For the picnic, I made a double batch, feel free to do so, but there would have been mutiny if I didn’t make some for the family. Those cookies are long gone, but there have been several hints for “more.”
They are also good keepers, if they last that long, and freeze well too, at least, I’m assuming they would, as none have never made it that far. For those of you who are nut allergic, just leave the walnuts out. You will still have a really fantastic cookie.
Oatmeal Raisin Nut Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients:
• ¼ cup demerara sugar (if you can’t find it, just use dark brown)
• ½ cup dark brown sugar
• ½ cup butter, softened
• ¼ cup shortening
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1½ cups quick cooking oats
• ½ cup white flour
• ½ cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• Granulated sugar
• Water glass
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Mix all ingredients except oats, flour, raisins, and nuts.
3. Stir in flour, oats, raisins, and nuts.
4. Drop or pat dough into a “patty” at least 2 good-sized tablespoon at a time, about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. I tend to be generous, and if you want the three-inch monster cookie, you might want to use more.
5. Flatten the dough or patties to a little less that ½” thick with a water glass, the bottom dipped in granulated sugar. This gives the cookies a uniform thickness and some sparkle.
6. Bake until light brown, about 10 minutes. As ovens vary, this may be more or less, just use your own judgment. Remove quickly from cookie sheet and let cool on wire racks.
Yield about 2 dozen 2-3 inch cookies.
Important Notes: You can use other kinds of oats as well, the last time (the ones in the photo) I did a 50/50 mix of large flake and rolled. The water glass will start picking up the sugar after it’s been used once or twice on the dough.
Sue Van Slooten teaches cooking and baking classes at her home on beautiful Big Rideau Lake, Ontario, Canada. She specializes in small classes for maximum benefit. Follow her homesteading adventures and check out her class offerings at www.SVanSlooten.com. If you wish, you can email Sue atsuevanslooten@icloud.com. She would be thrilled to hear from you! Read all of Sue’s MOTHER EARTH NEWS posts here.
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