Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Oatmeal raisin cookies are one of my very favorites.  I don't make them very often though because A.) neither one of my kids eat raisins and B.) I would eat them all.  (a direct result of A.)

On the rare occasion that the kids do pick up an oatmeal raisin cookie - they will pick out all of the raisins and eat the cookie without the delicious fruit!   In order to right this terrible wrong - I feel that I must eat their raisins just so that they're not discarded like some sort of second rate fruit.  (I'm not sure why I feel such empathy for the raisin but I certainly don't want them to feel unwanted.)  After all - what's an oatmeal raisin cookie without the raisins?  The raisins are the creme de la creme.  The icing on the cake.  I could go on and on with raisin idioms but my point is - eat the raisins people - they really are the best part of the cookie. 

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

• 1 cup (230g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 cup (200g) light or dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 Tablespoon molasses
• 1 and 1/2 cups (190g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups (240g) old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup (140g) raisins

Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the softened butter and both sugars together on medium speed until smooth.

Add the egg and mix on high until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

Add the vanilla and molasses and mix on high until combined. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, toss the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together.






Add to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined.

Beat in the oats, raisins, and walnuts (if using) on low speed. Dough will be thick, yet very sticky. Chill the dough for 30-60 minutes in the refrigerator (do the full hour if you're afraid of the cookies spreading too much). If chilling for longer (up to 2 days), allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling and baking.

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.  Roll balls of dough (about 1.5 tablespoons of dough per cookie) and place 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes until very lightly browned on the sides. The centers will look very soft and undone. Remove from the oven and let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will continue to "set" on the baking sheet during this time.

Cool on wire racks.

Voila - a delicious oatmeal raisin cookie.

Ciao!