Better Than Grandma's Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

As you’ve probably noticed, I’ve got some pretty unique oatmeal cookie recipes up my sleeve. But it occurred to me that I haven’t posted a recipe for the most classic of classic oatmeal cookies: oatmeal raisin.

I love oatmeal raisin cookies (ORCs), but it can be hard to find one that has the right texture (neither too soft nor too crunchy) and the right amount of raisins (neither a dearth nor a glut). How many of you have had ORCs that are super chewy or super raisiny but super bland? Or ORCs that are just way too soft (to the point of falling apart) or just way too crunchy (to the point of breaking a tooth)? It’s a serious baking challenge to get the balance right.

By upping the brown sugar, oatmeal, and raisins and using less flour than many standard ORC recipes, I made a cookie that’s even better than your grandma’s. I also roll the dough balls in turbinado sugar before baking to give the finished cookies a nice crunchy exterior to contrast with the chewy interior, which is my favorite texture combination. (If you prefer a cookie that is strictly soft and chewy throughout, this sugaring step is optional, of course.)

Makes about 3 dozen cookies. (To see this recipe in process, check out Picturing Better Than Grandma's Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.)

                

Creamables	1 stick butter 1 cup + 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
Wet Ingredients	1 egg 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla 1 1/2 teaspoons milk
Dry Ingredients	2 cups oatmeal 1 1/2 cups raisins 1/2 cup flour 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt
Topping (optional)	turbinado sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. In your Kitchen Aid or a large mixing bowl, cream together the creamables.
3. In a small bowl, combine the wet ingredients and whisk together until smooth.
4. Add the combined wet ingredients to the creamables. Mix together until well incorporated.
5. In a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, fold together until evenly distributed.
6. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the combined creamables and wet ingredients. Mix until evenly combined.
7. Shape dough into balls--about 2 tablespoons each.
8. Roll each dough ball evenly in turbinado sugar
9. Place dough balls about 2 inches apart on Silpat- or parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.
10. Bake at 350º for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let stand for 2 minutes. Then place cookies on wire racks to cool.

Comments

[April]

Okay, so I'm midway through making these. Nico didn't want raisins so the first batch was raisin-less, and predictably came out thin. But yummy! Second batch has raisins and looked done but when I tried to take them off the sheet, they fell apart and were still gooey inside. It's a work in progress!! And, they're just straight on a cookie sheet (non stick but older) so they're sticking... this is not going well! Was the parchment paper/silpat (what is that?) necessary? Even with a nonstick cookie sheet? Love the crunchy sugar exterior though...

Oh, why OAC if it's O(atmeal) R(aisin) C(ookie)?

Alright, time to take the second batch out again...wish me luck.

[Oatmeal Cookie Guy]

Hey, April! It sounds like you've got to let the cookies set on the cookie sheets for a little while--maybe up to 5 minutes--after you pull them out of the oven. This will allow the cookies to "carry-over cook" a little and firm up without getting too overdone in a hot oven. I'll post something about this and Silpat, etc., later tonight.

Oh...and good point about the ORC thing...will go back and fix that!

[Yvette]

You know I have made many many oatmeal raisin cookies...but these cookies after they came out of oven I think me and the hubby ate a whole dozen!!!! Great job...love your recipes....keep it up...I look forward to reading your blog....

[Oatmeal Cookie Guy]

Thanks, Yvette! :-)

[Aimee]

Stumbled across your ORC recipe and tried it out - kids and hubby loved them! Loved the crunch the raw sugar gives! So I wrote the recipe down and stuck it (somewhere....) and couldn't find it. Had to make ORC again for a school thing so tried another recipe. UGH! Didn't even come close! This recipe is going into our 'family favorites' recipe folder! Thanks!

[Lauree]

I'm going to give these a try. I love the oatmeal cookies I find at the local farmer's market and want to be able to make them myself rather than pay a dollar a piece. We think they are probably made with only brown sugar but I tried a recipe and didn't get the right texture. I'll have to try yours and see if rolling them in the sugar and using dark sugar instead of light makes the difference. The market ones have almost a granule feel to them throughout the cookie but maybe they just roll them in sugar. If you have any other suggestions to try please let me know. Thanks. :)

[b]

Exactly the texture I was looking for in an oatmeal raisin cookie! Unfortunately I found these to be too sweet. Will try again but wanted to see what would you recommend? Increase the flour while decreasing the sugar? Cut back on raisins? Otherwise this is exactly the texture an ORC should be!