21 October 2011

Oatmeal Cookies


Oatmeal cookies were my favorite as a child, and they still are. Maybe because I can feel perfectly fine about eating them for breakfast. After all, the primary ingredient is oats and I use all organic ingredients.

My recipe is pretty much the same one my mother used when I was a child. Even though shortening was called for in those days and margarine was considered a healthful alternative to butter, my mother was way ahead of her time and suspected that those man-made ingredients couldn't be good for you.

She and I made these cookies together most times, such as on the day in second grade when I refused to go to school because she had cut my bangs too short. She knew there was no use fighting it when I drew myself up to my full height (how tall could I have been) and informed her that "Tall people don't look good in short bangs." Was I a hoot or what?! It was so typical of me that I wouldn't even remember that incident if she hadn't told me the story several times in my life.

But back to the cookies ... You can bake right away, but I refrigerate the dough for about an hour. This gives the oats time to absorb a bit of moisture before the cookies are baked. You can refrigerate the dough for a few days or even freeze the unbaked cookies (see instructions below) and enjoy warm cookies another day.

So tell me about your favorite cookie. But don't tell me if you put chocolate chips in your oatmeal cookies. Well, do tell me, but don't expect me to like it!


Oatmeal Cookies - Classic Oatmeal Cookies (in a clear glass cookie jar) / www.delightfulrepast.com

Oatmeal Cookies


(Makes 3 1/2 dozen)

1 1/2 dip-and-sweep cups (7.5 ounces/213 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 sticks (8 ounces/227 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 firmly packed cup (5.25 ounces/149 grams) dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (3.5 ounces/99 grams) sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup (2 fluid ounces/59 ml) water
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups (10.5 ounces/300 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats

1 In small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

2 In another small bowl, combine chopped walnuts and raisins with 1 tablespoon of the flour mixture, making sure all the raisin pieces are separated.

3 In large bowl of electric mixer, beat butter on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add sugars and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, water and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture, then oats, raisins and nuts. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to a few days. (Very cold dough will need to sit at room temperature for a bit to become more scoopable.)

4 Preheat oven to 350F/180C/Gas4. Drop #40 scoops* (approximately 1.5 tablespoons) of dough 3 inches apart on parchment-lined cookie sheets. With a glass (I use a 2 1/4-inch diameter 1/3-cup flat-bottomed metal measuring cup), press each scoop into a 2 1/4-inch round. Bake for about 13 to 15 minutes, or until brown around the edges but still a little soft in the center.

5 Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Store in airtight container.

* If you don't have one of these 7/8 Ounce Size 40 Stainless Steel Round Squeeze Disher (13-0638) Category: Dishers, you need to get one now! How do people make cookies without it!

Another way those of us who simply must have identical cookies but don't have a #40 scoop can accomplish this is by weighing. If you have a digital kitchen scale, weigh out pieces of dough at 28 or 29 grams.

To freeze dough: Drop scoops of dough on foil-lined cookie sheet and flatten slightly, as directed above. Freeze, then wrap.

To bake frozen dough: Preheat oven to 350F/180C/Gas4. Place raw cookies 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 15-17 minutes. 

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

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36 comments:

Richard Sheppard said...

I love oatmeal cookies and this looks like a tasty recipe! One thing I like to do is substitute chocolate chips for the raisins. Yum!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Okay, Richard, ruin them with chocolate chips if you must! But I can't see having them for breakfast that way. Thanks for the Yum!

Sippity Sup said...

Once a person masters oatmeal cookies all else will fall into place. I believe this. GREG

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Yeah! Even duck sliders!

Grant said...

A squeeze disher! Go figure! Looks purty damn serious in the kitchen utensil business. Must get me one or two of them weapons of mass kitchen delight!

The cookies look delicious Jean. And they are one of my all time faves in the cookie department. Once I get that disher, I might just break out the oatmeal.

smiles, Grant

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Yep, I've got a serious collection of kitchen utensils. And the disher is a must because my cookies (and meatballs) must be exactly the same size. I'm sometimes (not ALL the time) willing to get a bit rustic on the shape, but they MUST always be the same size. So break out the oats!

Vic said...

Jean, Even I can make these scrumptious and nutritious cookies. Thank you! Vic

Thomas "Sully" Sullivan said...

No question, Hoot, you've got a winner here! And choc chips in oatmeal cookies are like adding sugar to honey. Yeech. Can't say I'll have access to those rolled oats you mentioned or the patience to actually bake, but somewhere in Minneapolis there is a Super America gas station that's will experience a run on oatmeal cookies tomorrow... :-)

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Vic, thanks! I hope you will make them soon. They go really well with tea, especially English breakfast.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Maybe you'll take up baking when you get old! (Can you really buy cookies at gas stations? I don't go inside. I don't even go to a gas station unless I absolutely have to. My dear husband fills my tank up for me.)

Charles said...

Hi Jean! Oatmeal cookies are amazing aren't they? They have a lovely "oomph" to them which fills you up a bit more than regular cookies as well (that's the oats I guess)... I suppose that makes them indirectly super-healthy! :p

I like to put a bit of ginger and nutmeg in mine too. Yours look beautiful just tumbling out of the jar!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Charles! Yes, I like a bit of ginger and nutmeg in mine, too, once in awhile. And I use less cinnamon than some might prefer, but I really don't like them overly spiced, I like to really taste the oatmeal and butter. Mmm ... butter ... Now I'm in the mood to make something with nutmeg!

Cranberry Morning said...

Beautiful photo!!! And I love the raisins and walnuts in the recipe. I've never put cinnamon in mine, but for sure will do it next time.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Judy! Just don't overdo the cinnamon. That would just ruin it for you!

Unknown said...

LOL... tall people don't look good in short bangs, that's hilarious!
The cookies look absolutely perfect! As an adult I have grown to adore oatmeal cookies.. Ok, so sometimes I put chocolate chips in mine instead of raisins, but that's beside the point :)

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks! Jenn, you're one of the very few people who have ever commented on one of my quirky little stories I slip in once in a while! (But lose the chocolate chips! :D )

Anonymous said...

Jean! These oatmeal cookies are yet another example of your clean, homey recipes filled with good ingredients. Do you do your own food photography? It is an art...and your foods always look so inviting.

Your 'tall tale' is so funny. Food is so intimately woven together with family, community and culture. You do a great job of warming up your recipes with stories and other tidbits!

Susan J Meyerott, M.S.
Lightarted Sue
http://lightartedliving.blogspot.com

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Susan, thank you so much! I'm glad you like my food, my little stories and--especially--my photos! I never took pictures until I started my blog, and I'm really enjoying it and trying to improve.

Anonymous said...

What a lovely picture. I could just eat them right from the page.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, JB! I'm beginning to like photographing food almost as much as I like cooking it, but NOT as much as I like eating it!

Ruth Schiffmann said...

I love oatmeal raisin cookies, but my family won't eat them. They do love oatmeal scotchies though. I'll try this recipe the next time around. (Does the addition of butterscotch chips take them out of the running as breakfast food?)

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

I won't judge! But, really, I hope you'll take a bit of dough out before you add the chips, and add raisins to your little portion of dough. I'm not so self-sacrificing anymore that I make everything entirely to the tastes of the rest of the family! :D

Constance said...

The best oatmeal cookies ever!!!
I didn't have quite enough raisins
so I added low sugar crasins.
they were great and I've made a lot of oatmeal cookies in my 37
years of marriage!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Constance, thank you so much! You just made my day. I told my husband about your comment, and he said "See I told you!" He just loves those cookies!

Oh my Heartsie Girl-Friday Features said...

Hi Jean, well I had to come back and check out more recipes and I always look for Oatmeal cookies and everyone take on them, theres always little hints. Your to me is the Red Mill oats and chilling dough. I also like the ideas of freezing for later use.

Glad to meet you too! Will be following now!
Hugs
Karren

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Oh, Karren, thank you! My husband tells me my oatmeal cookie is the best cookie in the whole world, but everyone sees things a little differently, so you'll have to let me know if he's right or all wet! :D

Cranberry Morning said...

Hi Jean,
I'm wanting to make oatmeal cookies, but could you please tell me what you consider the *least* amount of sugar I can use? Both Mr. C. and I are trying to really watch our sugar intake, don't want to go to sugar substitutes, and don't really want the cookies to taste sweet, just delicious. Thanks. :-) I do put CC in my oatmeal cookies, never ever raisins, but I might just stick with the chopped walnuts only. :-)

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Judy, this recipe made just as written makes 42 cookies, each having less than 1.5 teaspoons, so not too bad! But chocolate chips really add a load of sugar. You could cut back to 1/2 cup dark brown sugar and 1/3 cup sugar, I should think, which would be just under a teaspoon per cookie. Let me know how it goes!

Unknown said...

Can I forget Conversion Bob's red Mill 1:1 gluten free baking flour

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

I like Bob's Red Mill 1:1 and it's great in cookies.

Unknown said...

Hi Jean, what would the flour conversion be for Gluten Free flour..

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

For gluten free, I'd use: 2/3 cup sorghum flour, 2/3 cup potato starch, 1/3 cup tapioca flour, 1 teaspoon xanthan gum. Also, check out the Gluten-Free subheading on my Recipes index page.

Marlenebumgarner@gmail.com said...

I went searching for oatmeal cookies made with Bob's exra thick oats but didn't actually expect to find one. Thanks so much for converting your mother's recipe, and for your lovely family stories.

I'll try both the original and the gluten free -- I just happen to have sorhu flour, potato start, and tapioca flour.

Thanks!
Marlene

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Marlene, thanks so much! I guess it pays to be very specific in your search--who knew?! My husband accidentally picked up the gluten free one day, and he liked it even more than the regular extra thick. I don't know why they would be different, but he really liked the texture in his morning oats.

Richard Sheppard said...

Made these tonight along with your yummy cabbage soup (I know, we've made it a thousand times) and the cookies were great! Oatmeal cookies are my wife's favorite. I should make them more often. And no, I didn't 'ruin' them with chocolate chips, lol. :-)

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks so much, Richard! Glad you liked them *and* didn't "ruin" them with chocolate chips! Thanks for reminding me of the cabbage soup. I haven't made it in several months and now will make it this week.