Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I had a chocolate craving the other night, but since there was only hot chocolate mix in the house (pursuant to the theory: if you don’t buy it, you can’t eat it), I made cookies instead.  Oatmeal raisin cookies, in fact.  I’m more of a chocolate chip girl, but that wasn’t possible, given the current Schoko-drought.

I have freely admitted that baking is not my forte.  As per usual, I didn’t have all the ingredients the recipe called for.  Brown sugar (the soft, molasses-enriched stuff) just doesn’t exist in Germany.  I was also thinking about tweaking a recipe I’d never made, which doesn’t usually bode well.

Fortunately, the cookie gods smiled upon me, and the cookies came out great—chewy, soft, and delicious—despite my meddling and substituting.  Even without chocolate, they were satisfying.  (Especially for breakfast the following morning.)

625 commenters can’t be wrong—this is a great recipe.  I’m even tempted to call it foolproof.  Here’s my take on the classic:

Preheat your oven to 350F. In a large mixing bowl, cream together:

-1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
-1/2 c. sugar
-1/2 c. dark brown sugar, firmly packed (or in my case, 1/2 c. turbinado [raw] sugar, plus 1 tsp. honey)
-1 large egg
-1 tsp. vanilla (or the equivalent amount of vanilla sugar)

In a separate bowl, whisk together:

-1 c. all-purpose flour
-1/2 tsp. baking soda
-1/2 tsp. baking powder
-1/2 tsp. kosher salt (slightly less if using salted butter or regular salt)
-1 tsp. cinnamon
-1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, just until combined. Do not over-mix or your cookies will be tough.

Using a spatula, stir in:

-1 1/2 c. oats (not instant, but quick-cooking are OK)
-3/4 c. raisins (re-hydrated first with hot water and drained)

On a foil-lined baking sheet, drop heaping tablespoons of cookie dough approximately 2-in. apart. Bake for approx. 10 min., watching closely, until they are just turning golden but are still soft under the crust. Cool for 10 minutes on the sheet, then transfer to a wire rack.

Makes 18-20 medium-sized cookies.

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