This is my favorite Oatmeal Raisin cookies recipe. I get lots of compliments and my husband will even eat them with raisins.
Three tricks I learned, like others, is not to over-bake the cookies. This goes double if you are using insulated cooking sheets, as they stay hotter longer than the thin pans.
The next trick, is that I always soak my raisins in hot water for about 10-20 minutes to plump up the raisins. Then I drain them and add to the recipe.
Finally, if you over-beat your cookies, you will create extra gluten which hardens cookies. So, just beat until they are mixed together and not a minute more. You can tell this when you no longer see streaks of flour.
One more note, in the recipe listed below, you can use the dark brown sugar, but personally, I like using the light brown sugar with the added molasses (this is a substitute if you don't have dark brown sugar), because I think that adding the molasses separately gives the cookie a better flavor, than if you used just the dark brown sugar.
This is a doubled recipe because everyone loves them and I make them a little on the big side and there usually isn't enough to go around. My friends who have tried these cookies before always take 2 or 3 cookies at a time.
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies – DOUBLED RECIPE (Recipe #35813)
These are moist, chewy, and loaded with raisins...and they're better than any you've tried before! From Cuisine Magazine. Recipezaar by Bev, Makes 6 dozen cookies
Whisk together and set aside:
• 4 C flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp kosher salt (I used regular salt)
Cream wet ingredients:
• 2 C unsalted butter, softened (I used regular butter)
• 2 C sugar
• 2 C dark brown sugar, firmly packed or 2 C light brown sugar & 2 T Molasses
• 4 large eggs
• 1 T vanilla
Then stir in:
• 6 C Oats (not instant)
• 3 C raisins, soaked in hot water for a few minutes
Preheat oven to 350°.
1. Whisk dry ingredients; set aside.
2. Combine wet ingredients with a hand mixer on low.
3. Then cream on high speed & beat until fluffy.
4. Stir the flour mixture by hand into creamed mixture until no flour is visible. (Over mixing develops gluten, making a tough cookie.) Now add the oats and raisins; stir to incorporate. You can either bake these cookies right now or cover & refrigerate until the next day (the flavors mingle for a better flavor).
5. Fill med. (2T) cookie scoop w/dough. Press against side of bowl to level dough.
6. Drop 2-inches apart on baking sheet sprayed with nonstick spray or parchment paper.
7. Bake 11-13 min, on center rack until golden, but still moist beneath cracks on top.
8. Remove from oven; let cookies sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.