There is much dispute amongst my family and friends over whether to put raisins in oatmeal cookies and then, whether or not to use soft of hard raisins. In other words, do you soak them and get them nice and plump or use them straight out of the box? I myself am a purist and more often than not choose no raisins, mostly because I love the texture of the oat cookie as is and then because I know more people will enjoy them. After all, you wouldn't not eat this cookie because it didn't have raisins. But, you would choose not to try it if it did. However, when I do use raisins, I only use raisins that have been plumped by soaking in bourbon or rum.
MAKES 4 DOZEN
1 1/3 cups unsalted butter
2 cups packed brown sugar
2/3 cup white granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tbsp. vanilla
4 1/2 cups rolled oats
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt (If you like a good salty-sweet treat, you can add 3/4 tsp. salt, which compliments the brown sugar nicely)
3 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1 tsp. nutmeg
1. Cream the butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended and creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well.
2. In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and all of the spices.
3. Beat flour mixture into butter mixture and then add oats and stir until completely incorporated.
4. Roll dough pieces into generous 1 1/2-inch balls and place them on baking sheets about 3 inches apart.
5. Bake on greased baking sheets for 10 to 12 minutes in an oven that has been preheated to 350°.
Some Great Links on Oats
McCann's Irish Oatmeal - I love steel cut oats and McCann's produces some of the best I've had.
Hamlyns Oats of Scotland - Some of the best oats around come from Hamlyns, which produces a nice variety of porridge oats to pinhead (steel cut) oats.
Eat More Oats - A fabulous website dedicated to all things oat!
Stoats - Not only a great name, but great oat products!
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