Your opinions, please! Oatmeal Cookies.........

maytagbear · Apr 9, 2015

I am starting an in depth thing on oatmeal cookies. Do you like them chewy and soft, or thin and crispy? Raisins or no raisins? Orange zest or no? Lots of cinnamon, or just some?

My church, The United Church of Christ is having its every-two-years national gaathering ("General Synod") this coming June, in Cleveland...where the national headquarters happen to be, and local churches are asked to provide oatmeal cookies. Only restriction is no nuts. That is not a deal-breaker for me, for I don't care for nuts in oatmeal cookies.

I've started with The Fannie Farmer Baking Book, by Marion Cunningham, my first book for any flour based baking, and the Soft Oatmeal Cookie on page 200 is easy, delicious, and best of all, does not call for shortening, just real butter.

I made a batch Tuesday, took them to a discussion meeting. I swapped dried cherries for the raisins, and the cookies met with great approval. At the end of the meeting, there were only two left on the platter, and I took care of them....However......... I believe there are more cookies to meet and make. The Quick Oatmeal Cookies in most editions of Joy of Cooking is also a good cookie, but tends to be thin and crispy, and is excellent with the orange zest...........

I used to like the Oatmeal Scotchies from the back of the Nestle Butterscotch Morsels bag, but it seems to me that the morsels themselves are considerably sweeter than they used to be, and are less appealing, and now make a cookie I don't care for any more.

I LIKE the dried cherries, but at 5.00 and change for a small bag (at least in these parts---) I either need to use some other dried fruit or find less expensive dried cherries.

How do you like your oatmeal cookies? (Other than "in quantities!")

Lawrence/Maytagbear[this post was last edited: 4/9/2015-23:25]

a440 · Apr 9, 2015

Great Subject!

I love Oatmeal cookies in just about any variety that I have ever eaten!

Will be interesting to see some very good recipes!

B

ea56 · Apr 9, 2015

I like to add chopped dates sometimes. Also, chocolate chips, either milk or semi-sweet are good additions. And coconut is good in oatmeal cookies, but this may not be OK with the no nuts stipulation. I personally prefer chewy oatmeal cookies and definitely they should be made with butter for the best flavor. Although I've never tried it, chopped dried apricots might be good, especially with white chocolate chips. I think that with oatmeal cookies you can pretty much use your imagination and add the things with flavors and textures that you like. I'm not crazy about cinnamon in oatmeal cookies, I like the flavor of real vanilla extract better, but your mention of orange zest sounds like a good idea, especially with chopped dates.

rp2813 · Apr 10, 2015

Kelly's Recipe

This is what I transcribed for Kelly's cookie batter template, adapted for oatmeal:

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1 cup room temperature butter 
 1 cup white sugar 
 1 cup dark brown sugar 
 Cream Well and add 
 2 large eggs 
 1 teaspoon vanilla 
 Beat until light and fluffy. Stop the mixer and add:
2 cups flour 

3 cups quick oats (if using old fashioned oats, allow batter to sit 20 minutes to hydrate the oats)
 1 teaspoon salt 
 1 teaspoon soda 
 Turn on low and mix just to combine. 

Preheat oven to 350. Drop a dozen one-ounce portions onto ungreased cookie sheet. You can bake two sheets at a time with racks at 1/3 and 2/3 positions. Bake 6 minutes, rotate sheets between top and bottom; bake 6 more minutes. You may need to adjust baking time one way or the other. If doing one sheet at a time, bake for 12 minutes.

lordkenmore · Apr 10, 2015

My personal preference is for softer oatmeal cookies.

I have mixed feelings about raisins. I don't actively dislike them, but they aren't anything I ever used, and somehow seem a bit foreign. (Probably because my mother seldom added things like that when baking cookies.)

lordkenmore · Apr 10, 2015

I also don't like nuts--it feels so cannibalistic for me to eat them. LOL

xraytech · Apr 10, 2015

I like a thick chewy oatmeal cookie, very light on cinnamon, and plenty of raisins. However I'd be open to other dried fruits such as cranberries, cherries, apricots, or prunes

mrb627 · Apr 10, 2015

Soft and Chewy!

There is no such thing as an oatmeal cookie to large in diameter. But with some, the ingredient list is overly done. Keep it simple is best in my book. At least for an Oatmeal cookie.

Malcolm

gansky1 · Apr 10, 2015

One of my dad's all-time favorite cookie. In most any variety *with raisins, he loves them.

Most often we use the recipe from the BH&G cookbook, I usually soak the raisins in beaten egg for a while before mixing everything together. Makes them a bit more plumpy

turquoisedude · Apr 10, 2015

Soft & Chewy

Is how I like my oatmeal cookies! And I always add a tablespoon or so of cinnamon, just 'cause I like the flavour.

I usually add raisins but a mix of raisins and chocolate chips are delish.

The recipe I like best is this one from The Joy of Cooking (the mid-70s edition):

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 tablespoon milk

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup uncooked quick rolled oats

1 cup raisins (OR 3/4 cup raisins and 3/4 cup chocolate chips)

- Cream butter till light; add sugars gradually and cream until fluffy

- Beat in egg, vanilla, and milk; beat until smooth

- Blend in flour, sifted with the baking soda and baking powder. Mix well.

- Stir in oats and raisins; mix thoroughly

- Bake on lightly greased cookie sheets at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes or until light brown.

- Cool slightly on sheets, then remove to rack to cool completely.

appnut · Apr 10, 2015

Personally, soft and chewy. with/without raisins or chcolate chips. I also use King Arthur White Whole Wheat. Everyone at work loves all the cookies I bring in. They are all surprised when I tell them theya re a bit healthier than ordinary cookies because of the white whole wheat flour I use in them.

polkanut · Apr 10, 2015

Lawrence,

This recipe comes from an old National 3 Minute Oats box that my late great-aunt Helen kept her light bulbs in. lol I've made them many times, and people love them. They're a crisp cookie.

2 cups oatmeal

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup shortening

¼ cup hot water

½ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. allspice

1 cup raisins

Cream sugar and shortening, then add the eggs, after which add the flour, oatmeal, salt, and spices. Dissolve the soda in the hot water and add to the mixture. Lastly, add the raisins and mix well. Drop in small teaspoonfuls on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes. Immediately transfer to cooling racks when done.

http://https//news.google.com/newsp...AIBAJ&sjid=aU0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=3948,6912157&hl=en

tomturbomatic · Apr 10, 2015

in quantity

I like that. I also like soft and chewy and the whole wheat flour. Happy baking.

polkanut · Apr 10, 2015

Another fruit that could be substituted for raisins would be dried cranberries aka "Craisins®".

revvinkevin · Apr 10, 2015

I LOVE OATMEAL COOKIES!

I'll take 'um any way I can get 'um.... soft or crunchy, with or w/o raisins, chocolate chips, etc.

The PERFECT cookie is one that is firm/crispy outside, yet soft & chewy inside!

But.... I definitely prefer them W/O nuts... and just a light touch of cinnamon.

Kevin

petek · Apr 10, 2015

I like them chewy and unadulterated. Raisins have no place in cookies, salads, etc in my world. LOL

DADoES · Apr 10, 2015

Chewy, a few raisins are OK but no nuts. I don't care for nuts in cakes, either, spoils the texture.

foraloysius · Apr 10, 2015

I like oatmeal cookies too! I never bake them myself though, but a deli overhere sells very nice ones. They are a bit crispy on the outside and a bit chewey in the centre. There are raisins in them, but not too many.

iheartmaytag · Apr 10, 2015

You had me at cookie

Chewy, soft, crisp.
One or a mixture of below:
Raisins--I soak mine in rum then pour the rum into the mix.
Craisins
Scotchies
Heath bits
Toasted Pecans
White chocolate chips.

Craisins w/ white chocolate chips and toasted Pecans. (Kris Kringle cookies)

For bake sales I usually use the larger 1/2 cup scoop and make cookies about three to four inches round. Last sale we had there were four for $3.50.

kb0nes · Apr 10, 2015

Soft & Chewy

Substitute dried Cranberries if you must add fruit. Raisins are OK but too can be too sweet.

I like the oatmeal Scotchies too, haven't made them in years. Perhaps a reduction in the butterscotch morsels would keep them from being too cloying.

mrb627 · Apr 10, 2015

Drop in small teaspoonfuls on greased cookie sheets?

Get outta here...

Drop by the 1/3 cup onto a greased cookie sheet is more like it!

Malcolm

revvinkevin · Apr 10, 2015

Giant cookie

Hey Malcolm, do you mean like the cookies is either one of these photos?

Kevin

maytagbear · Apr 10, 2015

Today's batch--

I used golden raisins--because I had them, and I added some powdered ginger, about 1/2 a teaspoon. They were well recieved at my Friday discussion group. None of the people form the Tuesday night group were there, though some drop in once in a while.

Thank you to all who have commented! I wish you were all here to have some cookies with me.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

jamiel · Apr 10, 2015

Best source for dried cherries is Meijer stores--they've got a direct link to Shoreline Fruit in western Michigan. Doesn't help you too much in metro Cleveland (I think they've got a store in Mansfield, and multiple stores in Toledo and Columbus).

mrb627 · Apr 10, 2015

Now That's a...

... BIG COOKIE.

that and a glass of milk is a meal.

Malcolm

annem · Apr 10, 2015

I love the recipe from Pioneer Woman's site, I use crisco and I use Craisins instead of raisins. I like using them instead of raisins and they are cheaper than cherries.

ronhic · Apr 11, 2015

From an Australian perspective it's almost impossible to go past the ANZAC biscuit.

I prefer them crunchy and tend to use a little more butter and golden syrup so they 'spread' to a thinner biscuit.

http://www.anzacday.org.au/history/ww1/anecdotes/bikkies.html

tolivac · Apr 11, 2015

Cookies-no matter what kind-like mine CRUNCHY!!!Hate those soft ones.My brother commented to me that I like my cookies like dog biscuits!He described it well!And I like them lightly toasted.Just let them cook a minute or two longer.

retro-man · Apr 11, 2015

I have made oatmeal cookies with dried apricots cut up into small pieces. Everyone loves them. It adds just a bit of flavor and keeps the cookies moist for storage purposes, not that they last that long. Usually about a cup per batch will do you well. These would be soft and moist.

Jon

maytagbear · Jul 2, 2015

I developed a recipe, and here it is....as promised

Magical Oatmeal Cookies**

375 F

Ungreased cookie sheets, or parchment lined

All measures level
Makes 5 dozen

2 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour, King Arthur red bag for preference
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt (less if butter is salted).
1 cup raw oatmeal, quick or old-fashioned, not instant

Measure flour by stirring flour in bag or canister, spoon into dry measuring cup, sweep off excess with straight edge--I use the back of my chef's knife. Combine baking soda, salt and oatmeal with flour, stir well, set aside

2 sticks, 8 ounces butter. (DO not substitute, cookies will fail), salted or unsalted, room temperature.
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon PURE almond extract, if using dried cherries or apricots
2 large eggs
1/4 cup cool water

Cream together in mixer, mixing bowl with portable mixer, or food processor with Steel Knife, butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Mix for one to two minutes, gradually to high with mixer, and just process with processor. Stop and scrape. Add extract(s), eggs, and water. Mix/process again until well combined and smooth.

If using processor, disengage workbowl, and scrape mixtue with rubber spatula into large mixing bowl.

1 cup dried cherries, or 1 cup dried apricots, quartered (quarter with kitchen scissors, blades sprayed with nonstick spray), or 1 cup dried cranberries, or raisins. Golden raisins are a pleasant change. If using cranberries or raisins, add one teaspoon ground cinnamon,and omit almond extract. Add dried fruit to butter mixture, mixing on medium speed.

Add dry ingredients, mixing on low speed until well combined. Stop and scrape bowl, checking to see if all ingredients are combined.

Drop onto ungreased or parchment lined baking sheets by #90 scoop or by flatware tablespoons. Space about 2 inches apart, these spread.

Bake in 375 F oven for 9 to 11 minutes, preferably one sheet at a time. If baking two sheets at a time, change lower and upper sheets at halftime, and rotaate front to back. Really. (I just find it less nervewracking to put on some music, sit down in the kitchen, and bake one sheet at a time). Evenly brown, and fragrant.

Remove onto cooling racks immediately.

**Magical? The way these disappear is like magic!

Varations: Banana--Mash three medium size speckled bananas. Omit water, add teaspoon cinnamon. Very moist and soft.

Chocolate "chip"-- chunk 8 ounces semisweet bar chocolate, add instead of dried fruit. This is better than the contents of the yellow bag. Lindt 60% is good and easy to find.

Notes: Baked cookies freeze well, in airtight Tupperware or Rubbermaid boxes. When freezing, separate layers with waxed paper or parchment. I have not tried freezing the dough. Dried fruit may be omitted.

Happy Baking!

Lawrence/Maytagbear

Your opinions, please! Oatmeal Cookies.........

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