chewy oatmeal raisin cookies

A great oatmeal cookie recipe found at the Smitten Kitchen. I like that they are crispy AND chewy!

Thick, Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

The last trick to getting a really thick, chewy cookie is to chill the dough before you bake it. You can scoop it and then chill it, or, if you’re like us, scoop it, freeze them and store them in a freezer bag so you can bake them as you wish. I find they’re always thicker when baked from the cold — only a couple extra minutes baking is needed.

This is a half recipe. It makes a couple dozen standard-size cookies. (I get more because I make them tinier.) I always feel like I’m swimming in cookies when I make the full volume, but if you’re feeding a crowd, go ahead and double it.

1/2 cup (1 stick or 4 ounces) butter, softened
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt (I often use a half teaspoon, but I like more salt in my baked goods)
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together. Stir this into the butter/sugar mixture. Stir in the oats, raisins and walnuts, if using them.

At this point you can either chill the dough for a bit in the fridge and then scoop it, or scoop the cookies onto a sheet and then chill the whole tray before baking them. You could also bake them right away, if you’re impatient, but I do find that they end up slighly less thick.

The cookies should be two inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake them for 10 to 12 minutes (your baking time will vary, depending on your oven and how cold the cookies were going in), taking them out when golden at the edges but still a little undercooked-looking on top. Let them sit on the hot baking sheet for five minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool.

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Glazed Lemon Cookies

So this one is IT! I have made this recipe a few times but each time I have struggled to remember where I found the recipec because I haven't saved it here. Of course, it's a Martha Stewart recipe. . . of course! Today I made lemon cookies using this recipe posted on Orangette but I don't like it--they're too cake-y. My favorite recipe can be found here.


Glazed Lemon Cookies
Ingredients

Makes 24

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Lemon Glaze

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and lemon juice and beat until combined. With mixer on low, beat in flour mixture.
2. Drop dough by heaping tablespoons, 1 inch apart, onto two baking sheets. Bake until edges are golden, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cool 2 minutes on sheets, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Spread cookies with Lemon Glaze and let set, about 1 hour.

Lemon Glaze
Ingredients

• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups confectioners' sugar, 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest, and 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice until smooth.

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Peanut Butter Bars

Recipe from One more Moore

Peanut Butter Bars
1 c. butter
1 c peanut butter
2 c graham cracker crumbs
2 c powdered sugar

1 1/2 c semi-sweet choco chips
4 Tbsp peanut butter

Directions: Melt butter & 1 c peanut butter. Add graham cracker crumbs and powdered sugar. Mix until well blended. Press into ungreased 9"x 13" pan. Melt choco chips with 4 Tbsp peanut butter (either on stovetop or microwave) and spread on top of graham cracker mixture. Refridgerate for at least 1 hour.

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Pecan Shortbread Bars

My cookie of the week:

I've been craving shortbread for over a week and decided to try out a "Martha" recipe, Pecan Shortbread Bars. I found the recipe card in my stack of loose recipes that are just shoved into my cupboard. I also read through my The New Best Recipes book about shortbread and almost didn't make the "Martha" recipe because of their recommendations. But, because this recipe is so quick and I had the ingredients for her recipe I went for it and I'm so glad I did.

They turned out great and I couldn't stop eating them.
(Photo of the recipe card.)

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A few recipe links

Below are some links to recipes that I'd like to try. I haven't made these but they sound good.

lemon shortbread bars
quick quiche (last-minute recipe from Amy Karol)
basic chocolate chip cookie
high fiber pancake mix
chicken salad

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homemade Girl Scout cookie recipes

I just came across these recipes (thanks again to Leslie from a Friend to knit with!) and had to post them for future reference!!! The link takes you to the Samoas recipe but you can find other recipes in the column on the right-hand side of the website.

yum!

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Cookie of the week

I've been trying to bake a different cookie recipe every week with the girls. I figure this gives us something fun to do together, encourages them to be interested in cooking/baking and fills our cookie jar at least for a day! (This was not my original idea. I have to give credit to the gal from a Friend to knit with because she inspired me. Thanks!)

A few posts ago I posted the recipe for orange ginger cookies. I used this recipe for my first week of baking cookies and I've actually baked a new cookie every week! Can you believe it? I can't, but it's true! I've decided I better list the recipes from the past weeks in this post and have them for future reference. FYI, the Martha Stewart website has this cookie of the day section and that is where I am finding most of my recipes.

week 1: orange ginger cookies (yummy, but a bit hard because I think I over-baked them. Will have to bake them for less time next time.)

week 2: lime meltaways (these are DELICIOUS! but you have to make sure you continue to mix the dough until it holds together. Mine was very crumbly before I chilled it and I ended up having to mix it--press it together-- with my hands in order for it to actually work. I will try making these again with key limes instead; a much tastier lime, in my opinion.)

week 3: crunchy chocolate chip (this recipe comes from The New Best Recipe cookbook. BTW, I love this cookbook!)

week 4: light chocolate-chunk brownies (I used this recipe because it called for applesauce which we had plenty of. They were yummy but definitely need to thoroughly cool off to taste like a real brownie and not chocolate cake.)

week 5: jumbo oatmeal cookies (these call for coconut and that makes them so much better than just a plain old oatmeal cookie!)

This week: don't know yet!

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Orange Ginger Cookies

Found this cookie recipe at "a Firend to knit with" and it sounds yummy! I LOVE recipes with orange!

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