Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, with Nuts

This morning felt like fall. Cold, wet and rainy.  I had some extra oatmeal I needed to use, so Oatmeal cookies!  This is from an old Farm Journal cookbook. (1953) Love those books, some of my favorite recipes come out of those.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

1 cup raisins

1 cup water



3/4 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Simmer raisins and water over low heat until raisins are plump, about 20 minutes. I add some flor di scilia or you can add a little rum to the water if you want. That did add a good flavor.
Drain raisins into a measuring cup. Add enough water to make 1/2 a cups of raisin water. Let cool.

Preheat oven to 400.
In a mixer, mix shortening, sugar, eggs and vanilla.  Stir in raisin liquid.
Ina large bowl sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. I used 1 1/2 teaspoons of Penzey's cake spice instead of cinnamon and cloves. Blend flour mixture into shortening mixture.
Add oats, nuts and raisins.
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned
Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies using the large cookie scoop, 4 dozen using the medium scoop

Jam Drops

This is from one of my vintage cook books, and with a few changes it turned out these lovely little drops!

Jam Drops
1 cup butter, softened
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup preserves-- I used Apricot. 10 ounce jar is one shy cup.
2 1/2 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts - I used sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

a mixer, cream together the butter and cream cheese till well blended. Add the brown sugar and cream till light and fluffy. Beat in preserves.  In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Mix into creamed mixture. Blend in nuts.

I used the medium cookie scoop and dropped them onto the prepared pans.

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

Makes 3 1/2 dozen using medium cookie scoop





You could use any jam and nut combination that sounds good. Raspberry/pecan, peach/walnut, blueberry/almond.  You can add  one to two teaspoons of cinnamon to have a spiced jam cookie! Those would be good in the fall.

Cherry Bliss Gems -- Bonus Cookie

Since I was a day late in posting this week, a bonus cookie!

This was a fun cookie, and very yummy! It took me a couple batches to get it where I wanted it.

Cherry Bliss Gems

4 ounces white chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup baker's sugar or superfine (I used bakers)
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cup rolled oats
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup dried cherries
3/4 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350

Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cream butter and sugar together until it is lighter in color and fluffy. Beat in egg, add vanilla and then the oats.

Mix the flour and baking powder. Mix in. Add white chocolate (I beat it in a little bit so the chips break up a bit). Add the cherries and the nuts.

Use a small scoop, drop them onto the prepared pans. They don't spread much, but give them room to bake. about an inch.

Bake 12 - 15 minutes Or until golden

Cool on wire racks.



Snickerdoodles

In honor of a Navy promotion, I made snickerdoodles!

Snickerdoodles

1 1/2 cups shortening

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Cinnamon sugar

Preheat oven to 400

Mix shortening and butter. Add sugar and cream thoroughly. Add eggs one a time till well incorporated. Mix flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. Add to butter mixture and blend well. 

Use the medium cookie scoop to scoop out 1 inch balls and roll in the cinnamon sugar. I used Penzey's cake spice and sugar. 

Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes.

These cookies puff up a bit, then level out.

Cool on wire racks. These travel well.



M&M Cookies!

M&M cookies are just basic chocolate chip cookies with M&Ms. They are fun and colorful!

 Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup shortening
1/3 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 mini m&ms. (I find those much easier in cookies)

Preheat oven to 375

Mix shortening and butter till smooth. Add sugars, eggs and vanilla. Mix thoroughly.

In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt.  Add to butter mixture. Blend well.

Fold in m&ms.

Using a medium cookie scoop, drop onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. As always oven temps vary, so please check cookies when they have a few minutes left  to make sure they are doing well.

Remove from oven and let sit on the cookie sheet for about 2 minutes, remove to wire rack to cool.

Enjoy!

Makes 4 dozen exactly with medium scoop!



Lemony White Chocolate Blueberry Gems

Lemon White Chocolate Blueberry Gems

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup butter

1 1/3 cup granulated white sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons lemon zest

2 teaspoons lemon extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 1/4 cups white chocolate chips

1 1/4 cups sweetened dried blueberries



Preheat oven to 375
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt
In a large mixer bowl cream together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs. Add zest and extracts. Combine until smooth.  Blend in flour mixture until combined. Mix in chips and blueberries.
Using a medium cookie scoop and place on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes or until just golden brown around the edges
Transfer to a rack to cool.
Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Bunny Meet Your Baker!

This week's cookie is a milk chocolate cookie with chunks of chocolate.  I used leftover Easter candy. One hershey kiss is 2 grams. There are 30 grams in an ounce (a little over but more of less). 15 kisses to an ounce!

Milk Chocolate Cookies
Makes 36
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 ounces milk chocolate coarsely chopped (this is the chocolate you add to the dough)
6 ounces milk chocolate chunked
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 325.
Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper

Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; set aside
Melt 6 ounces of chocolate with the butter. Let it cool slightly
Combine sugar, eggs and vanilla is the bowl of mixer, gradually add melted mixture.  Mix on medium till well combined. Reduce speed and add flour mixture. Fold in chocolate chunks
Using a medium cookie scoop, drop on the prepared pans, spacing about 2 inches apart.
Bake until cookies are flat and surface cracks, about 18 minutes.
Cookies will be soft. Let them cool about 3 minutes on the pan, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.
Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for three days at room temperature.  They won't last that long.
I added chunks of milk chocolate bunny, white chocolate bunny, dark chocolate bunny and some chopped dark chocolate covered almonds.  It is a chocolate overload!

Before the warmth of the oven

a bowl full of goodness

What they look like waiting to be eaten! Lon has pronounced them yummy. No, mom, they are not yummy, they are AWESOME