Oatmeal & Raisin Cookies

On one particular Saturday, I was enlisted as baking help. Truth be told, I don’t think I’m a good baker. I love the idea of baking bread and how it smells when it is baking in the oven, and I even bake my own sometimes but I’m pretty far off from baker extraordinaire. Nonetheless I agreed. Part of it was because I like hanging out with people in the kitchen and I haven’t seen D in a long time and I thought I would be encouraging towards her baking experiments.

So armed with our can-do spirit and a Martha Stewart recipe, we spent an afternoon measuring, stirring, scooping batter and chit chatting. Our not-so-sweet (I demanded that the sugar be reduced by half because I have found most baking recipes to be overly sweet) no wheat germ oatmeal cookies came out hot and crisp and cooled to a chewy and very healthy feeling cookie.

Martha Stewart’s Oatmeal and Raisin Cookies
(without our modifications)
Makes about 60 cookies



Ingredients
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups raisins

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Stir together oats, flour, wheat germ, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl; set aside. Put butter and sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add oat mixture; mix until just combined. Mix in raisins.
2. Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly.
3. Bake until golden and just set, about 14 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks using a spatula; let cool completely. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days.