Who doesn't just love Oatmeal Raisin Cookies? I think they are probably one of my favorites. Although I don't think anything can top a sugar cookies with some buttercream frosting!!
Since I haven't really baked for a week I wanted to do something I would love and knew would turn out great. The last baking I did was about 400 Vanilla Sugar Cookies for a Valentine Dinner. Needless to say, those were out of the question! :) I have to say that I had a blast baking and helping decorate the desserts for that dinner. It really did make me want to have a bakery or at least some kinda of business where I could do this stuff all day...Someday I will!
My original plan for my Sunday was to at least make my Cooper some treats since I was off work. The reason I wanted to make him some treats is simple…Preservative! Im really starting to watch the preservatives, even though they are next to impossible to avoid! I want to watch how much I eat and so I thought the same about my dog. I can't imagine those store bought treats are the best option. :) Homemade dog treats are so simple to make too! And the pup just seems to LOVE them! I'll have a post about the dog treats (along with recipes) up on here soon.
Back to the cookies, I figured I would be in the kitchen with the oven hot already so why not make some cookies! I had come across this recipe the other day. Before I started baking I decided to check around a few more food blogs I follow. I didn't want to just make the Oatmeal Raisin recipe that's on the container, even though it is pretty tasty. I decided to try an adapted version of the container recipe and that version with a little added cream cheese.
Now, I probably wouldn't have two versions of the cookies if I would have had my head on straight. I couldn't decided which I wanted to make so I had taken the ingredients out for the Quarter Pound Oatmeal-Raisin cookies and then realized I should search a little more. After I did a little more looking I decided to go with the Thick, Chewy Oatmeal Raisin cookies. After I decided that I realized I did NOT have any eggs! So, after a quick run to the grocery store I came home to realized that the cream cheese had already come to room temp and I needed to use it. I decided then to just give an idea a whirl!
The adapted version I used for the oatmeal cookies was from Smitten Kitchen (check the site out here). I absolutely love the styling and recipes on SK. I knew that I would find a trustworthy and tasty recipes there. And I was NOT disappointed. I think these were the BEST oatmeal cookies I've had. Mine didn't turn out perfect, like hers, but I do believe that's because I was slightly impatient on the cooling stage. :) I just wanted COOKIES!
I only changed one thing when I made the cookies…I used 1 cup old fashioned oats and 1/2 cup minute oats. I only did this because I didn't have enough old fashioned to make 2 batches.
The cream cheese idea came from Vanilla Sugar and her version Quarter Pound Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies. I will, at some point, have to give that recipe a try. I know her photo of the cookies looks YUM! All I did was simply add 4 oz softened cream cheese to the previous recipe. They didn't turn out bad at all, but were a little on the thick and soft side. I much prefer the thick and chewy way the first recipe turned out.
Check out my quick photos and the recipes below!
Thick, Chewy Oatmeal Cookies
Recipe by Smitten Kitchen
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.
Cream Cheese Oatmeal Raisin
Recipe same as above with 4 oz softened cream cheese.
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