Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

VARIATION 1:

1 cup oat flour (can substitute regular flour)
1 & 1/2 cups rolled oats
2 tsps ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp pure salt
1/4 cup butter, ghee, or coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup sugar of choice (see notes)
2 tsps pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup nut butter (whatever kind you like)
1 banana, mashed
1/2 cup raisins

• Preheat oven to 325.
• In a medium bowl, using a fork or whisk, combine flour, oats, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and mix well.
• In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients (except raisins) and mix thoroughly.
• Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and combine thoroughly.
• Mix in raisins.
• Drop spoonfuls of dough onto a parchment paper covered cookie sheet and bake for approx 13 mins. Let cool on cookie rack a few minutes before removing.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

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VARIATION 2:

These are purposefully made round – into cookie balls.

1/2 cup (1 stick) + 6 tablespoons butter, softened
3/4 cup natural sugar
2 eggs
1 tsps vanilla extract
1 & 1/2 cups coconut flour, sifted
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon or ground garam masala
1/8 tsp pure salt
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup raisins

• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• In large bowl, beat butter and sugar on medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
• Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.
• In a separate bowl combine coconut flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
• Add oats and raisins and mix until thoroughly combined.
• Combine dry ingredients with the creamed sugar/egg.
• Beat on low-speed until well incorporated.
• Roll cookie dough into balls, using approximately 1 tablespoon of dough per ball.
• Place each dough ball on an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake 10-12 min (depending on your oven) until the cookies are golden brown on top.
• Remove from oven, break one open and check the center. If the test cookie seems undercooked in the middle, return the baking sheet to the oven for 2 more minutes, being careful not to let the bottoms burn.
• Remove the cookies from the oven and let cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheet.
• Transfer cookies to a plate or wire rack and cool completely.

Makes approx 2 dozen cookie balls.

What they’ll look like baked – ready to eat….

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Variation 1 (my recipe) makes very soft, moist and delicious cookies. Variation 2 (from www.tropicaltraditions.com) are just as delicious, but have a different consistency (more dense). I’d highly recommend either one, though we’ll probably stick with my version as it’s a little easier to make/less time-consuming (no need for electric mixer, no need to sift the flour…). Either version can be frozen for long-term munching, or stored sealed in the fridge for about a week. Both versions are very, very good. Seriously!
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SIDE NOTES FOR MY VERSION (variation 1):

~ Oat flour is great for this (being that they’re oatmeal cookies), though you can substitute regular white flour if you prefer. If you make your own oat flour, these cookies are gluten free (just toss certified gluten free rolled oats into the food processor or vitamix & give them a whirl – a few minutes in a F.P. or 60 seconds in vitamix dry container). Alternately, you can simply purchase pre-made oat flour, but it will not be 100% gluten free (not a concern unless you have a gluten sensitivity). Also, I use ghee, but if you can’t do dairy, use coconut oil.

~ I’ve made a batch using brown rice syrup, and another batch using coconut sugar. Both were delicious. Using brown rice syrup, the cookies were slightly less sweet (but no less delicious), and came out flatter (photo at top of page). That time, I actually forgot to mix the raisins into the batter before I put the cookies on the sheet, so just stuck a few raisins on the top of each ball of dough before placing in the oven. Worked out fine. Using coconut sugar, the cookies were a bit sweeter and a little fuller (not quite as flat – held their shape better & didn’t run into each other). Of course, any sugar will work, so substitute whatever you’d like. The texture of the cookie will change slightly depending on what type of sugar you use, but you really can’t go wrong.

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