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| The secret to soft, chewy oatmeal cookies loaded with chocolate chips and tangy Craisins: Conquering my fear of raw cookie dough |
It took me 46 years to learn how to make soft, chewy oatmeal cookies.
Hi, I'm Erika, and I'm an overbaker.
Until this week, I've always overbaked my oatmeal cookies. Chocolate chip cookies, too. Any cookie that was supposed to be soft and chewy cooled down crisp. Always a disappointment.
I know why it happens. I know I'm not supposed to wait until I see brown around the edges. But somehow (probably something to do with my fear of raw eggs) they never felt done until I did.
This week I was craving soft, chewy oatmeal cookies. So I forced myself out of my comfort zone. I pulled the cookies before the edges colored at all, despite the fact that inside my head I was screaming "NO! THOSE ARE RAW! RAW COOKIES! YUCK YUCK YUCK!"
And once they cooled they were perfect. So there, voice in my head.
You all must think I'm pretty silly, right?
This is one of the simplest cookie recipes ever. I used Craisins because I happened to be out of raisins, but either will do. Dried sour cherries would also be great.
Chewy oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips and Craisins
These old-fashioned oatmeal cookies are loaded with dark chocolate chips and tangy Craisins. The secret to a chewy cookie: Be brave and pull them out of the oven when they still look raw.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup grapeseed or canola oil
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup Craisins (substitute raisins or dried sour cherries)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon baking mats.In a small saucepan, melt the butter.While the butter is melting, add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, water, egg, and vanilla to a stand mixer. (Alternatively, use a large bowl and a hand-held mixer.) Mix until all ingredients are well combined, then add the melted butter and mix again until combined. Add the oats, flour, baking soda, and salt and mix again until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Add the chocolate chips and Craisins and mix briefly just to combine.Drop clumps of the cookie batter at least 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake 11-12 minutes and not one second longer; do not let the cookies brown. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and use a spatula to transfer the cookies carefully to a rack to cool. Let cool (at least most of the way) before eating.Note: You can mix the batter ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator up to 2 days before baking. The cookies will be just as good, although they won't spread as much during baking.
Details
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: about 24 cookies
