What are your thoughts on raisins? Many people have strong feelings about them and either love or hate them, kind of like nuts and coconut. As a kid, I wanted to like the Sun-maid Raisins we had in the pantry. Those little boxes with the rosy-cheeked lass holding a big basket of green grapes were appealing to me, for some reason. At that time, and for a long time thereafter, I was firmly in the “I do not like raisins camp.” I wasn’t a fan of grapes either. They, and the grapes from which they came, were too sweet {Never mind that I could eat chocolate frosting & brownie batter like nobody’s business…that’s a different story!}. Years later, I discovered organic Red Flame grapes, and I thought they were pretty good, and even enjoyed the raisins produced from them. They were still too sweet to eat on their own, but I enjoyed them with some nuts {and a bit of dark chocolate}.
Even though I learned to like raisins, I only wanted them in certain dishes. Raisins were great in Hot Peanut Cereal, bread pudding and as a curry condiment, but definitely not in oatmeal cookies for sure. Nope, not in my cookies. Until now. What’s different now? I’m not certain, but I think it’s a combination of the ingredients I’m using and baking the cookies long enough for some caramelization to occur. The coconut sugar, along with some brown sugar lends a caramel flavor, and the proper baking time adds to that flavor, as well as some crispness. The cookies are delicious anytime {even right out of the freezer}, but are their very best the same day they are made {the same as my chocolate chip cookies}. Freshly baked and cooled, they are a little chewy in the center, and a little crispy around the edges…cookie perfection.
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
adapted from The Best Recipe {Cooks Illustrated}
180 gm whole wheat pastry flour {1 1/2 cups}
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/2 pound {2 sticks} unsalted butter, softened
4 3/4 oz. light brown sugar {2/3 cup – 1 tbsp}
1 1/2 oz. granulated white sugar {2 tbsp – 2 tsp}
2 1/2 oz. blonde coconut sugar {1/2 cup + 2 tsp}
2 large eggs
10 1/2 oz. rolled oats-not instant {1 1/2 cups}
5 1/2 oz. raisins {1 1/2 cups}
6 oz. walnuts
Crunchy salt {Maldon or Fleur de Sel} for sprinkling on top before baking {not iodized table salt}
Place oven racks at the 2 center positions & preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, nutmeg & cinnamon in a medium bowl.
Using an electric mixer, beat butter until creamy. Add sugars & beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time.
Stir dry ingredients into butter-sugar mixture with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Stir in oats, raisins & walnuts.
Chill dough for at least 15″ and up to 2 days.
Roll dough into 1 1/2 oz. balls {about golf ball size} & place 2 inches apart on lined cookie sheets. Flatten cookies slightly with a fork, using a criss-cross motion as you would for peanut butter cookies. You can use your hand or the bottom of a flat drinking glass. Sprinkle generously with crunchy salt of choice.
Bake cookies for 16-20 minutes, or until they are golden brown around the edges, and the bottoms are dark brown . Halfway through baking {8 minutes}, turn cookie sheets from back to front, and switch oven racks.
Makes about 30 cookies
Notes:
- These cookies are best when the bottoms are dark brown, and perhaps even a little glossy.
- You can freeze shaped cookies to bake later, adding a little extra time if you bake them while frozen. I usually like to let them thaw out before baking, although you can bake them frozen.
Cookies are really good with lattes! 
Bon appetit!
Maui Girl Cooks 