My goal this morning was to create a batch of big, flat, chewy-but-sturdy oatmeal cookies which could be individually wrapped and sold at bake sales. The cookies turned out just how I wanted them to. Unfortunately, they are kind of impractical for bake sales because they have to be baked a few (2-5) at a time. Then again, if you want to make a small yet nice contribution to a bake sale and have some household activity to do while these bake and cool, you might like these. Or maybe you know someone who deserves a big, individually wrapped cookie. You could bake one or two for that person and save the rest of the mounds to bake later.
I figured I’d post the recipe anyway, because somewhere out there, there’s someone looking for a big, flat, chewy-but-sturdy oatmeal cookie.
First, some tips. Do make mounds instead of balls. The flat top of the mound will help the cookie cook more evenly. Here’s a mound.
Also, keep the heat low and slow – 325 worked for me. Covering the cookies with foil also keeps them from getting too brown. In the end, they should be golden brown all over with crispy edges, chewy middles, and a buttery-cinnamon flavor.
Here’s how big they are in relation to a typical napkin.
Big, Flat, Chewy-but-Sturdy Oatmeal Cookies
1/2 cup butter — 8 tablespoons, unsalted
1/4 cup shortening — trans fat free
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons honey
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/4 cup old fashioned oats
1/3 cup pecans — toasted and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup raisins — plumped in water and drained
Place butter and shortening in a microwave-safe mixing bowl and melt for 1 minute on high. Stir both sugars into hot, melted butter/shortening, then stir in vanilla extract, honey and egg.
Mix together flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Stir flour mixture into sugar mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in oats, pecans and raisins.
Using a generous (heaping) 1/4 cup measure, scoop dough into 10 equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball and shape into a neat mound with a flat top. Place dough mounds in refrigerator and chill for at least 3 hours. If you do not chill them thoroughly, the cookies will spread more.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or Release foil. Place 2 chilled dough mounds on a cookie sheet and lay a sheet of foil over dough mounds. Bake for 12 minutes then remove foil, rotate cookie sheet and bake another 8 minutes for a total of 20. Set the cookie sheet on a rack and let the cookies cool on sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to a rack and let them cool and crisp on rack. Repeat with remaining cookies. The cookie get sturdier and sturdier the more they cool. The should be sturdy enough to be individually wrapped and propped up in an appealing manner. This one is not propped up, but it is individually wrapped.
Makes 10 large cookies.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Anna – Cookie Madness just made my day. I’ve been looking for a good recipe for a jumbo chewy oatmeal cookie for quite a while. This is almost exactly what I needed. I’m going to try it without nuts or raisins and a bit smaller in size ( 1/2 to 2/3 the size of those pictured ). Do you have any suggestions on changes in cooking times before I start experimenting? – G
Hi Gary,
If you’re going to go with half the size of the original, I recommend checking at 12 minutes. You’ll probably need a total of 15.
These were good cookies, but if you are interested in jumbo cookies, I think you might want to try the maple cranberry oatmeal cookies. You can substitute raisins for the cranberries if you like raisins (I do!), but I think the base cookie recipe for the cranberry cookies is just great.
http://www.cookiemadness.net/?p=1123