If you’re trying to find the perfect cookies for Santa – something sweet, yet nourishing enough to keep his energy level up, here’s a really good oatmeal raisin cookie. It’s adapted from Maury Rubin's City Bakery Oatmeal Cookies recipe, but as usual, I made a few changes to suit Santa’s taste. I really hope he likes Vietnamese cinnamon
My changes to City Bakery’s cookie were to add salt, vanilla, toasted walnuts and some Vietnamese cinnamon I acquired as a gift. City Bakery also recommends chilling the dough. I chilled some of it, but I also baked a few cookies right away and they were very good. These cookies are big, sweet, fairly chewy and perfect for packing in tins or sacks. Santa will love them, just be sure to serve them with some protein-packed milk to keep his blood sugar stable.
Ingredient Notes
Since I first posted Cookies for Santa aka City Bakery Oatmeal Cookies (recipe via One Sweet Cookie), City Bakery closed. This was sad news. It was one of our favorite places in New York. These cookies are reminiscent of City Bakery's, but the recipe makes 30, so if you want a City Bakery style cookie you'll need to make the cookies much larger. Also, the recipe from One Sweet Cookie calls for organic flour, organic sugar, etc. So you may want to experiment a little with organic ingredients. I do know that City Bakery always aged their cookie dough, so another trick is to let it rest a day or two. I usually shape the dough, refrigerate, then bake as needed. Cookies are better with aged dough.
Recipe
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies for Santa
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 6.8 oz/290 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 ⅔ cups old fashioned oats
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature (230 grams)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar packed (225 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- ⅔ cup raisins flame and golden (mixed)
- ¾ cup walnuts toasted and coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Thoroughly stir the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together in a bowl. Add the oats and stir well. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and both sugars until light and creamy. Add the vanilla and egg and beat just until mixed. Using lowest speed of mixer (or by hand), stir in the flour mixture, followed by the raisins and nuts. The batter will be very thick.
- Scoop up very generously rounded tablespoons (you’ll be using about 2 tablespoons total) of dough and shape into dense balls. Put the balls on a plate and chill until ready to use or bake immediately.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350F. Let cool on baking sheets for about 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
Bonnie
I made these from One Sweet Cookie and they were delicious. I too added salt and walnuts, no raisins. I did have to bake them a bit longer though. More like 17 minutes. Yum yum
Mackenzie@The Caramel Cookie
Mmm what a great cookie to leave Santa!
I'm At Home Baking
I think I moght know a "Santa" or "Mrs. Claus" who would love these! They look delicious.
Katrina
They look great. I think Mrs. Claus would like them, but what if you thought Santa doesn't like oatmeal raisin cookies? 😉
Anna
Just made a few adjustments to the recipe. Noticed the amt. of sugar got cut off. Fixed.
vanillasugarblog
aww
aren't you good to think of Santa's energy levels.
😉