I was listening to a podcast called That One Recipe last night where Dan Souza from Cook's Illustrated talked about a butterscotch pudding that was popular in the test kitchen, but would not pass the screening with the Cook's panel of home cook testers. These Big Fat Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are my butterscotch pudding. I was making them over and over, but getting comments from people who weren't getting the same results. Since then I've added some more tips for getting giant, thick cookies.
Big Fat Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Tips
- If you have a scale, use the weights. I took the volume measurements out for now.
- Using bread flour helps the cookies bake up thicker and more well rounded. If you want floppy, bendy cookies, these are the opposite of that because the bread flour keeps them stiff.
- Maybe I should call these European Style Butter Oatmeal Cookies because using Plugra really helps make them thick. But Land o' Lakes works too. If you are using Aldi butter or Costco butter, maybe use half butter and half shortening.
- Grass-fed or European style butter (Plugra) should give you thicker, more rounded cookies. However, using a higher protein all purpose flour like King Arthur along with Land o' Lakes should also work.
- Like Levain cookies, these are better with a lot of add-ins, so use plenty of those raisins and also nuts if you can.
- Chill the dough for at least 24 hours.
Baking Giant Oatmeal Cookies
Do not overbake! These cookies are very large, and the temperature of your dough and the way your oven heats comes into play. I get the best results baking at 350 convection for 15 to 17 minutes, but I also have had good luck using non-convection 375 for 18 minutes. The cookies should look a little bit under-baked in the very center. Let them sit and cool completely to get a chewy center. I usually take it one step further and freeze the cookies, then let them come back to room temperature.
This recipe halves well, so if you are unsure just make half and see how it goes.
Recipe
Big Fat Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, European style Plugra works best (230 grams)
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed (160 grams)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- 2 cups MINUS 2 tablespoons bread flour or AP flour** (250 grams) -- I use the weight, so volume is an estimate.
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt or fine Kosher salt or salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon use more if desired
- 2 large eggs, cold
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup raisins, do not omit (soaking optional) Do not omit
- 1 cup walnuts
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the cold butter until creamy. Add the sugar and continue to beat until it is mixed in. Gradually add the eggs and vanilla and continue beating with the paddle on medium until mixed, scraping sides of bowl once or twice. The coolness from the eggs may make little bits of butter firm up again so the creamy mixture may appear lumpy.
- Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, mix the flour (make sure you weighed it), salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. With the mixer on medium-low (or by hand with a heavy duty rubber scraper), gradually add the flour mixture stirring just until mixed. Stir in the oatmeal, then stir in the raisins and nuts.
- Empty the batter onto a large flat surface and make sure all the ingredients are evenly incorporated. Divide into 10 or 12 raggedy pieces. Arrange the pieces on a foil lined baking sheets or a couple of plates and chill dough until it's firm enough to handle. Shape into tight balls, then continue to chill for several more hours or overnight if you have time.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. If you are using convection, preheat to 350 F convection. If you plan on chilling the dough, skip this step. Chilling the dough will help make the cookies thicker.
- Arrange cookies (I recommend baking 1 or 2 first to nail down your time) on a heavy duty cookie sheet. Bake on center rack for 18 minutes at 375 or 16 minutes at 350F convection. Let cool for about 5 minutes on the cookie sheet, then remove and finish cooling on a rack. When cool, you can eat OR you can freeze the cookie and thaw them for a better texture.
Notes
- For best results, use a really good brand of butter such as Plugra or another European style. These higher end butters seem to have less water in their formulation, so cookies spread less. Land o' Lakes will also work. If you only have grocery store brand butter, you can use 1 stick of butter and ½ cup shortening.
- Bread flour helps the cookie spread more uniformly and gives them a thicker shell and soft center. As for bake time, it will vary depending on your oven. I like to use the convection setting and bake at 350, but I've also been successful baking at 375.
- The cookies always seem to come out thicker and more uniformly textured when made with chilled dough, but if you are in a hurry you can use cool ingredients and bake the dough after a quick 30 minute chill. The cookies will just be thinner
- You can cut the brown sugar significantly and add more raisins and dried fruit if you want. If you do cut the sugar, be sure to add plenty of dried fruit or raisins.
Anna says
Diane, thanks for the update! I hope all your other baking is doing well.
Diane Perris says
This is Diane updating my review from about a week ago. After I posted my original review, I had a wonderful and fun email exchange with Anna about what could have happened with my cookies. She went above and beyond, baking additional test batches based on some of my comments, and I also baked another couple test batches to see if things improved.
They did. The cookies, even without the nuts and raisins (which probably would have made them denser and spread a bit less), were delicious and moist. The only thing I can figure is that my original batch had a big mistake on my part-- most likely I used too much of an ingredient like flour or baking powder. This wouldn't be the first time I've done that when making a test 1/2 batch.
In any event please ignore my first review. The cookies are terrific and so is Anna.
Diane
Anna says
Diane, I have responded to you via email to see if we can figure out why your cookies were so awful and tasteless.
Diane Perris says
I'm wondering if I did something wrong, though I'm an accomplished baker and followed the recipe exactly. These cookies came out dry (350 convection) and tasteless. However, I've been searching for the magical key to keep oatmeal cookies from spreading and they sure didn't spread (dough was very stiff especially after chilling) so there's a bright side. Just don't know why they tasted so awful.
Anna says
This comment is for Dave, who suggested that the photo is not of the actual recipe. It definitely is. Dave, you mentioned your cookies were 1 inch thick. Mine are usually close to 1 inch in the very center, but sometimes they spread a little more than others depending on how long I've chilled the dough or what brand of butter I've used.
Anna says
Johnny, thanks for the review! I'm fixing the star thing for you and re-posting your comment.
"5 stars! But page wouldn't let me choose more than 2 for some reason. Made them with dried cherries and toasted almonds. The dough has a delicious buttery flavor and fantastic texture -- stays thick and puffs up, does not get dried out inside even if you let them bake until nicely toasted on the outside"
Sue says
I made these and they're wonderful. I used 1 bag of chocolate chips instead of raisins and nuts, omitted the cinnamon and sprinkled with a little fleur de sel. I think they'd be better with raisins but that was a no go for today. Tall big cookies with a good texture.
Therese B. says
I think I am onto something with this bread enhancer. I read that it is like a preservative...it adds texture. These cookies are amazing!! And yes...after cooling they are a just a little doughy in the center.
Anna says
They're supposed to be kind of dense -- almost doughy in the center.
Therese B. says
King Arthur makes it. You are to use it with bread flour...and I was like..heh, let's try it with the bread flour in the cookies. They are almost a little cakelike...is that how they are supposed to be??
Therese B. says
Well, I got the first batch out of the oven. They held there height and taste GREAT!! I added some dark chocolate chips and some tart dried cherries too. Awesome!
Therese B. says
HELP!
I used 1 1/2 cups bread flour and 1/2 cup bread enhancer. I just read the bread enhancer pkg..and you are only supposed to add 1 to 2 Tablespoons. Should I nix this flour batch or start over??? Thanks for you help.
Adam says
I don't know who, what or where a Levain is, but these cookies look fantastic. I gotta go buy some raisins :).
Mackenzie@The Caramel Cookie says
Ohhh I love oatmeal raisin! Interesting that is uses chilled flour.
Janice says
Anna,
Sometimes I swear you channel my baking thoughts!
Darlene says
Thanks for the weight of the brown sugar, otherwise I'd obsess over how light is lightly packed. I'd love to make these for my sister-in-law, she loves oatmeal raisin cookies and your cookies look divine.
Chewthefat says
I just made your peanut butter oatmeal and oil cookies, and they were great! It's funny, but I've been wanting a clone of the Levain oatmeal, because they always sounded so intriguing...I can't wait to try these! I've never made oatmeal cookies with bread flour!
Katrina says
Guess what I made yesterday--big ol' oatmeal cookies! I have a tub of Sprectrum shortening I need to use, so they were shortening based cookies. These look great!
Anna says
Jennie, I know what you mean about Carol's! I have a clone I'm working on and would love for you to try it.
Jennie says
These look great. Thank you for sharing them. My absolute favorite cookies are the cinnamon swirl ones from Carol's Cookies in Chicago. If you are ever up for it, I would love to have your more experienced perspective on how to make that cookie! Thanks for all of your recipes. I is nice to go to a site where you know the recipes are consistently great.
Leung says
I can very much appreciate a doughy soft center in a tall fat oatmeal cookie especially with a cold glass of milk! These sound amazingly yum!
Sue says
I cannot wait to try these!!