German Oatmeal Cookies
Big, soft oatmeal cookies stuffed with dates, raisins, pecans and chocolate chips. If you are not measuring your flour with a scale, be sure to sift before measuring since sifted flour weighs less per cup. You could also just carefully measure 2 cups and remove 2 tablespoons of flour.
Servings 40
Cost 5
Ingredients
- 1 cup raisins plus enough water to cover (140 grams)
- 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour (weigh) (230 grams)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into chunks
- 1 cup sugar (200 grams)
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup chopped pitted dates
- ⅓ cup water, drained from raisins above
- 2 cups oats, old fashioned or quick or 1 cup each
- 1 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Have ready 2 parchment lined baking sheets if you're planning on baking immediately. Otherwise, have ready a couple of dinner plates and plastic wrap on which to scoop the dough.
- Put the raisins in a small saucepan and add just enough water to cover. Bring to a simmer and let simmer for 5 minutes. Drain raisins reserving ⅓ cup of raisin water. Let it cool completely.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and spices.
- With an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy.
- Add the eggs one at a time and beat just until smooth after each addition. Add the dates and beat until mixed. Make sure the raisins are cool, then add the raisins and ⅓ cup of the cooled raisin water. Add the dates, then stir in the flour mixture.
- Once flour mixture is fully incorporated, stir in the oats, dates, pecans and chocolate. The dough should be soft and easy to scoop.
- Using a scant medium size cookie scoop, scoop out about 40 equal size balls. You can arrange them on plates and chill until ready to bake, or bake right away. Maida made hers a bit smaller and got 48. You could also make them larger.
- To bake right away, spoon the rounds onto parchment lined baking sheets and bake 1 sheet at a time at 400 degrees F for about 12 to 14 minutes. The cookies should be thick, roundish and golden brown.
- Let cool slightly on cookie sheet for about 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.