Crispy Oatmeal Cookies

I've once again been away for awhile.  This time for a horrible reason.  My father had a massive heart attack on January 9th & passed away on January 13th after being in a coma.  It has been the worst month of my entire 44 years.  I'm so sad and my family is devastated. Luckily I live directly across the street from my parents and so I've been helping my mom with all sorts of things that my father used to do.  I've had the past 3 weeks off of work and so I HAVE been baking but just not taking the time to post anything.  I must post this delicious oatmeal cookie recipe though.  It's from my latest Cooks Illustrated magazine.  My husband only likes crunchy cookies and has been begging me to make oatmeal raisin and when I came across this recipe, I knew I had to make it.  They are wonderful and crunchy. After being stored in a ziplock bag for a day, they were still slightly crunchy but the middle was mostly chewy.  The recipe does not call for cinnamon but I think its a must.  It also did not call for raisins but I threw in a big handful.  Soooo good!  I made a double recipe of these and it really didn't produce that many cookies. These cookies were a huge hit with everyone. So many folks have asked for the recipe...so here it is!

My father would have loved these!  Oatmeal raisin were his favorite. Love you Dad!

Thin and Crispy Oatmeal Cookies



Cook's Illustrated






Makes 24 cookies

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

14 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 3/4 sticks), softened but still cool, about 65 degrees
1 cup granulated sugar (7 ounces)

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar (1 3/4 ounces)

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 teaspoon cinnamon (recipe did not call for it but I belive it's a necessity in this recipe - sift with the dry ingredients)

Recipe also did not call for raisins but I threw in a big handful.




1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl.



2. In standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars at medium-low speed until just combined, about 20 seconds. Increase speed to medium and continue to beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute longer. Scrape down bowl with rubber spatula. Add egg and vanilla and beat on medium-low until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Scrape down bowl again. With mixer running at low speed, add flour mixture and mix until just incorporated and smooth, 10 seconds. With mixer still running on low, gradually add oats and mix until well incorporated, 20 seconds. Give dough final stir with rubber spatula to ensure that no flour pockets remain and ingredients are evenly distributed.



3. Divide dough into 24 equal portions, each about 2 tablespoons (or use #30 cookie scoop), then roll between palms into balls. Place cookies on prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 21/2 inches apart, 8 dough balls per sheet (see note above). Using fingertips, gently press each dough ball to 3/4-inch thickness.



4. Bake 1 sheet at a time until cookies are deep golden brown, edges are crisp, and centers yield to slight pressure when pressed, 13 to 16 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely on sheet. (The magazine mentioned that these cookies will become more crispy if you make sure you cool these completely on the cookie sheet after removing them from the oven)