52 cookies :: week 11 :: oatmeal raisin cookies

I attended graduate school at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. I loved my time there. to me it represented the quintessential grad school experience and all the best of college-town life. there were great cafes, a wonderful movie house, a pub, specialty candy and coffee shop, the most amazing selection of apples a farmers' market could offer, and lots of used bookstores. I made some amazing friendships there - that i still cherish.

one classmate - jennifer - was a great cook and baker - and introduced me to the silver palate cookbook. i had never heard of the silver palate - nor Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins - but the book has become a mainstay of my cookbook shelf.

i have often substituted chocolate chips for the raisins here. (my kids - as i am sure they will reveal - are not raisin fans.) but i'll stay true to the original tonight:

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
from The Silver Palate Cookbook

12 tblsp (1 1/2 sticks) sweet butter
1/2 c granulated sugar
1 c brown sugar
1 egg
2 tblsp water
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 c quick-oats
1 c raisins

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare two cookies sheets with silpats.

Cream butter, and both sugars until fluffy. Add egg and mix thoroughly. Mix in water and vanilla extract.

Sift together flour, cinnamon, salt and baking soda and add to wet mixture. Mix well. Add oats and raisins and mix.

Form cookies with regular sized ice cream scoop - wetting hand and flattening to 5 inch rounds.

Cook 15 to 17 minutes, until edges are done but centers are still soft. Remove to rack and cool.

Makes 25 - 30 large cookies



K: I don't really care for the cookies. Because I don't like raisins. So I just give them to my friends, who like them. If I liked this cookie, this one would be the best kind.

E: Ehh, so-so. It would be PERFECT if u replaced the raisins with chocolate chips. (If u r not a raisin fan just eat around.)

D: Now, I don't normally enjoy oatmeal raisin cookies but I got to tell you that this cookie gets me. It's chewy, sweet, salty, the oats keep it mellow, and there is the slightest bit of crunch on the edges. I put this cookie through many tests. It tastes great with wine but best with a cold beer. I just might eat all of them!