Raisin Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

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This article was published 24/12/2010 (5733 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Day 21 of the Free Press’s 21 Days of Holiday Cookies features Raisin pecan oatmeal cookies. We will be publishing one cookie recipe every day — Monday to Saturday — till Christmas.

As we wrap up the cookie-a-day swap, I would like to thank everyone who so graciously and generously took the time to send in recipes, stories and holiday memories. I received so many wonderful recipes — far more than I could use even in 21 days — that I’ll be keeping them on file for next year.

The cookies were fabulous, of course, but so were the stories. The whole project was a potent reminder that baking can spread warmth, connect generations and affirm family traditions.

Finally, since I don’t think I can top the offerings of this very decadent month — oh, the pounds of chocolate and butter I’ve gone through! — I thought I’d finish with the kind of lumpy, homey cookie you can put out for Santa. It’s from one of my family recipes.

Raisin Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

227 g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
250 ml (1 cup) brown sugar
250 ml (1 cup) white sugar
2 extra-large eggs
10 ml (2 tsp) vanilla
375 ml ( 1 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
5 ml (1 tsp) baking powder
5 ml (1 tsp) salt
5 ml (1 tsp) cinnamon
750 ml (3 cups) old-fashioned large flake oats (not instant)
375 ml (1 1/2 cups) raisins
375 ml (1 1/2 cups) pecans, chopped and toasted

Preheat over to 175C (350F). In an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, if available, beat butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing at low speed until combined. Add vanilla.

In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Add flour mixture to butter mixture and beat until combined. Add oats, raisins and pecans and mix until just combined.

Using a tablespoon, drop about 4 cm (1 1/2 in) mounds of dough onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten lightly with damp fingers.

Bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly browned.

Tester’s notes: A nice old-fashioned cookie — a little crunchy, a little chewy, and very comforting.

Alison Gillmor
Writer

Studying at the University of Winnipeg and later Toronto’s York University, Alison Gillmor planned to become an art historian. She ended up catching the journalism bug when she started as visual arts reviewer at the Winnipeg Free Press in 1992.

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