Super Size Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

My family loves these cookies.

When I make a batch of these… They only last a few days…

I can’t help but eat a cookie after each meal.

I pack a piece with my husband’s lunch.

My son loves them when they’re a bit chewy and he eats them with a glass of soymilk.

I prefer mine to be 50/50: crispy and chewy at the same time. I like to have that crunch when I first bite into it.  And then have it linger in my mouth just for a second longer.  Savoring the chewiness of the oatmeal.  Tasting the sweetness of the raisins, while a hint of salt dances on my tongue…

I have been making a batch of these cookies every week.  And when the cookie jar becomes empty, I rush to make another batch.

For those of you, who prefer the convenience of using butter, please do.  You just have to make the following adjustments:

• Substitute 1 cup (2 sticks) butter in place of coconut oil
• Use 2 large eggs as indicated, and omit the 2 egg yolks

Here’s what you need… and do…

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ground nutmeg.

Then have these ingredients ready…

Using a Kitchen Aid Mixer, cream the following:  coconut oil (or butter if using butter), brown and granulated, eggs and egg yolks, and vanilla extract.

Blend until creamy on a medium speed.

Add the flour mixture and blend on low speed.  Increase the speed to medium and blend for 2 minutes.

Add the raisins.  And blend on low speed.

Add the oatmeal.  Blend on low speed.

Once oatmeal is incorporated into this mixture… increase the speed to medium.  And blend for 2 minutes.

Cookie Batter will be thick and sticky…

Use an ice cream scooper to scoop six cookie dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet.

Flatten cookies using a fork until they are about 4 inches round.

Bake cookies in a preheated oven at 350F for 13 – 15 minutes.

The Recipe

Super Size Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Yield: About 14 super size (5 inches or larger round) cookies

Ingredients:

1 ¾ cups all purpose flour

¾ tsp. baking soda

¾ teaspoon baking powder

½ tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. ground nutmeg (best when freshly grated)

5/6 cup coconut oil (1/2 cup + 1/3 cup)

1 ½ cups dark brown sugar – firmly packed

¼ cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

2 ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 cup raisins

3 ½ cups old fashioned rolled oats

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, kosher salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer set over medium speed, cream together, coconut oil, brown and granulated sugar, eggs and egg yolks, and vanilla extract.  (If you don’t have an electric mixer, you  may use a large mixing bowl and mix by hand with a wooden spoon, until creamy.)

Add the flour mixture.  Stir over low speed, then increase the speed to medium and blend until well mixed, about 2 minutes.

Add the raisins.  Stir to mix. Add the rolled oats. Stir until well blended.  (The mixture will be thick and a bit difficult to scoop.)

Lightly grease or line 2 large cookie sheets.

I use an ice cream scooper to scoop and shape the cookie dough.

Using an ice cream scooper, scoop six cookie dough mixture onto each cookie sheet.

Flatten each cookie with a fork. (I flatten each cookie to about 4 inches round.  When baked, these cookies expand to about 5 inches.  That’s why I only bake 6 cookies at a time.)

Bake cookies in a preheated oven at 350°F for 13 – 16 minutes.

For chewy cookies, bake them for 13 – 14 minutes.  And for crispier cookies, bake them for 15 – 16 minutes.

Remove cookies from the oven and let stand for about 5 minutes, and then remove them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container.

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Tess Harris

Cranberry Walnut Squares

Perfect as an afternoon snack in the office when you’re looking for that extra energy to get you through the day.  Definitely better than getting something from a vending machine.  You might even bring some extra… because if your office mates find out you’re eating one of these delicious and appealing bars… they’re going to want some too!

These Cranberry Walnut Squares are loaded with dried cranberries, chopped walnuts, flaked coconuts and raisins.

These squares are great for picnics.  As travel foods… And if you have kids… are undeniably healthier snacks compared to a regular candy bar.

Once you have gathered al the ingredients you need… these bars only take minutes to prepare.

Yes… it’s simple and easy… and for a little effort, you will be rewarded with all these goodies.  I’ve used Kitchen Aid mixer in mixing the crust.  And I’ve also used spatula and my hands/fingers.  For those who may not have an electric mixer.

Below are what you need for this recipe:

Crust ingredients: old fashioned oatmeal, all purpose flour, brown sugar, baking powder, kosher salt, coconut oil and milk, and ground cinnamon.

These are what you need for the filling ingredients: dried cranberries, raisins, walnuts, sweetened flaked coconut, sugar, all purpose flour, dried orange peel (optional) freshly squeezed orange juice, eggs and vanilla extract.

Making the Crust:

Measure one and one half cup of uncooked oatmeal into a food processor.

Pulse a few times until crumbly.

And pour the contents into a large mixing bowl.

Add to the coarsely ground oatmeal the rest of the crust ingredients.

Mix them up with your hands, breaking up the lumps of brown sugar.

Since the coconut oil is solid.  I melted it in the microwave for 30 seconds.  And added 1/2 cup of coconut milk.

Add these to the oatmeal, flour and sugar mixture.

If you are using butter… this is where you’ll add the melted butter to the  oatmeal and flour mixture.

Oatmeal, flour and sugar mixture with the coconut oil/milk combination.

Mix until crumbly.

Mix well until soft dough chunks are formed.

*** If using butter, the mixture will be more crumbly and will not form into soft chunks of dough.

Reserve half the crust (soft chunks of dough) for topping.

Meanwhile…

Press half of the crust onto a 9 x 13″ rectangular pan.

Bake bottom crust for 8 minutes.

And while you’re cooling the crust.  Mix the filling.

The Filling:

In a large mixing bowl, combine dried fruits, walnuts, and flaked coconuts.

And flour and sugar.

Mix.

Add orange juice.

In another bowl.  Beat eggs and vanilla extract.

Add beaten eggs to the dried fruits, flour, sugar mixture.

Stir until eggs/vanilla extract is absorb and a sticky mixture is formed.

Add the filling to the cooled crust.

Press the remaining crust over the filling.

I made small flat patches out of the remaining crust/soft dough chunks, by either pressing them in between my palms or between two pieces of waxed paper.  And then placing the flat patches (crust) over the filling.

And then bake in preheated oven for 28 – 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes of baking…

Completely cool for at least 2 hours before cutting into squares.

Serve as snacks, travel food, in place of lunch, and for kids lunch pack…

The Recipe:

Cranberry Walnut Squares

Crust:

1 ½ cups uncooked oatmeal – coarsely ground

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 ¼ cup brown sugar

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp. kosher salt

¼ cup coconut oil melted

½ cup coconut milk

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Measure the coconut oil into a microwavable measuring cup.  Microwave for 30 seconds.  Add ½ cup coconut milk to the melted coconut oil In.  Stir.

Ground Old Fashioned Oatmeal in a food processor until coarse.

Empty the ground oatmeal into a large mixing bowl.  Add flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.  Mix with your hands, crumbling the brown sugar.  Give the coconut oil/milk a quick stir.  And power over the oatmeal and flour mixture.   Mix with your hands until soft chunks of dough formed.  Divide mixture in half.

Press half of the soft chunks of dough into the bottom of a 9”x13” baking pan… pressing on the corners and sides.

Bake Crust in the preheated oven for 8 minutes.  Remove crust from the oven and cool while you mix the filling.

Filling:

1 (6 ounce) package dried cranberries

1 cup walnuts – chopped

½ cup sweetened flaked coconut

½ cup raisins

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup + 1 TBSP. unbleached all purpose flour

1 tsp. dried orange peel – Optional (Available in the “spices section” at your local grocers.)

1/8 tsp. kosher salt

3 TBSPs. freshly squeeze orange juice

1 tsp. vanilla

2 extra large eggs

In a large mixing bowl… combine dried cranberries, chopped walnuts, flaked coconut, raisins, sugar, flour, dried orange peel, and salt.  Using a spatula, stir all these ingredients until well combined.  Add the orange juice and stir to coat all the dry ingredients.

In a separate bowl… whisk together eggs and vanilla extract just until lightly beaten.  Pour over the cranberry – walnut mixture.  Stir with a spatula until all ingredients are combined.

Spread filling mixture onto the cooled crust.

In between your palm, or between two waxed paper, flatten the soft dough chunks into flat patches, and place over the filling.  Press lightly with your hand.

Bake at 350°F for 27 – 30 minutes or until the sides or edges of the crust are golden brown.  Do not over bake.   Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Print a recipe using butter.

Tess’ Kitchen Secrets:

#1 – Coconut oil and coconut milk make these squares dairy free.  And it  makes the crust a bit more crispy and less crumbly.  And if it weren’t for the eggs, these bars would be considered vegan.

#2 – Walnuts blend so well with these bars.

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Tess Harris

Highly Addictive Granola

My son is 18 years old, and he eats this every single day for breakfast, and he tops his fruit sorbet with this too!

This recipe can be a granola bar, but I prefer to crumble, and add it  to a breakfast cereal.  I don’t limit myself. I eat this for breakfast, snacks, and dessert and not feel guilty about it.  This granola is loaded with dried fruits, and sliced almonds, which are high in fiber.

I started making this sometime in August on a search for something good and healthy, and I have been making this since, every two weeks for my son.

I was at a large supermarket several months ago, buying dried fruits and sliced almonds.  And next to the dried fruits were plastic containers of granola.  By the look of those, I was almost shocked to see how dried they were.  I think they were mostly oatmeal and less fruits and nuts.  I don’t know… let’s just say that they did not look appealing.  Even if I am feeling too lazy, I don’t think I can make myself buy them, let alone eat them.

Anyway…

If you’re like me, you might want to try this granola recipe, that we are crazy about.

Ingredients:

3 cups old fashioned oatmeal

1 ½ cups sliced almonds

1 cup finely grated coconut, unsweetened (available in health food stores)

¾ cup honey

½ cup Brown sugar

3 TBSPs. Coconut oil

2 TBSPs. Coconut milk or water

2 tsps. pure vanilla extract

¼ tsp. kosher salt

1 cup whole pitted dates – chopped

¾ cup dried cranberries (Ocean’s Spray – original flavor, sweetened)

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Grease a 9” x 13” x 2” baking pan with coconut oil. (It’s best to nonstick baking pan, like Baker’s Secret, because it tends to make the granola crunchier.)

In a large mixing bowl, combine oatmeal, almonds and grated coconut.  Pour mixture into a thick or heavy duty baking sheet (available in restaurant supply stores).  Bake for 12 minutes.  Remove from the oven and toss.  Bake for another 5 minutes or until lightly browned.  Remove from the oven and cool while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

In a heavy bottomed sauce pan, combine honey, brown sugar, coconut oil, coconut milk, vanilla extract and kosher salt.  Stir and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Let mixture boil for about 1 minute.  Turn off heat.

In a large mixing bowl, add dates and cranberries.  Add the toasted oatmeal, almonds and coconut mixture.  Pour over the sweet liquid mixture.  Stir until well combined and the granola are coated with the sweet liquid.  Pour mixture into the prepared baking pan.  Wet your hands and lightly press granola, evenly into the pan.  Bake for 28 minutes.

Cool for at least 3 hours before cutting into bars, and or crumbling them.  Store in a tightly covered plastic container.  Will last about 4 – 5 days at room temperature, longer if stored in the refrigerator.  If refrigerated, just be sure take the out and allow them to come to room temperature before serving.

Note: You can substitute coconut oil with 5 tablespoons butter, and omit the coconut milk.

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Tess