Cookie Recipe: Oatmeal Apple Raisin Cookies

by Flavia Scalzitti on November 30th, 2018 | No Comments »

Cookies—Two weeks ago, I traveled to Connecticut to visit my mom for a few days. My younger sister and my adorable four-year-old nephew came, too, and it was a weekend of rest, relaxation, cooking, and baking.

The day after we arrived, we visited a local orchard to pick out some pumpkins and apples. The orchard was nestled amidst rolling hills filled with trees with leaves in all shades of red, orange, and yellow. There was a chill in the air, the sky was a vivid shade of blue, and the sun was brilliant. It was autumn splendor at its best. We took a tractor ride that took us to the apple orchard and we wasted no time in picking beautiful specimens of Sta-Crisp and the last of some Granny Smith apples. Our bounty came in at 20 pounds!

When we came home, my mom and I washed and dried each apple and brought them down to her basement where they would stay cool until we were ready to use them. I had fun teaching my mom how to make homemade pie crust and we made the most amazing apple pie, apple crisp, and apple crumb pie.

These Oatmeal Apple Raisin Cookies were a delicious treat my mom had waiting for me, my sister, and nephew when we arrived to her home from our flight up. We could not stop munching on them! The recipe is from one of the many local orchards in my mom's area and it is one that I have added to my fall baking recipe binder. They aren't the prettiest looking cookies, but what they lack in looks they more than make up for in flavor and texture. Warm cinnamon and nutmeg give these cookies perfect fall flavor and plump raisins and tangy Granny Smith apple keep these cookies moist and add a delightful chewy texture that I love. Between the fruit and the oats in these cookies, I think these would make a perfect breakfast cookie, paired with a fruit smoothie or a cold glass of milk. These cookies are fall in a cookie jar. Enjoy and Happy Baking!

Oatmeal Apple Raisin Cookies

Makes approx. 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cups (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (packed) brown sugar
1 egg, at room temperature
1/4 cup milk (whole or 2%)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups quick-cooking oats
3/4 cups raisins
1 cup peeled, diced apple
3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and brown sugar over medium speed until lightened in texture and color. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add in the egg, milk, and vanilla extract and mix until all the ingredients are incorporated. The batter will look curdled—this is normal.

Over low speed, gradually add in the flour-spice mixture and mix until the batter is smooth and all the ingredients are well incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add in the oats, raisins, diced apple, and walnuts (if using) and mix on low briefly until the ingredients are distributed throughout the batter. Finish mixing the batter by hand using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Chill the cookie dough for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Drop 2 tablespoon mounds of cookie dough onto the baking sheets, spacing each cookie 2 inches apart. Bake for 15 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through the baking time (around the 8-minute mark). When the cookies have finished baking, remove the baking sheets to cooling racks and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring them to the cooling rack to finish cooling completely.

To store: Because of the higher moisture content of these cookies from the apple, these cookies keep best stored on a plate at room temperature in a single layer covered lightly with plastic wrap or a clean dishcloth. Eat within 3-4 days.