Raisin Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

April 7th, 2010


A cookie is a cookie . . . right? Not this cookie. Ina Garten has done it again. She has transformed a ho-hum oatmeal cookie into something very special indeed. I tried to exercise my weight control strategy of portion control by eating just one cookie to see if it was worth the effort and found that I needed just one more . . . and then another. By bedtime, I could not resist a glass of milk and just one more cookie. Even my husband, who loves all things chocolate said these were really good cookies. I am trying to analyse what made them so good. Was it the buttery flavor? Was it the generous amount of cinnamon? The dark brown sugar or the vanilla? Maybe toasting the pecan pieces first brought out the nutty goodness. Whatever it was, it was a “perfect storm” of flavors that came together from the first bite to the last. The only advice I would pass on to you is that I ended up with 52 cookies and Ina says that the recipe makes 30 to 35. Mine were smaller and crispier. Not a bad thing in my opinion.

It is Barefoot Blogger Thursday again and I want to thank Leslie of Lethally Delicious for choosing an Ina Garten recipe that I normally would have passed up as just another ordinary oatmeal cookie. It is anything but ordinary. Come and join the rest of our group and cook up everything Barefoot Contessa on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month. How easy is that?

RAISIN PECAN OATMEAL COOKIES

1 1/2 cups pecans
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1 cup granulated sugar
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon groun d cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
1 1/2 cups raisins

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the pecans on a sheet pan and bake for 5 minutes, until crisp. Set aside to cool. Chop very coarsely.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachement, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, add the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla.

Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together into a medium bowl. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Add the oats, raisins, and pecans and mix just until combined.

Using a small ice-cream scoop or a tablespoon, drop 2 inch mound of dough onto sheet pans lined with parchment paper. Flatten slightly with a damp hand. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Transfer the cookies to a baking rack and cool completely.

18 responses to “Raisin Pecan Oatmeal Cookies”

  1. Susan says:

    Oh Penny! I could not have these in the house. I am not that strong. They look absolutely wonderful!!

  2. I agree with Susan. I could not have these in the house either.

    However, I won’t forget all you’ve said about their goodness. You never know when someone will ask me to bring cookies (which I never make and would have panicked at the thought). Now, thanks to you and Ina, I’ll be perfectly calm and know which recipe to choose. Thanks Penny.
    Sam
    Sam

  3. Anncoo says:

    Looks yummy! Can’t wait to try those.

  4. Leslie says:

    Yay! I’m so glad you both enjoyed them! I think Ina has a perfect palate and these cookies were proof of that. Thanks for baking along with me this week!

  5. Holly says:

    Oh yummy!! My favorite kind of cookie…I’m gonna have to print this one:)

  6. Your cookies look wonderful…and they’re making me hungry again 🙂

    I agree, these are dangerously good. I’m trying to figure out how to get rid of these before I eat anymore.

  7. Snowbell says:

    I actually decided to freeze them to stop myself from eating them…

  8. LDH says:

    Oh, Penny, weren’t these delicious! Everyone in our family loved them! So fun to share our baking with each other!

    Kindly, ldh

  9. Lynda says:

    I wouldn’t be able to stop eating these wonderful cookies! I love pecans in oatmeal cookies and find them very addictive. Thanks for a great recipe to add to my arsenal.

  10. 林昀睿 says:

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

  11. Lyla says:

    This column is a gift from the heavens. My husband’s very favorite cookie is oatmeal raisin but I have tired of the recipe on the Quaker Oatmeal canister. If these are as good as the chocolate chip cookie recipe you posted–now our very favorite–, then I will owe you forever, forever friend. Thanks.

  12. I love oatmeal cookies. These look delicious!

  13. I always love a new cookie recipe. I will make and take the results to work with me. My co-workers do not lie. I will report the results. Thank you for sharing. 🙂 Gary

  14. These raisin pecan oatmeal cookies sound splendid!

  15. Katy ~ says:

    I’m usually a plain Jane oatmeal cookie girl, but you make these sound so good, I think I cannot resist. Bookmarked!

  16. Sophie says:

    Waw!! these cookies look so tasty & part!! I love evry flavour in it, Penny!

    MMMMM,…you have a COOL foodblog!

  17. How easy is that? Very funny! Love your blog that I just found!

  18. As I write this, the first batch of these cookies have cooled sufficiently for me to try them, and WHAMO they are goood! A little hard around the edges and chewy in a nice, substantial way in the middle. Just enough cinnammon and pecan. Oh, my co-workers are gonna be lucky ducks tomorrow. Thanks Penny!

© Penny Klett, Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen. All rights reserved.