Ultimate Recipes

Amount Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
     1/2           cup butter -- softened
     1/2           cup butter-flavored Crisco
1                cup packed light brown sugar
     1/2           cup sugar
2                     eggs
1           teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2           cups all-purpose flour
1           teaspoon baking soda
1           teaspoon ground cinnamon
     1/2      teaspoon ground cloves -- (leave this out or cut it back. too strong)
     1/2      teaspoon salt
3               cups rolled oats
1                cup dried cranberries -- or chopped dates
     1/2           cup cinnamon chips or semi-sweet chocolate
                        chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, butter flavored shortening, brown sugar, white sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Stir in the oats, dried cranberries, and chips. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let them cool for 2 minutes before removing from cookie sheets to cool completely. Store in airtight container.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 195 Calories; 9g Fat (40.9% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 26g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 26mg Cholesterol; 145mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Fruit; 1 1/2 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates.

NOTES : These cookies are very good. somewhat crisp outside and chewy inside. The clove taste is a bit too strong so I would cut back on it. I compared them side by side with oatmeal cookie kings. only diff between this recipe and that one is this one has 1/2 cup less sugar. the oatmeal cookies kings had a better texture (more crisp outside) and they were thicker. the cookie kings were better overall in both taste and texture. these cookies weren't flat, but they wern't quite as thick as the cookie kings. and they were crisp outside, but not as crisp outside as the cookie kings.

Amount Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1                  c unsalted butter -- softened
1 1/4           cups firmly packed light brown sugar
     3/4           cup granulated sugar
2              large eggs
1           teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2               cups all-purpose flour
4               cups rolled oats
1           teaspoon baking soda
1           teaspoon ground cinnamon
     1/2      teaspoon ground nutmeg
     1/2      teaspoon salt
2               cups raisins

Cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs to the butter mixture one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and beat until well blended. Combine the flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a separate bowl. Stir to mix. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and stir just until the dry ingredients are moist and blended. Do not overmix. Add the raisins and stir just until combined.

Scoop the dough with a 1/4-cup (2-ounce) ice cream scoop or by the heaping tablespoon and drop onto the
prepared baking sheets about 3 inches apart. Press the cookies flat with the back of a spatula to a thickness of about 1/4 to 1/2 inch.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 5538 Calories; 216g Fat (34.6% calories from fat); 91g Protein; 829g Carbohydrate; 43g Dietary Fiber; 870mg Cholesterol; 2588mg Sodium. Exchanges: 27 Grain(Starch); 1 1/2 Lean Meat; 41 1/2 Fat; 28 Other Carbohydrates.

Amount Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1                  c butter
1                  c sugar
1                  c packed brown sugar
2                     egg
1                tsp vanilla
2                  c flour
1                tsp baking soda
     1/2           tsp baking powder
     1/4           tsp salt
     1/2           tsp freshly grated nutmeg -- optional, see note*
2 1/2              c quick cooking oats

Preheat the oven to 375. Cream the butter with the sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well. Stir in the vanilla. In another bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Beat the flour mixture into the creamed mixture. Stir in the oats. Drop the dough by heaping tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto the cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 112 Calories; 5g Fat (36.5% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 17g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 19mg Cholesterol; 92mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

NOTES : this recipe is VERY similar to the cooks illustrated big and chewy recipe. it has 1/2 cup more flour and 1/2 cup less oats and it uses 1 tsp baking soda (in addition to the 1/2 tsp powder present in both recipes). but even though the recipes *look* similar, this one has a quite different texture. the texture is closer to the fabulous oatmeal cookies or maples inn cookies or the sara foster cookies or the cranberry oatmeal cookies. they didn't puff up as much as the Cooks Illustrated ones. they had a somewhat crisp outside (which might go away upon storing) and a soft chewy inside. not too sticky, but not as puffy as the Cooks Illustated ones. I liked the Cook's Illustrated texture better, because of their thickness and crispness. But these cookies were very good. I would have to say they are better than both the Fabulous and the Maples Inn cookies, though they are similar to both of those. **now I see why they are similar to the maples inn cookies. same F:B and S:B ratios.

Amount Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1                  c butter
1                  c firmly packed brown sugar
     1/2             c sugar
2                     eggs
1                tsp vanilla
1 1/2              c flour
1                tsp baking soda
1                tsp cinnamon
     1/2           tsp salt
3                  c oats
1                  c raisins

Heat oven to 350. Beat togehter butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, soda, cinnamon and salt. Mix well. Stir in oats and raisins. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet then move to wire rack.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 114 Calories; 5g Fat (36.6% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 16g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 18mg Cholesterol; 92mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

NOTES : this recipe looks very similar to a recipe I tried by CTSera (Oatmeal Raisin Cookies), but that recipe uses shortening and has a better texture than these. the taste was probably similar but the texture of CTSera's were better. They were chewy and a bit crisp, but not as chewy/crisp as I like.

Amount Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
     3/4           cup sugar
     1/4           cup brown sugar -- firmly packed
     1/2           cup butter -- softened
     1/2      teaspoon vanilla
1                     egg
1                cup flour
     1/2      teaspoon baking soda
     1/4      teaspoon cinnamon
     1/4      teaspoon salt
1 1/2           cups oats -- rolled (quick cooking)
     1/2           cup raisins or chocolate covered raisins

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 2968 Calories; 114g Fat (34.0% calories from fat); 59g Protein; 437g Carbohydrate; 29g Dietary Fiber; 435mg Cholesterol; 2177mg Sodium. Exchanges: 16 1/2 Grain(Starch); 2 Lean Meat; 21 Fat; 12 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

Amount Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1                cup firmly packed brown sugar
     3/4           cup shortening
     1/2           cup granulated sugar
     1/4           cup water
1                     egg
1           teaspoon vanilla
3               cups rolled oats
1                cup all-purpose flour
1           teaspoon salt
     1/2      teaspoon baking soda

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Beat brown sugar, shortening, and granulated sugar until creamy.
3. Add water, eggs, and vanilla: beat well.
4. Add combined oats, flour, salt, and baking soda: mix well.
5. Drop dough onto ungreased cookie sheets.
6. Bake 11 to 13 minutes until edges are golden brown.
7. Remove to wire rack; cool completely.
8. Store tightly covered.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 112 Calories; 5g Fat (38.4% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 16g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 5mg Cholesterol; 81mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

NOTES : These were very similar to the Maples Inn recipe. Nice texture... It did have a pretty crisp outside and a soft/chewy (but not too sticky) inside. The taste was good, too. I especially liked the nice oatiness. These seemed a bit sweeter. maybe because they used a higher ratio of brown to white sugar? I think these taste a bit better. but they are almost identical.

Amount Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
     1/2           cup shortening -- (I used butter flavored crisco)
     1/2           cup packed brown sugar
     3/8           cup granulated sugar
1                     eggs
     1/2      teaspoon vanilla extract
     7/8           cup all purpose flour -- sifted
     1/2      teaspoon baking soda
     1/2      teaspoon salt
     3/4      teaspoon cinnamon -- divided
1 1/4           cups rolled oats -- raw, divided
     3/4           cup raisins

Beat on low in mixer shortening, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; continue to beat on low until blended. In a separate bowl sift together flour, baking soda, salt and 1/2 rounded tsp. cinnamon. Add flour mixture to batter in small portions, mixing well. Add 2 cups rolled oats in small portions to mix on low.

Once dry ingredients are incorporated, add raisins to dry ingredients bowl. Add remaining tsp. cinnamon and toss gently to coat. Add remaining oats to raisins and toss again gently. Mix oat-cinnamon-raisin mixture into dough until well combined. Drop by tablespoons onto lightly greased cookie sheets.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 103 Calories; 5g Fat (41.1% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 14g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 8mg Cholesterol; 75mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

my notes: this recipe is similar to the Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies from the back of the box of oatmeal, but this one uses shortening instead of butter. these have a better texture than the Vanishing cookies. the shortening does the trick. give it that chewy in the middle crisp outside texture I love. perfect. the outer crisp layer is almost flaky. it is hard to describe. you will only get that crisp/flaky texture with pure shortening. but you can tell by the taste there is no butter. they taste very good, but I think you can tell there is no butter. hard to tell, though, if you aren't thinking about it.

JeAnne: Dangerously good. DH thanks you from the bottom of his heart. He loves oatmeal raisin and these are wonderful. I didn't try to lighten them and may have to next time because they are calling out to me from the counter

CTSera: they flew out of the jar! My dad said they were the best oatmeal raisin cookies he ever had, and my mother practically forced me to enter the recipe I'd created (the mix of yours and mine) into her Mastercook.