January 7, 2011

a moment to reflect – rum-raisin oatmeal cookies

cookies, fruit
a moment to reflect – rum-raisin oatmeal cookies

Happy New Year to you, your family, and your love ones.

2010 has been a year of connections. To all my Twitter friends, your gracious, insightful and witty conversations have allowed my voice to be heard. For that I am truly thankful.

After weeks of celebrations, we all probably yearn for a quiet moment to reflect on 2010 before we comfortably settle into 2011; (It always takes a bit of concentration for me to start writing checks without mindlessly scribbling the wrong year.)

Of course, you’ll need the perfect comfort food at hand for that moment of reflection. After baking all the fancy holiday treats, cookies and desserts, I wanted a simple Oatmeal Raisin cookie, which has a comfort profile different from that of a Chocolate Chip cookie.

An Oatmeal Raisin Cookie might at first seem mundane after the holidays, but it won’t be if you make a batch of Rum Raisin Oatmeal Cookies. Just a simple soaking of the raisins, and you can quietly continue the new year celebration. The rum raises this cookie to something special, and  it doesn’t have any of the heaviness of many alcohol-based deserts. You’re left with a light rum flavor; the alcohol burns off in the baking, The slightly crisp edges give way to the chewy soft center filled with raisins and oatmeal. It’s the right way to coast into the New Year.

Print Recipe

Rum-Raisin Oatmeal Cookies

Yield: about 16-18 3-inch cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1-1/2 cups raisins
  • 5 tablespoons dark rum
  • 16 tablespoons (8 ounces/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened but still firm
  • 1 cup (8 ounces) packed light brown sugar
  • 1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1-1/2 cups (7-1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
  • 3 cups (9 ounces) rolled oats

Directions:

1. Add rum and raisins in a small bowl. Stir o combine, let sit for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

2. Adjust oven racks to low and middle positions; heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with silpat or parchment paper. Set aside.

3. Mix flour, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg together, set aside.

4. In bowl of electric mixer, fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add sugars; beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well combined.

5. Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture into butter-sugar mixture in 2-3 batches until just combined.

6. Stop mixer and stir in oats and raisins with rubber spatula until evenly distributed.

7. Form dough into 16-18 2-inch balls, placing each dough round onto one of two prepared cookie sheets. Bake cookie for 10 minutes,switch cookie sheets from front to back and top to bottom. Bake for another 12-15 minutes until edges turn golden brown but still fairly pale overall. Slide cookies on parchment onto cooling rack. Let cool at least 30 minutes before serving.

cookies, fruit
17 Comments »