Oatmeal Craisin Cookies

This is one of my own recipes, and like my other cookies I like a nice mix of hard, yet slightly chewy texture. I developed this recipe for Christmas, so this is not your normal everyday oatmeal raisin cookie, as you might have guessed from the title I used craisins instead of raisins. I think it added a nice flavor and a new spin on this old cookie. And since these were for Christmas, I used a little seasonal spice; Nutmeg, Cinamon, and a small pinch of Allspice.

These were a huge hit the first time I made them, so much so I had to increase my yield for Christmas. My new recipe now makes around eighty-two cookies. Just perfect for the baker who needs to make a large quantity for the holidays! Anyway, I hope you give these a try, and drop me a comment letting me know what you thought!

Note: Makes About 82 Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Butter, Softened
• 2 Cups Brown Sugar, Dark
• 1 1/2 Cups White Sugar
• 4 Eggs
• 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 Cup Milk
• 3 1/2 Cups Flour, All-Purpose
• 2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
• 2 Teaspoons Cinnamon
• 1/2 Teaspoon Nutmeg
• 1/8 Teaspoon All-Spice
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
• 5 Cups Rolled Oats
• 2 1/2 Cups Craisins

Directions:

1. Pre-Heat Oven to 375°F
2. In large bowl combine Flour, Baking Soda, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, All-Spice, and Salt. Whisk about a 30 seconds or so to mix.
3. In medium bowl cream together the Sugars and Butter until fluffy.
4. Add Eggs, Milk, and Vanilla to sugar mixture. Using either a whisk or electric mixer, blend until all is well incorporated.
5. Combine Sugar mixture into Flour mixture and thoroughly mix until a soft dough forms.
6. Fold in Oats and Raisins until well incorporated.
7. At this point I would refrigerate for about 30 minutes to firm up the dough as well as allow the oats to absorb some of the flavor.
8. Using a melon baller, scoop out about one well rounded tablespoon of dough and place on your cookie sheet, giving about two inches between each one.
9. Bake in oven approximately 12 minutes or until golden. Since this recipe makes about 82 cookies, and I have large baking sheets that hold 15 cookies each, I like to bake two sheets at a time. In doing so, at the 6min mark I rotate the sheets. Top goes to bottom, and bottom to top, as well as rotating the pans so front is now back and back is now front. This is optional, especially if you happen to have a convection oven. Sadly I do not.
10. Once done in the oven, remove cookies from baking sheet and place on cooling rack to prevent further "baking" (the residual heat from the cookie sheet could cause darkening on the bottom of the cookie).
11.  Allow about 10min to cool, Enjoy!