Thursday, May 12, 2011

Chocolate-Chip Oatmeal Cookies with Craisins

It has been a very busy week with traveling for family get togethers and work. While I was at home I tried these cookies that my Dad had made from a Cooks Illustrated recipe. They were pretty delicious so I had to try and replicate with a few modifications of course. I tried to use what I had at home and avoid another trip to the store. It normally calls for cherries but I used craisins and I used chocolate chips which I always have on hand, instead of the bittersweet chocolate. I think they turned out pretty good and will definitely be keeping this recipe.

Chocolate-Chunk Oatmeal Cookies With Pecans and Dried Cherries

Makes 16 big cookies

Ingredients:

o    1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (I used ¼ cup whole wheat pastry flour)
o    3/4 teaspoon baking powder
o    ½ teaspoon baking soda
o    ½ teaspoon Salt
o    1 ¼ cups old fashioned oats
o    1 cup toasted pecans, chopped (I didn’t have any at home so omitted)
o    1 cup dried tart cherries, chopped coarse (I used cranraisins)
o    4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped(I used semi sweet chocolate chips)
o    12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, but still cool
o    1 ½ cups packed brown sugar
o    1 large eggs
o    1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  2. Line 2 large (18 x 12) baking sheets with parchment paper. If you do not have this size, you will need to use 3.

  3. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl.

  4. In second medium bowl, stir together, oats, pecans, cherries and chocolate.

  1. In a standing mixer fitted with flat beater, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until no sugar lumps remain, about 1 minute.

  2. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula; add egg and vanilla and beat on medium-low speed until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds.

  3. Scrape down bowl; with mixer running at low speed, add flour mixture; mix until just combined, about 30 seconds.

  4. With mixer still running on low, gradually add oat mixture; mix until just incorporated. (You don’t want to crush the chocolate chips.)

  5. Give dough final stir with rubber spatula to ensure that no flour pockets remain and ingredients are evenly distributed.

  6. Divide dough evenly into 16 portions; about 1/4 cup each.

  7. Roll between palms into balls about 2 inches in diameter; stagger 8 balls on each baking sheet, spacing about 2 ½ inches apart.

  8. Using hands, gently press each dough ball into 1 inch thickness. Bake both sheets 12 minutes, rotate them front to back and top to bottom, then continue to bake until cookies are medium brown and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (cookies will seem underdone and will appear raw, wet and shiny in cracks), 8 to 10 minutes longer. (I baked each cookie tray individually for 18 minutes). Do Not Over Bake.

  9. Cool cookies on baking sheets on wire rack 5 minutes; using wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and cool to room temperature.

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