Get in my belly.

What makes you happier than an oatmeal cookie?

Nothing. I dare you to tell me there is something more comforting than that cinnamon oatmeal smell wafting out of your kitchen at 8 in the morning on Christmas Eve.  I dare you!  

What makes you happier than an oatmeal cookie?

A tower of oatmeal cookies. Duh.

Crispy on the edges, chewy in the center.  The faint hug of nutmeg wraps around your belly, and you sigh in delight. GET IN MY BELLY.

Oatmeal Golden Raisin Cookies 

1/2 cup (1 stick or 4 ounces) butter, softened
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350°F.  In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth.

In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together. Stir this into the butter/sugar mixture. Stir in the oats, raisins and walnuts, if using them. 

At this point you can either chill the dough for a bit in the fridge and then scoop it, or scoop the cookies onto a sheet and then chill the whole tray before baking them. 

You could also bake them right away, if you’re impatient, but I do find that they end up slightly less thick. The cookies should be two inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. 

Bake them for 10 to 12 minutes (your baking time will vary, depending on your oven and how cold the cookies were going in), taking them out when golden at the edges but still a little undercooked-looking on top. Let them sit on the hot baking sheet for five minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool.

Try to take it easy on these guys, even raisins can give you a belly ache.

Love,

Whit