
My youngest Charlie knows that “oatmeal” is the correct word, but still insists on calling his favorite kind of cookie “oakmeal and raisin.” Since he likes the combination so much, I keep tweaking and perfecting recipes to enrich the possibilities. This one is my favorite. Toasting the Irish oats & rum-soaking the raisins makes “ordinary” ingredients extra-ordinary. Put that with never-plain-jane papaya, coconut and pineapple (“frilly” fruits on their own) and honey, and you have a beautiful, pliable cookie.
Makes 5 dozen cookies
Cookie Batter Ingredients
- 2 cups raw Irish Kilbeggan Organic Porridge oats (substitute old-fashioned rolled oats if need be)
- 1 1/2 sticks butter, soft
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 4 eggs
- 2 tsp pure orange extract
- 1/2 cup mild-flavored honey
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened flaked coconut (Bobs Mill)
- 2 cups unbleached flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp each, baking powder and salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup each dried pineapple and papaya, chopped
- 1 cup raisins that have been soaked in 1/2 cup rum overnight
- 1 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325. Toast oats on a cookie sheet for 15 minutes.
- Whip butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Stir in honey, extract and coconut flakes.
- Sift dry ingredients together (except oats) and stir into butter mixture. Stir in toasted oats, dried fruit and nuts.
- On parchment lined cookie sheets, drop dough in rounded teaspoonfuls onto sheets (about 2 inches apart.)
- Bake at 325 for 14 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Store in airtight containers.