One of my favorite things to do between Thanksgiving and Christmas is to watch football, use hand tools, and engage in other manly stuff.
Who am I kidding? I spend the time baking (which I do consider, though, to be manly stuff). This year, Oatmeal Cookies with Raisins and Coconut are at the top of my list. They’re surprisingly light. They look cakey, but they’re actually pleasantly chewy and nicely textured. They also have an intoxicating aroma. I found the recipe on one of the food blogs that I admire – Krumpli – although it originated elsewhere. (Read the post at Krumpli for details.) I modified the directions for American measurements, and added an option for using rehydrated coconut.
What you need to make 19-20 cookies, 3½-4 inches in diameter:
3½ oz. rolled oats (about 1¼ cups)
¾ oz. water (1½ Tbs)
5¾ oz. all-purpose flour (about 1¼ cups)
¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1-1½ tsp grated nutmeg
3½ oz. butter, melted (1 Tbs shy of a whole stick)
8¾ oz. brown sugar (about 1¼ cups)
¼ tsp salt
½ oz. hand-made, man-made, ideologically superior vanilla extract (1 Tbs)
1 egg
3½ oz. raisins
1 cup fresh, grated coconut
How to it:
- Put the oats in a bowl and add the water; toss and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Add the egg and beat thoroughly on medium speed. Add the flour mixture, and mix on low speed just until combined. Add the oats and mix on low speed until combined. Add the grated coconut and raisins; mix on low speed just until well distributed.
- Cover the bowl with cling film and store in a fridge overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
- Form 1½ oz. of cookie dough into a ball and flatten to a round shape about 1/4-inch to 1/3-inch thick. Lightly flour your hands, if necessary. Place on a nonstick baking sheet, allowing at least 4½ inches between cookies. Repeat with remaining dough. Bake for 15 minutes, or until browned around the edges.
- Allow the cookies to cool for 2-4 minutes on the sheet (or until the Silpat is cool enough to touch) before moving them to a rack to cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container.
Notes:
- You can rehydrate dried coconut for this recipe. I steamed mine in a rice cooker for 20 minutes. I suspect the result may not be as flavorful as fresh coconut, but it’s nonetheless delicious. If I were to do it again, I might try soaking the coconut in coconut water – although, honestly, going to that trouble would prompt me to wonder if I shouldn’t just crack open a fresh coconut.
- I used old-fashioned oats.
- You can substitute white sugar for brown, in a pinch, if you happen to have molasses on-hand. You can substitute a lesser amount of sorghum for the molasses if you’re truly desperate. Or fuckit, just make a quick run to the store and get some brown sugar, why don’t you?
Source: Krumpli.
Credit for images on this page: No Bakes – Tasty Kitchen. All others: Make It Like a Man! Hover over images and/or green text for pop-up info. Click for joy.
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Nice job on the cookies, glad the recipe worked out well for you… Cooking is definitely manly work!
Brian Jones recently posted…Mulled Wine: The Ultimate Winter Warmer
Yeah, thanks for the recipe, Brian! My photos can’t compare with yours, but I was very happy with the cookies; they’re fantastic.
Oatmeal raisin cookies are one of my favorite cookies of all time. #TrueStory I’m loving the addition of coconut here, Jeff. Here’s to some manly holiday baking! (Hey, as long as we eat said cookies while watching football and using power tools, then it counts!) Cheers!
David @ Spiced recently posted…Goat Cheese and Tomato Focaccia
Thanks, David! The coconut wasn’t my idea, but it was delicious.
Yep, a man in the kitchen is the man-iest man around. My skills with a 25cm chefs knife are far better than what can be done with a power tool from a hardware. Not that it’d be needed with these tasty little cookies. Unless I were to julienne or brunoise them, of course!
John @ heneedsfood recently posted…Brie stuffed with porcini & black garlic mascarpone
Nicely said!
This whole idea of “manly” has changed in the last 50 years, and as far as I am concerned, thank God. Bake away, baby!
Truth!
There’s nothing better than a freshly baked oatmeal cookie. With the incorporated coconut, they’re much better. P.S. Indeed, there’s something better than an oatmeal cookie – a dozen of them:)
A dozen indeed! Let’s split them over a couple cappucinos!
I’d be tempted to go ahead and use the dried coconut as is. It might add a manly crunch. GREG
Mmm. Good point!
Nice looking cookies here, Jeff but I gotta tell you – I’m not going to be able to hold out for the holidays for these babies. I’m slipping a batch of these into our oven this weekend. On behalf of all the boys in our household, thank you in advance!
Platter Talk recently posted…Cinnamon Apple Pear Bread Pudding Recipe by Platter Talk
By all means! They’re delicious. But check out the gingerbread-oatmeal cookies, too, because I thought they were truly spectacular.