~Craisin Raisin Oaties~

Craisin Raisin Oaties

Yes, four had been taken out of the orange cookie canister and stored in a small Ziploc Freezer bag, then placed in my freezer!  WooHoo! 
On Monday the outside temperature on our thermometer read 83°F and it is October!  We do enjoy Indian Summer here in Western MA, but who would have guessed that it would feel like a day in the mid summer?  Who would also guess that I would be baking Craisin Raisin Oaties on a very warm day?  Well, I made the commitment to bring refreshments to a Docent Class I was attending on Tuesday and  a promise is a promise. 

From the "get go" I knew that old fashioned oats would be used when I was baking the goodies.  Craisin Raisin Oaties definitely rank as one of the three fave cookies in my fam.  While growing up, my mom would bake them, but she did not include the Craisins.  They were not an ingredient we were accustomed to, even though I did live in MA.  Driving back from Boston after a Boston College Football game one Saturday many years ago, we stopped at a Rest Area on the Mass Pike.  One of the snacks offered in the "goodies" case was Oatmeal Cookies containing both Raisins and Craisins.  What a combo!  From that day I always added both whenever I baked Oatmeal cookies.

Usually when I bake these yummy nutritious cookies, I make a double batch.  They freeze very well when stored in Ziploc Freezer bags, so the small amount of extra time and effort is totally worth it.  However, the heat of the day on Monday called for only one batch to be baked.  So glad that I stored those four cookies in the freezer!  :)  Yummy!

Craisin Raisin Oaties

Oven :  350°F
Yield:  About 3 and 1/2 Dozen

Ingredients:

1 Cup (2 sticks) Butter/Margarine, softened
1 Cup Brownulated Sugar (or Brown Sugar)
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
2 Eggs (OR 1 Egg + 2 Egg Whites)
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon Salt (optional) - I do not use any Salt.
1 and 1/2 Cups Flour
3 Cups Quaker Oats (Old Fashioned, uncooked)
1/2 Cup Craisins (dried Cranberries)
1/2 Cup Raisins

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In large mixing bowl, beat Butter/Margarine with Sugars until creamy.
3. Add Eggs, (Egg Whites) & Vanilla Extract.  Beat well.
4. Add Baking Soda, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, optional Salt & Flour.  Mix well.
5. With large spoon or spatula, stir in Oats. 
6. Add Craisins & Raisins.  Stir well.
7. Place 12 rounded Tablespoons of batter on ungreased cookie sheet.
8. Bake 10 - 12 Minutes until golden brown. 
9. After removing from oven, cool cookies in pan about 2 minutes before removing cookies from pan and placing on wire rack to cool.
10. Cool & Enjoy!

The infamous four cookies found in my freezer were defrosted last night.  Using two cookies and a small amount of Vanilla ice cream the Craisin Raisin Oatie Ice Cream Sandwich tasted scrumptious!

Enjoy!
Yummy!

   

Yes! Oaties in the Freezer!

The flowering trees in my neighborhood look so pretty! Today the outdoor temperature reads 88°F. No, this is not a day to bake. Somewhere in my freezer there must be one remaining Ziploc Freezer Bag containing cookies.

Tucked away in the back on the bottom shelf I located a dated and labelled Ziploc Freezer Bag containing Craisin Raisin Oaties. I remember baking them about a month ago. Today on this very warm day it is quite the find!

Whenever I bake a double batch of these chewy, colorful, delicious cookies, I package a dozen or two in Ziploc Freezer Bags after they have cooled. Into the freezer they go. These cookies taste so good after they have been defrosted. (Oh yes, a warm cookie also tastes really good about five minutes after the cookie sheet has been removed from my oven!) On a busy or a very warm day it’s a welcome find to locate a package to defrost. Sure, I know that my local Big Y sells “Gourmet Cookies” in plastic containers. However, locating homemade Craisin Raisin Oaties in my freezer can make my day.

Below is the recipe for one batch. Usually, I bake a double batch.

I now use 1 Whole Egg + 2 Egg Whites, rather than 2 Whole Eggs when preparing the batter. I also omit the Salt. Slowly add Flour into batter. :)

Craisin Raisin Oaties

Oven: 350°F Yield: About 3 Dozen Cookies

Ingredients:
1 Cup (2 sticks) Margarine/Butter, softened (I use Promise.)
1 Cup Brownulated Sugar
½ Cup Granulated Sugar
2 Eggs ( OR 1 Whole Egg + 2 Egg Whites)
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 + ½ Cups all purpose Flour
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Cinnamon
½ tsp. Salt (optional)
3 Cups Quaker Oats (Old Fashioned, uncooked)
½ Cup Dried Craisins
½ Cup Raisins

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Beat Sugars and Margarine/Butter together until creamy.
3. Add Eggs, (Whites) & Vanilla. Beat well.
4. Add Baking Soda, Cinnamon & Flour. (& Optional Salt, if desired) Mix well.
5. With large spoon or spatula stir in Oats.
6. Add Craisins & Raisins and stir well.
7. Place 12 rounded Tablespoons of batter onto ungreased cookie sheet.
8. Bake 10 – 12 Minutes, until golden brown.
9. Remove from pan onto wire rack.
10. Cool & Enjoy!
11. Place some in freezer to enjoy at a later date! ;-)

Craisins and Raisins make for one very tasty Oatmeal Cookie! Do you bake a double batch of cookies, and place some in your freezer?

Enjoy!
Yummy!