So every time I make cookies and children (my own or others…it’s like they justknow…) find out about it, they ask me two questions: 1) “Can I have one?!” and 2) “Do they have chocolate chips in them?!” Both are excellent questions; I pretty much always want a cookie and I’m leery of most cookies that don’t contain chocolate chips. Once one of my kids once bit into what he thought was a chocolate chip cookie and was, in fact, filled with raisins. And he burst into tears. He could have been the inspiration for this:
I love a good oatmeal raisin cookie, but when push comes to shove, when all the cookies in all the world are on the table, I’m going for the chocolate chips first.
But sometimes I need a grown-up cookie. Sometime my kids can take or leave (or just leave, that’s cool, too.) Something I can nibble on whilst sipping a Diet co*ke, all alone (even if that takes place in the bathroom with the door locked).
This is one of those cookies–my kids will pass on the dark chocolate and the coconut and the weird red things that came from a plant,
so that’s cool. I modified this recipe from my very most favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe ever (which is also where the oatmeal raisin cookies came from. It’s like the little black dress of cookies, the irony being that these won’t help you fit into the little black dress in your closet.)
To get started, you’ll need butter, dark brown sugar, white sugar, an egg, and egg yolk, and vanilla extract.
I’m also throwing in 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract because it goes so well with the cranberries,
but if you don’t like/can’t have almond extract, you can just use 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla. The other option is if you want a more pronounced coconut flavor, you could add 1/2 teaspoon of coconut flavor.
Preheat oven to 325. If desired, line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Place the the softened butter, sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and mixwith an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and almond extracts and mix until combined.
In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients (except the cranberries, coconut, and chocolate chips).
Add to the butter/sugar/egg mixture and mix until combined. Add the chocolate chips, coconut, and cranberries
Using a 1/4 cup ice cream scoop, drop the dough by the scoopful onto the prepared baking sheets.
You should be able to get about 6 cookies per sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until they begin to turn light brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire cooling rack and cool completely. Makes about 16 giant cookies (or you can make more cookies that are smaller; you may need to adjust the bake time slightly).
Oatmeal Cookies with Dark Chocolate, Cranberries, & Coconut
Recipe by Our Best Bites
Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract*
2 cups all-purpose flour, lightly spooned into measuring cups and leveled with a knife (very high altitudes may want to try adding 2 additional tablespoons of flour)
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt (or 3/4 teaspoon table salt)
1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips
3/4 cups coconut
3/4 cups dried cranberries
*If you want a stronger coconut flavor, you can substitute the 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract with 1/2 teaspoon of coconut flavor.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325. If desired, line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Beat the softened butter, sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and almond extracts and mix until combined.
In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients (except the raisins). Add to the butter/sugar/egg mixture and mix until combined. Add the chocolate chips, coconut, and cranberries
Using a 1/4 cup ice cream scoop, drop the dough by the scoopful onto the prepared baking sheets. You should be able to get about 6 cookies per sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until they begin to turn light brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire cooling rack and cool completely. Makes about 16 giant cookies (or you can make more cookies that are smaller; you may need to adjust the bake time slightly).
FAQs
If there isn't enough fat or liquid, the cookies can turn out dry. It's also important to measure the ingredients accurately and not pack the flour too tightly, as this can result in a dry texture. You could try adjusting the baking time, temperature, or the ratio of wet to dry ingredients in your recipe.
Why do my oatmeal cookies get hard? ›
Cookies become hard when the moisture in them evaporates. This can be caused by leaving them out in the air for too long, baking them for too long, or storing them improperly.
Are oatmeal raisin cookies better for you than chocolate chip cookies? ›
Oatmeal raisin cookies are a healthier choice in comparison to chocolate chip cookies. Chocolate chip cookies have less protein and fiber, and more fat, than oatmeal raisin cookies.
Why do oatmeal cookies taste so good? ›
Flavor: The soft and chewy texture of the oatmeal cookies allows the flavors to blend together more, resulting in a more complex and satisfying taste. The oatmeal also adds a nutty flavor and chewiness that is enhanced when the cookies a.
What is the secret ingredient to keep cookies soft? ›
Light corn syrup is another ingredient that you can add to cookie dough that will help it stay softer longer. The corn syrup you buy at the grocery store is not the high-fructose corn syrup that soft drinks are made with; it's a sugar that is liquid at room temperature and helps other sugars say liquid at high heat.
How do you keep oatmeal cookies chewy? ›
Keep Them Sealed
The key to keeping cookies fresh and soft is to seal them in an airtight container, like a resealable freezer bag. And here's a nifty little trick: add a piece of bread to the bag. You might think that the bread trick works because the cookies absorb moisture from the bread.
How do you moisten oatmeal cookie dough? ›
Dry – “Dry” or “Crumbly” dough is a product of over-mixing or using too much of any ingredient during the mixing process. This can be reversed by adding one to two tablespoons of liquid (water, milk or softened butter) to your mix.
Why do my cookies get hard right after I bake them? ›
They go from soft to hard because they start to dry out, and it begins as soon as you pull them from the oven. (Yikes.) Whatever moisture is left in the cookies is always in a state of evaporation. At the same time, the sugars and starches are solidifying.
What makes homemade cookies hard? ›
Hard cookies: you are over mixing, baking too long, baking at too high a temperature, or some combination of these. Cakey cookies: not enough brown sugar, too much or too little egg, too much flour, maybe you used baking powder instead of baking soda?
Is it OK to eat oatmeal cookies everyday? ›
Consume With Caution
Even with healthy additions, an oatmeal cookie is still a cookie. Enjoying one occasionally is OK. They may contain more nutrients than other cookies, but they still contain large amounts of fat and sugar, which aren't so healthy and may be detrimental to your waistline.
The difference in texture might help you decide which type of oat you should use in a recipe. Rolled oats hold their shape well and give things a nice chew. This makes them perfect for baked goods and cookies. Quick oats are better for blending into recipes.
Why are my oatmeal cookies always flat? ›
Oven temperatures are a crucial factor in baking. If your cookies consistently come out flat, you may have selected the wrong baking temperature. If you bake cookies using too much heat, the fats in the dough begin to melt before the other ingredients can cook together and form your cookie's rise.
Why do you chill oatmeal cookie dough? ›
Cool down your dough for a tastier, chewier cookie.
There's a few reasons why, but one important part is it gives the butter in your dough a chance to firm up before baking. The colder your dough is before it heads into the oven, the less it will spread during baking, which makes for loftier cookies.
Why do my oatmeal cookies taste bitter? ›
Baking soda helps cookies spread outward and upward while cooking. Adding too little can cause flat, lumpy cookies. Adding too much can lend a bitter taste to the cookies.
Why are my oatmeal cookies not soft? ›
Add a bit of cornstarch to the dough. Cornstarch helps to absorb moisture and keep cookies soft and tender. Make sure you're using the right type of flour. All-purpose flour will give you a softer cookie than whole wheat flour.
What causes chocolate chip cookies to be hard? ›
Hard cookies: you are over mixing, baking too long, baking at too high a temperature, or some combination of these. Cakey cookies: not enough brown sugar, too much or too little egg, too much flour, maybe you used baking powder instead of baking soda?
Why do my homemade chocolate chip cookies get hard? ›
They go from soft to hard because they start to dry out, and it begins as soon as you pull them from the oven. (Yikes.) Whatever moisture is left in the cookies is always in a state of evaporation. At the same time, the sugars and starches are solidifying.
Why are my chocolate chip cookies crunchy instead of soft? ›
Using lower-moisture sugar (granulated) and fat (vegetable shortening), plus a longer, slower bake than normal, produces light, crunchy cookies. That said, using a combination of butter and vegetable shortening (as in the original recipe), or even using all butter, will make an acceptably crunchy chocolate chip cookie.
