Soft and chewy spiced oatmeal cookies, studded with crunchy toasted walnuts and sweet bursts of raisins that have been soaked in brandy
I think… okay, I know… I have a cookie problem. I find myself making a LOT of cookies in the fall and winter months. And not just your ordinary cookies. Is there a word for people who are constantly changing up recipes, trying something new? Because whatever that is called… it’s me! Lol. These, however, are one recipe that I DON’T mess with. It’s amazing the way it is!
Oatmeal raisin cookies are one of my all-time favorite cookies, and I’ve tried a lot of recipes over the years. What I’ve come up with is the perfect blend of buttery flavor, chewiness, crispy on the edges, and with that soft and tender center.
To make these the BEST cookies they can be, I recommend chilling the dough before baking. This will help make for a thicker, chewier cookie. You can make them right away, but they’ll be thinner and spread out more.
What makes these cookies so over the top amazing is both the combination of spices, and the brandy soaked raisins. You may be wondering what exactly the point of soaking the raisins is… it’s called macerating. Which honestly, sounds kind of gross right? I like to think of it as “marinating” but instead of meat, it’s fruit that gets marinated.
Dried fruit, like raisins, soak up liquids, especially warm liquids… and the plump up and become juicier and tastier. If you don’t have brandy on hand, rum would also work really well… and in a pinch, even some warm water would help to plump the raisins (they just wouldn’t have the added flavor).
You could let them soak as long as you’d like, but I usually have them soaking while my eggs are coming to room temp and while I’m mixing the dough together.
Fair warning, when you make these… your whole house will smell insanely good! I wouldn’t make them by yourself… you may find yourself eating, and eating, and eating! Lol.
A cold glass of milk goes perfectly with these cookies. The flavors just make me want to curl up with a comfy sweater, a crispy fall afternoon and a big plate of cookies!
I can’t wait for fall… fall foods are some of my favorites. They’re so warm, so comforting, so hearty…. and while I know it’s not fall yet (it’s about 90 degrees today), I couldn’t wait to share these cookies with you all!
If you have a soft spot for oatmeal raisin cookies, I hope you try my version… I know you’ll love them!!
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Spiced Brandy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup shortening butter flavored if you have it
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 cups old fashioned oats
- 1 cup raisins
- 1/2-3/4 cup brandy or rum
- 1/2 cup walnuts toasted and chopped (optional)
Instructions
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Warm the brandy in the microwave for 1 minute, pour oven raisins and set aside to soak.
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In a large bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer), cream butter, shortening, brown sugar and granulated sugar until creamy. Mix in eggs, one at a time, and mix in vanilla. Beat until creamy and smooth.
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In a mixing bowl, add flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Whisk together to combine and remove any lumps.
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Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, half of the dry at a time, mixing until just combined.
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Drain raisins until they're no longer dripping and wet. Stir raisins and oats into the dough.
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Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour, or up to overnight.
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
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Use a small cookie scoop or spoons and drop small balls of dough onto the baking sheet, leaving a couple of inches in between.
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Bake for 8-10 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until the edges are lightly golden. The middle will seem soft and puffy.
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Let cool on baking sheet for 3 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to continue cooling.
Recipe Notes
** For best results, chill the dough as indicated in the recipe.** If you want walnuts, place them in a small dry skillet and heat over low heat until fragrant and lightly toasted. Cool and chop. Add to the dough along with the raisins and oats.
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I’ve never had brandy in a cookie, but this sounds yummy! thanks for sharing – pinned! ♥
Tianna recently posted…Random Friday Favorites #50 | Glam Halloween Party Decor
Thanks so much Tianna! 🙂
Delicious! Happy FF! 🙂
Jeannette recently posted…Sausage, Apple and Sage Pork Roulade
Thank you Jeannette!! 🙂
Yum! These look amazing! I love oatmeal cookies too
Michelle @ Giraffes Can Bake recently posted…Coconut, Ginger and Chocolate Oat Bars {Flapjacks}
Thanks so much Michelle!! 🙂
Cookies and brandy! That’s two dreams in one, isn’t it?! Thank you for sharing this with us at Fiesta Friday – and thank you for your tip about chilling the dough prior to baking!
Have a lovely weekend,
Ginger
Ginger recently posted…Spelt and Rye Sourdough Loaf
Thanks so much Ginger!! Once I started chilling my cookie dough before baking, it was a total game changer 🙂
This is what I needed this weekend!! I was sick in bed and these would have kept me sooo happy!! They look amazing AND I am loving the flavors!
Dini @ The Flavor Bender recently posted…Coffee Pancakes with Raspberry & Peach compote
Thank you Dini!!! I’m so sorry you were sick :/ That’s definitely no fun… wish I could have shipped you a box of cookies 🙂
Brandy is so under-utilized! I could drink it by the butt-loads! Thanks for putting it in a cookie so I can eat it at school functions and not be noticed! LOL
Jennifer A Stewart recently posted…Polenta Jars with Italian Sausage and Red Wine Mushrooms
Haha, you’re awesome!! It’s like “mommy’s little helper” cookies 😉
omggggggggggggggg… what I WOULDN’T DO for one of these right now…they’re staring me in the face mannnn!!! Um- your pictures on this post are SUPER magnificent…. Now hand me the milk! (LOL how corny am I) 😉
Stephanie recently posted…Canned Tomatoes {w/ step-by-step pictures}
Hehe, thanks chica!! I’ve been loving playing with the light and these moodier shots 🙂 I’d totally ship you some if I could! Well, and I’d have to not eat the whole batch myself lol.
Floored by these photos. Just GORGEOUS. Very Nicole Branan style. 🙂
I love that you showed the steps and also the inside of the cookie! It gives me a great sense of the chewiness inside which I LOVE for oatmeal cookies! Pinning!
[email protected] recently posted…No Bowl Chocolate Nut Bars
OMG thank you so much Nagi!! I always thought the moodier style was impossible for me, but now I’m a bit addicted to it lol 🙂 Oatmeal cookies just have to have that uber chewiness, so I really wanted to show that off… I’m glad it came through 😀
You put brandy on your oatmeal cookies? You are invited for dinner, and you can stay for a few days, deal? These cookies is the only way I want to eat oatmeal!
Katalina @ Peas & Peonies recently posted…Caramel Dipped Bosc Pears
Lol it’s a deal!! Any time I can sneak some alcohol into baked goods, I’m all about it 😉
dearest CHUNKY,
COULD YOU USE THE LIQUOR WHICH THE RAISONS GOT INEBRIATED AS PART OF THE LIQUID CALLED FOR IN THE RECIPE???
Hi Francisco 🙂 The liquid you use to plump up the raisins gets discarded after you drain the raisins, there’s no actual liquid in the recipe 🙂