Ritz Carlton Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I’ve been thinking lately about the cookies I can’t stop making. Not the ones with elaborate instructions or a trip to the specialty store. The ones I can pull off on a weeknight when the kitchen is a mess and I’m still in my day clothes. This Ritz-Carlton oatmeal raisin cookie recipe has earned its spot in my rotation, and I can’t quite explain why until I taste one warm out of the oven.

It comes from a recipe card the Ritz-Carlton in Washington, D.C. used to print for guests, and it’s the one I reach for when I want something that tastes like it cost more than it did.

Once they’re out of the oven, the tray looks nothing like the recipe card. It looks like a weekend I actually got to do the thing I planned.

Why I keep making these

First, they’re genuinely easy. The dough comes together in one bowl, and there’s no chill time, which is huge when you’re baking on a weeknight. Second, they hit all the notes you want from an oatmeal raisin cookie: soft and chewy in the center, buttery at the edges, with enough old-fashioned oats and plump raisins to feel hearty without being heavy. They’re the kind of cookie that’s great with afternoon coffee and even better with a glass of milk at bedtime.

Ingredients

• 7 ounces salted butter (you can use unsalted if you prefer)
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup raisins

A note on the raisins: if yours are a little dry, soak them in water for 10 minutes before folding them into the dough. They’ll plump up and sweeten the cookie instead of pulling moisture out of it.

How to make them

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Cream the butter and both sugars together in a medium bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until combined.
3. Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, and mix until just combined. Fold in the oats and raisins.
4. Scoop onto the prepared baking sheet. A 2-tablespoon scoop makes about 30 smaller cookies; a 3-tablespoon scoop makes about 20 larger ones.
5. Bake the smaller cookies for 9-11 minutes, or the larger ones for 13-15 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers still look a touch soft.
6. Let them cool on the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

If a cookie comes out a bit misshapen, don’t panic. While it’s still hot, press it into a round shape with the rim of a small bowl or a cookie cutter. Once they cool, they won’t reshape, so this trick only works while they’re warm.

Things to know before you bake

• Use old-fashioned oats, not quick oats. Quick oats make a softer, less textured cookie.
• Don’t overbake. The cookies will keep baking on the hot pan as they cool, so pull them out when the centers still look slightly underdone.
• Freeze well. Baked cookies keep in the freezer for up to 3 months, and you can also freeze unbaked dough balls and bake them straight from frozen. About 231 calories per cookie, if you’re keeping count.
• If you absolutely can’t stand raisins, chocolate chips or chopped nuts work in their place.

A note from Nora

These passed the Tuesday test, and then some. I made a batch on a weeknight and had to ration them, which is probably the highest compliment I can give a cookie recipe. If you’ve never tried the hotel-style oatmeal raisin cookie, this is the one to start with.

Keep Reading

• Chewy Browned Butter Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Sourdough Discard Focaccia Without Yeast (Flexible, Forgivin
• Make-Ahead Salted Caramel Toffee Brownie Ice Cream Cake