Oatmeal "Orange Molasses" Raisin Cookies

I came across this recipe on one of my favorite blogs,  Dalla Mia Cucina.  They sounded so tempting I just had to try them.  They are quite possibly my most favorite oatmeal cookie!  Moist and chewy with a nice orange flavor and a hint of molasses.  The raisins are soaked in a orange juice-molasses mixture which makes them very soft and plump.  I used a regular oatmeal recipe like Laurie suggested and added coconut, walnuts and orange zest.  Quite lovely and flavorful! 

Soft Oatmeal Cookies

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Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3 cups quick cooking oats

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, cream together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in oats. ( I also added 1 cup coconut, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, 1 teaspoon orange zest and the soaked raisins*.) Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Roll the dough into walnut sized balls, and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Flatten each cookie with a large fork dipped in sugar.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

* Laurie says that...." You can either soak your raisins and molasses in a jar for 1 day or over night, or you can speed up the process by simmering them on low in the orange juice and molasses till they are plump. I used 2 cups of orange juice to a 1/4 cup of molasses. When they were done I drained them in a sieve before I added them to the cookie batter."


Hope you enjoy this recipe!