Friday, February 25, 2011

President Clinton’s oatmeal cookies

President Clinton’s oatmeal cookies / Cookies de aveia do Presidente Clinton

I swear I’m not trying to get a job as an oatmeal poster girl, and I’d already decided on which oatmeal cookies were my favorite, but tell me: would you resist making a recipe with such great reputation? :)

These cookies are so delicious I regretted halving the recipe. Mr. Clinton’s taste in cookies is far superior to his taste in... Never mind. :D

President Clinton’s oatmeal cookies / Cookies de aveia do Presidente Clinton

President Clinton’s oatmeal cookies
from Desserts by the Yard

Fat raisins:
1 ½ cups (232g) golden raisins
¾ cup (180ml) dry white wine
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 ½ tablespoons dark rum
3 tablespoons caster (superfine) sugar

Cookies:
1 ½ cups (210g) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 ¾ sticks (198g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
1 cup (175g) light brown sugar, packed
1 ½ teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large eggs, room temperature
3 cups (354g) rolled oats
1 recipe (1 ½ cups) fat raisins

Start by preparing the fat raisins: combine the raisins, wine, orange juice, rum and sugar in a small heavy saucepan; bring just to a boil over medium heat, stirring all the while. Lower the heat so that the liquid is at a bare simmer and poach for 20 minutes.
Remove from the heat, cover the pan with plastic wrap and allow to cool completely. If not using right away, transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Now, the cookies: preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F; line two large baking sheets with baking paper.
Sift together the flour and baking soda and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream the butter on high speed until lemony yellow, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle/beaters. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon. Beat until creamy and scrape the sides of the bowl.
Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl after each addition. Beat on low speed for 15-30 seconds or until the eggs are incorporated. On low speed, add the sifted ingredients, beating until they’re absorbed. Mix in the oats and raisins.
Place 1 leveled tablespoon of dough per cookie onto prepared sheets, 5cm (2in) apart. Bake for 10 minutes, rotate the baking sheet, then bake for another 5-8 minutes or until nicely browned. Carefully slice the baking paper off the sheet and directly onto your work surface. Cool completely.
Cookies will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature.

Makes 80 small cookies (about 5cm/2in each) – I halved the recipe above and regret it (the cookies were too good!)

19 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing this recipe. I like the way you set up the pictures too, very pretty. We make oatmeal cookies all the time at home, so I will try this recipe next time! My husband is very fond of Clinton, so he will be thrilled.

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  2. Ohhh wine and rum soaked raisins - how fun. Love the idea of biting into a boozy raisin in a cookie. They look delicious

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  3. Perhaps tastier than Monica. hehe

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  4. Those little cups are darlin'! The cookies look great too ;)

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  5. I love oatmeal cookies, but I would leave out the raisins in mine! Maybe chocolate chips instead? :)

    -Marissa
    http://noraisinsonmyparade.com

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  6. What lovely cookies ! I love! gloria

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  7. Ha ha ha on our former Prez's taste :) The cookies look delish...never get tired of an oatmeal cookie. Oscars, this weekend--yay!

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  8. I love the texture of oatmeal cookies/biscuits. These are beautiful and golden :)

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  9. I love everything oatmeal :) This cookies look fantastic!

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  10. Невозможно пройти мимо!!!

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  11. the cookies look so crunchy - my preferred texture! my mother was asking me for a good oatmeal cookie recipe yst and so it's such coincidence that i saw this today! gonna give it to her to try :) thanks!

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  12. I must admit I hardly ever (never) bake cookies, but these sound terrific!

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  13. I love Sherry Yard's Pres. Clinton's oatmeal cookies. I'm going to try the ones you like from "The Sweet Life" just to compare. I can never have too many oatmeal cookies!

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  14. i liked their name:))))
    clinton shall know and hear that cookies:))

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  15. Jessica, thank you for stopping by! These are really good, I hope you and your family like the recipe!

    Katie, the raisins are wonderful! Thank you, sweetie!

    Priya, thank you!

    Spoon and Chopsticks, hahahahah! :)

    Christina, thank you!

    Marissa, these are really good - and just so you know it, I'm not into raisins myself. :)

    Torview..., thank you!

    Gloria, thank you for stopping by!

    Nina, he was a piece of work, wasn't he? :D
    I'm not happy about the Oscars, but at least Natalie Porman won. :)
    xx

    Brittany, these are fab! I hope you give them a try!

    Joey, thank you, darling!
    xx

    Tamaravvo, thanks (I guess!)

    Vivienne, they are soft in the middle and crunchy on the edges 0 yum!
    I hope you give these a try, they're wonderful!
    Thank you!

    Maria, you should! Everything you bake is beautiful!

    Mary, I have been baking from Yard's book and loving it. Her devilish angel food cake is to die for! Thank you for stopping by - you are one of my all time favorite bloggers!
    xx

    Mutfak, thank you for stopping by!

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  16. Thank You so much for this recipe! I have made them for 3 times,but with less sugar. Fat raisins - genius idea.
    Oosha from Ukraine.

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  17. Hey, Oosha! Thank YOU for letting me know how the recipe turned out! I'm so glad to hear your opinion about it!

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Thank you for your comment!