Best-Ever Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

You wouldn’t think that having a recipe for the best-ever oatmeal raisin cookie would be a problem, but for me it is. First though, let me describe these ideal cookies. They are the perfect consistency (in my opinion), thin and chewy, soft in the middle but crispy on the outside. The flavor is buttery and rich, faintly spiced with cinnamon, and speckled with the perfect amount of plump, sweet raisins. I call them the best-ever, which seems to imply that I tested out other recipes before deciding this one was best. But if I’m being truthful, it was the first oatmeal raisin cookie recipe I ever tried, and I just knew there could be no better cookie out there.
So what is the problem, you may ask? You see, my father, my brother, and my boyfriend all adore these cookies and if I make them I must make sure to give some to all three of them. If I don’t, I get a lot of, “Where are my cookies?” and “You gave some to him, but not to me?” And so, I’ve learned over the years that when I bake up some oatmeal raisin cookies, I better have enough to share with everyone.

But the real problem isn’t that I have three grown men harassing me about oatmeal raisin cookies, it’s that each one of them want them prepared a different way. It started with my brother, who likes his oatmeal raisin cookies without raisins. Oh and he also likes them iced. I think it has something to do with these cookies of his youth. Once my boyfriend found out there was icing involved, then he wanted in on it, only he likes the raisins. And finally, my father. Who bless his heart, just likes good old-fashioned oatmeal raisin cookies, no icing or raisin removal needed.
What this means for me is baking a third of the batch without raisins, adding them in to the rest of the dough, trying to keep track of which cookies are anti-raisin and which are not, and then icing appropriately. Sometimes it can be a bit of a hassle but I should have hesitated before I called it a problem. Because it's all worth it in the end, when I see or hear the excitement that comes out of each one of them when I tell them that cookies are in their future. It’s a really great feeling to know that they are looking forward to something that I prepared especially for them.

So if you know someone who really loves oatmeal raisin cookies, you should bake up some of these to share with them. Just make sure to ask how they prefer them.
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
From Martha Stewart Living

Makes about 5 dozen (or about 2 dozen if you’re using a jumbo cookie scoop like I do)

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together oats, flour, wheat germ, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl; set aside. Put butter and sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Mix in eggs and vanilla.

Reduce speed to low. Add oat mixture; mix until just combined. Mix in raisins.
Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart.

Bake until golden and just set, about 14 minutes. They should still seem slightly soft. Let cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks using a spatula; let cool completely. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days.

Maple Syrup Icing

1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Whisk confectioners' sugar, syrup, and 3 tablespoons water until smooth. Drizzle over cookies, let set. (Note: if your icing seems too thin for your liking, you can always add more powdered sugar until it’s the right consistency)