Oatmeal Molasses Cookies

Is it a guy thing to not ask for something directly and just hint at it? My dad does it. Dylan does it. Here's the conversation that lead to me baking these. 

We were in the baking section of the supermarket.

Dylan: Are oatmeal raisin cookies hard to make?

Me: No, why?

Dylan: They are my favorite cookie. 

...silence...

Dylan: Do we have everything to make them?

Me: We just need raisins.

...silence...

Me: Do you want me to make oatmeal raisin cookies?

Dylan: If you want to. (while holding raisins)

Me: Put the raisins in the basket.

And so, I made oatmeal raisin cookies. They are not my favorite cookie. I don't hate them and I'll eat them if they are free. I found this recipe in the 1951 edition of Cooking for Two revised by Sally Larkin. I have a ton of molasses, don't know why, that needs to be used. I didn't know if Dylan liked the taste of molasses but we will see.

Lots of sugar!

It doesn't call for creaming the shortening which is interesting. Everything just goes in together!

Everything except for the oatmeal...

...and raisins. This is thick dough. Mix thoroughly to make sure the raisins don't stick together.

These are drop cookies but I really wanted to shape them. 

These baked up perfectly in 12 minutes. I was concerned since it calls for a lower temp than I am used to. My kitchen smells amazing! This is why I don't allow scented candles in my kitchen. It covers the smell of deliciousness.

These were so easy to put together and bake! They taste heavily of molasses so if you don't like that you will not like these. I enjoyed them, as much as I can enjoy oatmeal raisin cookies. They have a nice amount of raisins. Not too much. Not too little. It also was not too oatmeal-ly. It did not taste like a dense, bland, breakfast bar. Yeah! Dylan loved them. 

The title of the book was correct. I had a couple and he ate the rest so...yep. Cooking for Two.

My Rating: Not bad for a cookie.

Dylan's Rating: "These are the best oatmeal raisin cookies I've ever had. Can we make them again? Can you teach me how to make them?"

Pfeffernuesse

It is time for my last post of 2018 and I have chosen one of my all time favorite cookies: pfeffernuesse! I first picked up a bag of these years ago from the store on a whim. I wanted to try something new and they looked similar to gingerbread. They are not gingerbread but now I have to pick up a bag every year. This year I decided to try my hand at it.

 I found the recipe in a 1948 cookbook published by the Green County Homemakers. It is filled with recipes for countries that settled Green County, Wisconsin.

 Such wonderful drawings throughout!

 Thank you for such an easy to follow recipe, Mrs. Keen. Promised to make 'a-plenty.'

 With a more than 9 cups of flour, this better make a lot! I decided to keep to the recipe and went on the hunt for lard. Not too difficult to find but now I have half a tub of lard still.

 The sugar and lard creamed together easily but separated once I added the coffee. It did not look appealing!

 I am hoping that adding the dry ingredients help pull everything together...

 This is some thick dough! But also a bit sticky. It was kind of hard to make lovely round cookies. Some may have come out a bit jagged.

 I only take pictures of the pretty ones.

 Have I mentioned how much I love the smell of cookies baking? It fills my house!

 And now for the finishing touch, powdered sugar!

 Mrs. Keen was correct. It made a-plenty!

These are so yummy! I usually get the iced pfeffernuesse but these beat them out by a long shot.

Usually I try to pick cookies that sound interesting or unusual but it was fun to jump into something more traditional. I was a bit leery about using lard... It turned out fantastic. Tastes just like the holidays!

My Rating: A Keeper! But I make half the recipe next year.

Friends and Family Rating: I haven't heard any comments but they are always missing from the office cookie tray.

Have a Fantastic Holiday and Happy New Year!