The last trick to getting a thick, chewy cookie is to chill the dough before you bake it. You can scoop it and then chill it, or, if you’re like us, scoop it, freeze it, and store it in a freezer bag so you can bake it as you wish. I find they’re always thicker when baked from the cold — only a couple extra minutes of baking is needed.
This is a half recipe. It makes a couple dozen standard-size cookies. (I get more because I make them tinier.) I always feel like I’m swimming in cookies when I make the full volume, but if you’re feeding a crowd, go ahead and double it.
New note, 2/2/13: We’ve gotten in the habit (terrible habit, heh) of making these lately, Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip-style. We use no nuts, 1/2 cup (80 grams) raisins, and 3/4 cup (130 grams) chocolate chips for the mix-ins and highly encourage you to try it. When using chocolate, I drop the sugar down to a heaped 1/2 cup.
- 1/2 cup (4 ounces or 115 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 2/3 cup (125 grams) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (95 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon table salt
- 1 1/2 cups (120 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats
- 3/4 cup (120 grams) raisins (see Note)
- 1/2 cup walnuts (65 grams), chopped (optional)
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together. Stir this into the butter/sugar mixture. Stir in the oats, raisins, and walnuts, if using them.
At this point, you can either chill the dough for a bit in the fridge and then scoop it, or scoop the cookies onto a sheet and then chill the whole tray before baking them. You could also bake them right away if you’re impatient, but I do find that they end up slightly less thick. Either way, heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) before you scoop the cookies so that it’s fully heated when you’re ready to put them in.
The cookies should be two inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake them for 10 to 12 minutes (your baking time will vary, depending on your oven and how cold the cookies were going in), taking them out when golden at the edges but still a little undercooked-looking on top. Let them sit on the hot baking sheet for five minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool.
