Chocolate Covered Raisin & Oatmeal Cookies - July '10 Cookie Carnival

July's Cookie Carnival brings us an oatmeal raisin cookie from Pillsbury as the kids baking recipe for the month.

Now, I have to admit that when I chose this recipe for the carnival, I already knew that it wasn't going to be the "best" oatmeal raisin cookie because IOO (in our opinions), we already posses the world's best -- Aud' Soft Oatmeal Raisin Cookies - a delicious soft chewy oatmeal raisin cookie from my MIL.

Since I like playing around and changing the ingredients with other oatmeal cookie recipes, I decided to give the Pillsbury recipe a try. I'm certainly not disappointed by this recipe. I used chocolate covered raisins in place of the raisins and nuts. Can you say MMMMM!!!! The recipe is versatile enough that you could easily switch out the raisins or nuts for other dried fruits, butterscotch or peanut butter chips, macadamia nuts, yogurt covered fruit or nuts....the list goes on and on.

I underbaked the cookies by a minute or so and baked them until the cookies were just starting to brown - the cookies stayed chewy that way. The melted chocolate mixed very with the oatmeal and raisins.

I can't wait to see the round up to see what every does to add their own twist on this recipe!

Chocolate Covered Raisin & Oatmeal Cookies

3/4 cup sugar - I used 1/2 C.
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup raisins - I subbed 1 C. choc. covered raisins 
for raisins and nuts

Heat oven to 375°F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray. In large bowl, combine sugar, brown sugar and margarine; beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg; blend well. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Stir in oats, raisins and nuts.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto sprayed cookie sheets. I used my 1 1/2 in. cookie scoop for these cookies and then slightly flattened each scoop of cookies on the tray before baking. 

Bake at 375°F. for 7 to 10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets. I reduced my oven to 350* and baked the cookies for 9-10 minutes. Store in a sealed container. 

Very good with a cup of hot tea!

Even though I couldn't talk my kids into baking with me this time around, they enjoyed eating the cookies. My son raved about them.

If you love cookies like we do, why not join in on the fun!

Join the Cookie Carnival today!