Double Oatmeal Cookies

Adapted from Flavor Flours by Alice Medrich (Artisan, 2014), her brilliant gluten-free baking book.

Alice Medrich says: “Let the dough stand for at least 1 but preferably 2 hours or (better still) cover and refrigerate overnight. The flavor and texture of the cookies improve with longer chilling.”

Since this has turned into our house cookie, I want it to be the best it can be, so I refrigerate the dough overnight every time—even though it’s not absolutely necessary.

Double Oatmeal Cookies

125g oat flour
190g rolled oats
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon xanthan gum (essential—do not omit)
225–227g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
150g granulated sugar
150g packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
115g coarsely chopped walnut pieces
140g raisins

Combine the oat flour, oats, salt, baking soda, and xanthan gum in a medium bowl.

Beat the eggs with the vanilla in a small bowl.

In a large bowl, stir together the melted butter, sugars, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk in the egg mixture. Add the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula for about one minute. The longer you mix, the chewier the cookies will be. For crisp cookies, stop at one minute. Fold in the walnuts and raisins.

Cover and refrigerate the dough overnight. (If you didn’t plan ahead, a 1 to 2-hour chill will do.)

Preheat the oven to 300°F convection (what I do) or 325°F regular.

Using a cookie scoop and your hands, roll the dough into 25g balls. (I weigh each one as I go.) Place 6 cookies per parchment-lined half-sheet pan. For especially crunchy, almost brittle cookies, use foil (dull side up) instead of parchment.

Bake for 16 to 20 minutes. I bake mine for 17, but ovens vary. The cookies will be firm—not soft—but not brittle enough to shatter.

Note 1: I always preheat the oven long enough that it holds the correct temperature for at least 15 minutes before baking—30 minutes is better. Let the oven recover for 5 minutes before starting a new batch—the same amount of time the cookies should sit on their baking sheets before being transferred to cooling racks.

Note 2: Always use cool half-sheet pans for fresh dough. I have nine half-sheet pans to rotate through.

Note 3: This recipe is gluten-free, as long as the ingredients are. If you're using Bob’s Red Mill oat flour, make sure to choose the one labeled gluten-free (GF), and check the note on the package.

Note 4: This recipe adapts well to substitutions. I’ve used white chocolate–macadamia nuts in place of the raisins and walnuts, and also dark chocolate chips and pecans. I liked the white chocolate–macadamia nut version, but missed the chew of the raisins in the one with dark chocolate and pecans. Next time, I plan to try 70g raisins, 70g dark chocolate chips, and walnuts for another variation.chips, and walnuts for another variation.