Oatmeal-Currant Cookies take the iconic Oatmeal Cookie to a new level. Generally, Oatmeal cookies are made with raisins. I really don’t enjoy raisins in baked goods. Consequently, years ago, I started using currants as a substitute for raisins. I like just that firm, tiny, tangy bite as you chew the cookie. If you prefer more soft sweetness- use an equal amount of raisins.
In this recipe, I use two different types of oatmeal: Irish Oatmeal and Old-Fashioned Oatmeal to make my Oatmeal-Currant cookies. They are both healthy, both unsweetened, both instant; but they are processed differently. The Irish Oatmeal is steel-cut which produces a chewier oatmeal than the Old-Fashioned which is rolled and flattened. The combination of the two types produces a cookie which is crisp and somewhat chewy-satisfying everybody. This is a cookie jar cookie that can be served at a dinner party as well; and they can be frozen! Need chocolate- try my beloved Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Note: Bake your cookies 10-15 minutes longer if you opt for using solid coconut oil rather than margarine. The cookies will spread out larger than the ones made with margarine; so if you want smaller cookies, use one tablespoon of batter rather than two.
Hint: To make these vegan, substitute the egg with 1/3 cup unsweetened and unflavored applesauce and use vegan margarine.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Oatmeal-Currant Cookies
By Published: January 8, 2017
Yield:
- about 60 cookies
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Non-dairy Margarine softened or 6 ounces solid coconut oil
- 1 cup Dark Brown Sugar firmly packed
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure Vanilla extract
- 2 cups instant Irish oatmeal
- 1 1/3 cups instant oatmeal
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup dried currants
Equipment
- electric mixer paddle inserted
- 3 large cookie sheets lined with baking parchment
- small meatball scoop cookies will be more uniform and will cook more evenly if you use a scoop but two tablespoons work as well
- cooling racks
Directions
- Place margarine in bowl of mixer. Add brown and white sugar. Mix on medium speed til they are thoroughly mixed. Add remaining ingredients. Start mixer on low and raise it to medium speed as everything starts to come together. The batter will be stiff.
- Preheat oven to: 350° F.
- Scoop up some of the batter to scantly fill the scoop and release it onto the parchment paper. (You can do this by using 2 tablespoons as well- one for scooping and one for scraping batter off the spoon.) Leave about 1 1/2 inches between each cookie. If any of the cookies run into each other, you can separate them with a sharp knife while they are still warm. Bake cookies about 13 minutes. You will smell them as they are ready to be removed from the oven and the edges will start to turn brown. Cool cookies on a rack and then hide them!
- To make these into brownies: Line a jellyroll pan with baking parchment. Spread batter evenly all over pan. (Fingers do quicker work than a spatula) Bake for 20-30 minutes until the edges are crisp and brown. Let cook before cutting into squares, They will crisp up as they cool but will not be as crisp as cookies. Still delicious though!
