Everyone really loves this cookie. My kids always took huge tins of them on every ski trip and surfing weekend. They satisfied many a hungry boy at crew races and I give them away for Purim and other occasions.
Once, when it was my turn to provide desert for a picnic dinner at the Hollywood Bowl Playboy Jazz Festival, I included these cookies in the lineup. We were guests of someone who had seats directly behind Hugh Heffner, himself and his guest, the actor Jamie Fox. The jazz was hypnotic and the performances incredible and as afternoon turned into evening I passed around my Jazzy cookies to the box in front of us. Hugh’s entourage as well as Jamie Fox and his party all ate lots of my cookies. I will never forget it. That’s when I changed the name of the recipe.
They are non-dairy and nutritious, and not overly sweet. Being moist and chewy with just the right amount of crispy exterior make them irresistible. The flavors of raisins, chocolate chips, and pecans have a strong affinity with that brown sugar, cinnamon goodness we all love in an oatmeal cookie. They are so easy. Make some for your family and use my trick to keep the fresh baked flavor. I keep them in an airtight container in the freezer until I serve them.
2 sticks unsalted margarine (butter if you want them dairy)
1 cup brown sugar (packed in the measuring cup and leveled)
½ cup granulated sugar
2 extra large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
1 and ½ cups all purpose unbleached flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups old fashioned uncooked oats
1 generous cup raisins
1 generous cup chopped pecans
1 generous cup dark chocolate chips (I use non-dairy chips)
Prepare all the ingredients. If you are making multiple batches, measure everything ahead like an assembly line. Preheat the oven to 350º, with the racks in the middle. Cookies always bake better on light colored aluminum baking sheets. Results are different with non stick or darker colored pans. Silpats work fine. I use the half sheet size and 12 cookies fit on a sheet since you must allow room for spreading as they flatten out during the baking process. It is not necessary to grease the baking sheets. Prepare an auto-release ¼ cup size ice cream scoop to form the cookies.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the margarine and sugars together until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Mix for a second longer. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat well. Next combine the flour with the baking soda, salt and cinnamon and mix well, and then add this to the margarine mixture. Start the mixer on the slowest speed to avoid a big flour mess. Scrape down the bowl and mix for a moment longer. Next, add in the oats and mix for a moment. Finally add the raisins, chips, and pecans. Mix briefly to blend.
[2]
Using the ice cream scoop, scoop very generously sized balls, evenly placing them onto the cookie sheets. When all are measured out, use your right index finger and middle finger to flatten each ball just a bit. Place each cookie sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes. Keep an eye on them, as every oven is different. Remove when the cookies are golden brown. Cool 1-2 minutes on the cookie sheet and then using a metal spatula carefully remove them to cooling racks. You can pack them away once they are completely cold.
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