(Raisins + Nutmeg) or (Apricots + Rosemary)?: Oatmeal Cookies with White Chocolate and Golden Raisins

I loved Sarah Kieffer's White Chocolate, Rosemary, and Apricot Cookies from 100 Cookies so much that I wanted to try a more traditional version of the recipe from Kieffer's first cookbook, The Vanilla Bean Baking Book. Her "Oatmeal Cookies with White Chocolate and Golden Raisins" are almost identical -- they have the same oatmeal cookie base (except for 10% more oats by weight, even thought the volume measurements are the same in both recipes), more white chocolate, and golden raisins and nutmeg instead of apricots and rosemary. 

You beat room temperature butter with sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy; add an egg and vanilla; mix in flour, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg; and add oats, white chocolate (I used Callebaut Gold), and golden raisins. I used a #24 scoop to portion out the dough and got 23 cookies from a batch. I sprinkled the cookies with Maldon salt right after taking them out of the oven.
I tasted a freshly baked cookie and my first thought was that there was too much nutmeg. I was afraid I had added too much. I never know how to measure freshly grated nutmeg, because it's compressible, and yet too light to measure by weight. Are you supposed to pack it into the measuring spoon? Besides the hit of nutmeg, I loved everything about the cookie. It was very chewy, with wonderful texture from the oats and raisins, and a sweet caramel milky flavor from the Callebaut Gold. 

I was delighted to discover that by day two, the nutmeg flavor had subsided. It was still there, but just enough to add a pleasant warmth to the cookie without being overpowering. This is an excellent, hearty, and satisfying cookie that is objectively just as good as the apricot-rosemary version. My personal preference is for the apricot-rosemary cookie, just because it's bit more unusual and memorable. But you won't go wrong with either one.
 
Recipe: "Oatmeal Cookies with White Chocolate and Golden Raisins" from The Vanilla Bean Baking Book by Sarah Kieffer, recipe available here from Food52.
 

Comments

Sally said…
I agree - I LOVE VBB but the nutmeg was too much for me (and I actually don't care for freshly grated nutmeg so use a commercial variety). I prefer the rosemary version, which I LOVED.
March 23, 2021 at 7:52 AM
Littlebakerbunny said…
I used to really dislike nutmeg, until I started grating my own (much like what happened with cardamom, which I used to hate until I starting grinding it fresh). But do I think you have to be quite careful with nutmeg, because a little too much can quickly become overpowering!
March 23, 2021 at 9:38 PM
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