Raisin Pecan Oatmeal Cookies ─ No White Flour, No White Sugar

Perhaps even more classic than chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin cookies have long been a staple in my life and are my dad’s undisputed favorite cookie. However, when I was no longer able to indulge in one of my favorite treats, innovation occurred, and a new mode of baking emerged.

This recipe is my “No White Flour, No White Sugar” adaption of Ina Garten’s Raisin Pecan Oatmeal Cookies, which were the final touch to the Bayerische Staatsoper concert with Lise Davidsen and Jonas Kaufmann. Unlike the Barefoot Contessa, I didn’t sift any of my dry ingredients, nor did I add the eggs one at a time. Call it heresy, but the exacting methods of baking do not matter so much for this recipe.

Ingredients:

1½ cups pecans
2 sticks (½ lb.) softened butter
1 cup coconut sugar
1 cup maple syrup
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups whole wheat flour (I used Einkorn whole wheat)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
3 cups rolled oats
1½ cups raisins

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Chop pecans very coarsely and spread evenly on a sheet pan to bake for 5-10 minutes, until fragrant and lightly brown. Set aside to cool.

Cream the butter, coconut sugar, and maple syrup together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Don’t worry if it doesn’t go into solution ! If your maple syrup is cold, it will solidify the butter somewhat. Here’s what my batter looked like after mixing:

Add the eggs and the vanilla and mix.

Combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt) and add to the bowl. Then add the oats, raisins, and pecans and mix until combined.

Using a small ice-cream scoop or a tablespoon, drop 2-inch mounds of dough onto sheet pans lined with parchment paper. Flatten slightly with a damp hand. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until lightly browned. Transfer the cookies to a baking rack and cool completely.

That’s it ! These cookies come out with a crisp outer edge and a softer inside. They will soften even more if left out overnight. Although devoid of the usual cane sugar and all-purpose flour, these cookies have the taste and texture of the original recipe and would fool even the most persnickety palate.

Enjoy !

Toi, Toi, Toi,

Mary Martha

Sirupsnipper Cookies ─ No White Flour, No White Sugar

I haven’t consumed white flour or white sugar since 2009 when a medical condition forced me to change my lifestyle. And while there have been moments of deprivation and longing for conventional flour and sugar-laden treats, my sweet tooth has been mostly satiated since my refined baked goods breakup. Over the years, I have fiddled with adapting regular recipes of breads and sweets with questionable results. However, this cookie was a winner !

I have included a “no white flour/no white sugar” version of the original Sirupsnipper recipe from Sons of Norway The recipe is as follows:

Ingredients

9 Tbsp. cream
½ cup + 2½ Tbsp. maple syrup
½ cup + 2½ Tbsp. coconut sugar
7 Tbsp. butter
3¾ cups rye flour
1½ tsp. pepper*
1½ tsp. ginger*
½ tsp. anise*
1½ tsp. cinnamon*
¼ tsp. salt
¾ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. baking soda
blanched almonds for decorating

*Note: I came to these measurements based on trial and taste. They are on the spicy side this way, but the spices can certainly be adjusted down if they are too “hot” for the palate. Also, I ground half of a pod of star anise instead of using jarred spice. The freshly ground half pod came to a scant ½ tsp.

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Instructions

1. Boil cream, maple syrup, and coconut sugar together. Stir in butter and let mixture cool until lukewarm.

2. Combine flour and dry ingredients and whisk together.

3. Sift in dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Chill overnight.

4. Roll dough out as thin as possible and cut diagonal lines to make diamond shapes (or use cookie cutters in various shapes).

5. Place cookies on greased baking sheet or parchment paper covered baking sheet. These cookies barely spread so you’re safe to crowd them rather tightly on the pan.

6. Place a blanched almond in the middle of each cookie.
7. Bake at 350°F for 12-15 minutes (or until crispy).

*An optional egg wash may be used if you desire a shiny appearance. This, I omitted.

These Christmas cookies were a delicious treat for our Norwegian food spread fêting Lise Davidsen’s Met concert from Oscarshall Palace in Norway. Isn’t the forest of trees a lovely sight next to spiky coconut macaroons ?

Because of the exceptional outcome of this recipe adaptation, I plan to bake these for years to come. File this one under ‘Success’ in the No White Flour/No White Sugar recipe box !

Toi, Toi, Toi,

Mary Martha