Oatmeal Cranraisin Pecan Cookies

Every month my ward’s Relief Society has a luncheon on Camp Pendleton.  The idea is to unite our sisters with those who live in Fallbrook and those who live on base.  It works sometimes. Today we had 4 base sisters and 5 Fallbrook sisters.  Each month we have a food theme, for November we had Thanksgiving food and comfort food.  I brought olives because Thanksgiving dinner must have olives to eat before, during and after.  I also brought these cookies because my favorite cookie in the whole world is oatmeal raisin cookies but I think these are just a tiny bit better.

The recipe was taken from the recipe cards you get with the Crisco sticks you purchase and tweaked ever so slightly.

3/4 stick Crisco Butter Flavored Baking Sticks

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar ( I love brown sugar and always sneak a couple of pinches to eat straight when I bake)

2 eggs

1 Tbs. vanilla

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

2 3/4 cups rolled oats

1 cup cranraisins

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly coat baking sheets with cooking spray.

Beat together shortening and sugars until creamy.  (My electric hand mixer is dead so I did this with a wooden spoon and it works just fine)

Beat in eggs and vanilla until mixed.

Add flour, soda, cinnamon and salt; mix until well blended.

Stir in oats, cranraisins and chopped pecans.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.

Bake 10 minutes (this were the perfect softness on the first day but crisper on the 2nd and if you want them to stay soft maybe baking a little less will do that – be warned though they will fall apart easier)

Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes, remove to cooling rack to cool completely.

I am guessing they passed the taste test because several of them were snatched up to go home for later.  I hope you like these.  I think the secret was the cinnamon, the original recipe called for 1 tsp but I wanted more flavor and I loved it with the 2 tsp.