Orange and Raisin cookies

Hello, how are you today? Good I hope, I really do.
All well here I'm pleased to report, I am feeling so very much better than I was on Friday, and I thank you for all your get well wishes. Little Man is no longer hot and limp (woohoo) and is happily back at school today, and although I am still sniffly with a funny deaf-in-one-ear thing going on, I think I am over the worst. And I am glad.
Its been a lovely morning here today, we have been blessed with such a lot of sunshine in my little corner of the world recently and oh I am so happy about that! I love this late Autumn sunshine very much, it makes daily life shine. And I do like Shiny Happy, especially on a Monday morning.

As soon as I came home from the school run this morning I decided to bake cookies. Aside from  wanting something nice to eat, I had an urge to fill the Attic24 house with the smell of baking and this recipe does just that. I can smell it now as I type, and it's quite wonderful.

I've been meaning to share this recipe with you for a week or two now, but have been slightly nervous. You see its my first ever "own" baking recipe and I needed to make sure it really was good enough to pass on. So this is the fourth batch I've made and yes, if I say so myself, I think they are scrumptious. They are sort of a cross between a rock bun and a cookie, they are soft and moist and really (what word to use??) well they are really mmmmmm. Yeah, thats just it, mmmmmm.

As well as being mmmmmm, these cookies are also lovely and orangey, and I am having a slight crush on all things orangey at the moment. Lemons have been left behind with the summer months and I am enjoying feasting on zesty clementines and big juicy orangey oranges which we always have in the fruit bowl.

So, into a bowl (red and spotty) put the following ::

• 100g plain flour

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 50g soft brown sugar
• 50g soft butter/margarine
• finely grated rind of half a small orange
• a little freshly grated nutmeg

Rub together with your fingers until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Usually when I make cakes or biscuits, I tend to employ the mechanical whizzy method with a blender or processor or electric whisk. I had kind of forgotten the simple pleasure of using my fingers, of getting right in to the cookie mixture. It's great!

When the bowl is full of beautifully zesty crumbs, mix in 80g raisins, or dried fruit of your choice (I thought dried cranberries would work well here actually).

Then add 1 tablespoon (15ml) of freshly squeezed orange juice and mix quickly with a fork until the mixture starts to come together.

The mixture will be quite sticky, but don't worry, it will work out.

Heat the oven to 180 / 350 / gas 4, and line a  baking tray with baking parchment.

Then using your fingers or a spoon, dollop lumps of the cookie mixture onto the baking sheet, spreading well apart :: I manage to make 12 cookies in total. Do not squish the dough together, they should look rough and lumpy and should not be handled too much.

In my oven I bake for 15 mins maximum, but often check after 13 mins or so. You want the cookies to still be soft to the touch on top and only very lightly golden. Do not overcook or they will be hard and dry once they cool. And hard and dry is not nearly so enjoyable as soft and moist.

I think these are best eaten on the day they are made, and bestest still when they are warm from the oven. But be warned they are exceeeeedingly moreish. And are very likely to be snaffled by any Little People in residence. I do really feel appreciated in my house when I make these, I love to witness a good, satisfying post-baking Snaffle.

Comments

[katie]

I tried these for the first time a few months ago, but didn't really like the orange. I needed to play around the recipe a bit, but didn't have the time, so I put it on hold until two weeks ago. I switched the raisins for cranberries, used baking soda instead of powder, omitted the orange altogether, and subbed in milk for the OJ. Perfect! So perfect I make them once a day for tea. So perfect, these are officially my favorite cookie of all time. Thanks so much for this recipe. Do these have a name? I'm still not sure what to call them... :)

[Dawn]

Made these a couple of times, with a variation or two! It's a fantastic, easy and really quick recipe! Love them!

[Lori Daly]

Lucy,

I made these this weekend and my husband and I just love them with tea. I would describe them as very sophisticated cookies. Thanks again for another yummy and somewhat healthy recipe.

-Lori

[Gergana Pavlova]

Best cookies i ever ate. I m making them for 10th time. Thank you.

[Brenda]

Hi Lucy
Haven't been able to pop in in a while (was sick also!) so I've had a catch up of all your lovely posts! Cookies look delish and I can definitely attest to how good cranberries are with oranges too so I'm sure they'd be good. My favourite cookie recipe is my Pecan, Cranberry and Orange ones, great for Christmas, have also made them with lemon too for a change, just as good. I've got a quick tip for you.... try putting about 6oz of good sugar (unbleached or golden if poss) into a screw top jar, zest an orange or lemon into it, put the lid on and leave it for a day or two giving it a shake to mix here and there.... then try baking with it! Yummy!

[pillarboxred]

What is it about your own children eating (and really, really enjoying) your own baking that makes you feel like the best mummy in the world ever? My eldest is a little fussy, so when she loves something I've made, it actually makes me feel like I've achieved something amazing.
Rachel

[Jude]

10 am and my cookies are ready-just waiting to cool a little. Your pictures of 'lumps' very reassuring. I am going to make a good cup of coffee and enjoy.....
I had also forgotten how good an orange can be- I drank the rest of the juice in a tiny glass. Have a lovely day!
Jude

[Josie-Mary]

Morning Lucy, the cookies look lovely, may have to give those ago.
I've tagged you & given you an award ...Sorry!! Have a good day :)

[Rosepetaljam]

they look great and I think you are right, cranberries would be very christmassy and work well with the orange. I was fancying baking something at the cottage this weekend so I think I will try this out! Thanks Lucy! I also like baking which involves less than 10 ingredients, so much easier to cope with!

[Alex]

They look Mmmmmmmm indeed, they would be a lovely Christmas morning bake while the kiddie winkies are playing with their new things... thank you for sharing!

x

[Sherri]

Fantastic recipe! ooh lala

[Leisa]

Hello Lucy - Thank you for your lovely post today - you made me smile - and I don't think I had all day!!! Your lovely biscuits look delicious. So glad your little one is much better and you too are feeling better. Little 5 inch Christmas cakes in the oven today - they are starting to smell delicious too!

[Handmade]

Great Recipe - I just made them - doubled the recipe, didn't have raisins so used cranberries, currants and sultanas instead - yummo! thankyou!

[attila]

Thanks for another great recipe. Am going to try it soon, but I have 3lbs of mince to make into chilli tomorrow, plus some lamb leftovers to make into curry, and fish pies if I can still stand up by then, so no cookies tomorrow, I fear. Just as well... thinking of my waistline, altho' hubby loves raisins. Hmm...
I appreciated your hexagon and flower crochet patterns, in the middle of a ripple blanket just now and haven't tried them yet. Many thanks.

[moss stitch]

So glad you're all feeling better. Baking is the best way to cheer yourself up. Your house must have smelt devine. Hope there is one cookie left for tomorrow.
M
xx

[julia]

Does my already bulging waistline need these??.........oh poop, I'm going to make them anyway!
Glad you're all feeling better, did you get any snow up there?
I promise to try and be a better blogger (at least until I start work - yikes!)
Julia xx

[do you mind if i knit]

Oh gosh those look good, I'm practically salivating................ If I baked these, Hugo would have a heart attack that I had actually done some cooking........................ Maybe the smell that greets him as he walks in through the door would alert him slowly..................... I would love to make these when our oven is fixed.....................

[claireclaire]

feeling poo got a huge lymph glad up in my neck from nowhere!! I think I'll try making this recipe to perk myself up tomorrow. Glad all are well in your house again. Clairex

[A Thrifty Mrs]

They look gorgeous, I'll be making these soon.

[Sal]

They look gorgeous! I will definitely save the recipe too. ;-)

[periwinkle]

I'm always glad to see a post with one of your recipes, I think I've made them all so far - banana bread is the favourite though - so far . Thank you :-)
Lisa x

[gardenymph]

Hi Lucy! So glad that everyone is feeling better. We are battling yucky stuff here too.

Your cookies look divine! I will save your recipe and add it to the others that I must try soon. Thank you!

[Hen]

Oh my, I've just had my lunch and now I really need some of these...
Thanks for sharing the recipe, will give it a go, oh domestic goddess, you!
Hen x

[simone]

I am glad you 'fancy your own baking' today Lucy as you weren't able to on your last blog post. I feel more orangey than lemony in the winter months too! I like the addition of a little nutmeg to your recipe. I do love a bit of nutmeg!

[Ange]

Yum - sounds lovely. I made the carrot cake over the weekend - well actually, I made 2 cos the locusts in our house snaffled the first one too quickly. It is indeed v yum.
Can I just say how pleased I was to see that you had put THREE cookies on your plate to have with your tea - it made me glad I'm not the only ganet around!
Ange
xx