Banana Oatmeal Cookies Recipe | Simple Nourished Living (2024)

FAQs

What is the purpose of baking soda in oatmeal cookies? ›

In short, it wouldn't really be an oatmeal cookie without a little bit of cinnamon. BAKING SODA: When baking soda is combined with an acid, like the cocoa powder, baking powder, and brown sugar in this recipe, it produces carbon dioxide, which helps the cookie dough rise and eventually spread.

Oatmeal raisin cookies are a healthier snack choice than other cookies because they contain whole grain oats and raisins. Both whole grain oats and raisins are a good source of fiber. The presence of whole grain oats will also help you stay fuller longer.

If there isn't enough fat or liquid, the cookies can turn out dry. It's also important to measure the ingredients accurately and not pack the flour too tightly, as this can result in a dry texture. You could try adjusting the baking time, temperature, or the ratio of wet to dry ingredients in your recipe.

Most researchers agree that Fannie Merritt Farmer wrote the first recipe for oatmeal raisin cookies in 1896. The cookies quickly became popular as they were considered a healthier alternative to other baked goods.

If you don't have baking soda, you can use baking powder, at three times what the recipe calls for. So if a recipe calls for one teaspoon of baking soda, you can use three teaspoons of baking powder. Baking powder also contains a little bit of salt, so it's also a good idea to halve the salt the recipe calls for.

You technically can leave out baking soda in certain recipes (like chocolate chip cookies or pancakes) in a pinch, but you need to understand that your finished product will not be as light and fluffy as the recipe intended. Unless you have no other option, you really should use a leavening substitute.

Consume With Caution

Even with healthy additions, an oatmeal cookie is still a cookie. Enjoying one occasionally is OK. They may contain more nutrients than other cookies, but they still contain large amounts of fat and sugar, which aren't so healthy and may be detrimental to your waistline.

The oatmeal raisin cookie contains complex carbohydrates, which LiveStrong explains provides a “slow-burning” energy. This type of carbohydrate can play a role in keeping you full for a longer period of time and prevent spikes in blood sugar levels.

Go for old-fashioned oats or rolled oats (they're the same thing, but sometimes go by one name or the other). They result in the perfect chewy cookie.

Greasy mess: Extra butter means more fat, making the dough greasy and difficult to handle. Spreading like crazy: Cookies lose their shape, spreading thin and flat instead of staying nice and round. Uneven baking: The excess fat can burn easily on the edges while leaving the center undercooked.

Should you soak raisins before baking cookies? ›

Raisins: Soak your raisins in warm water for 10 minutes before using (blot very well to dry them) – this makes them nice and plump for your cookies.

Dry – “Dry” or “Crumbly” dough is a product of over-mixing or using too much of any ingredient during the mixing process. This can be reversed by adding one to two tablespoons of liquid (water, milk or softened butter) to your mix.

Pizzelles are the oldest known cookie and originated in the mid-section of Italy. They were made many years ago for the “Festival of the Snakes” also known as the “Feast Day of San Domenico”.

The term "porridge" is used in Britain and Ireland specifically for oatmeal.

Nearly 93% of all American households serve and enjoy cookies as treats or after meals. However, it's the chocolate chip cookie that's the most popular in the U.S. and around the world.

Include both baking powder and baking soda ~ Many oatmeal cookie recipes call for just baking soda in the batter. Adding baking powder, too, gives more rise to the cookies and creates a really nice soft-and-chewy middle. The amount of dough used for each cookie definitely matters in making these the best cookies, too.

Baking soda

When added to dough, baking soda releases a carbon dioxide gas which helps leaven the dough, creating a soft, fluffy cookie.

First, we substituted baking powder for baking soda. The baking powder gave the dough more lift, which in turn made the cookies less dense and a bit chewier. Second, we eliminated the cinnamon recommended not only in the Quaker Oats recipe but in lots of other recipes.