Chewy Oatmeal Cookies with Toffee, Coconut, and Walnuts

By á-25138

Now, these cookies are almost like a decadent chewy granola bar. You can definitely taste the coconut and toffee, and if you leave the toffee bits on the large side, you'll get a nice crunch from them. Mmmm...I'll definitely be making this cookie again.

Ingredients

• TOFFEE:
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/3 cup hot water
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar (or 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar plus 1 tablespoon molasses)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1 1/4 cups rolled oats
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup toffee bits, use recipe below or use store-bought
• 3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 3/4 cup walnuts, pecans, or macadamia nuts, chopped
• 1/2 cup roasted almonds, finely chopped (optional)
• 1/2 cup C & H light brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cups C & H white sugar
• 1/2 cup butter

Details

Servings 3
Preparation time 20mins
Cooking time 80mins

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 275°F.

Combine ½ cup raisins with hot water in a food processor and blend on high speed for about 1 minute or until very smooth.

Combine raisin puree with the vegetable shortening, butter, egg, brown sugar and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Mix until smooth.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour with the oats, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Pour dry mixture into the wet and mix just until combined. Stir in the toffee bits/chunks, coconut, and walnuts.

Roll 3-tablespoon-sized portions of dough in your hands and press to 1/2 –inch flat on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Leave about 1 ½ inches between dough discs.

Bake at 275°F for 18 to 20 minutes. Be careful not to overcook. Cool on pan for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to finish cooling. Store in an airtight container.

Toffee:

Line a square Pyrex pan (8x8) with parchment paper or non-stick foil. Set pan on a cooling rack or stovetop. (You will be pouring the lava hot sugar into this later, so you want to make sure it's on a heat-proof surface.)

In a heavy saucepan heat butter and sugar to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil over medium heat until it reaches 300°F on a candy thermometer. Stir in the chopped almonds, and immediately pour into the prepared pan. Allow to cool completely. If you're in a hurry, pull the parchment paper/foil out and place directly on a cooling rack. The glass pan retains heat and causes the toffee to cool more slowly.

When completely cool, break apart into about 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch pieces.

You will probably end up with more than 1 cup of toffee in the end. Store the remaining bits in an air-tight container and use in another recipe or for ice cream topping, or just as it is.

Cook's tip:

If you decide to make these, and you're not afraid of boiling sugar, and you have a candy thermometer, I really recommend making your own toffee bits. The store-bought ones are teeny tiny, and you might not get the fantastic toffee crunch in your final cookie. They'll still taste good, I'm sure. They just won't be at their best. Enough said. Give them a try