Raisin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I wanted something sweet to snack on today, so I decided to make some chocolate chip cookies, but with some raisins in as well.  I always enjoy that extra texture that a raisin, or sultana, gives to cookies and cakes, so I thought they would go well in a chocolate chip cookie that is crisp on the outside but chewy in the centre.

I must admit that I was tempted to use hazelnuts, which are a big favourite of mine, and they would also give a different texture, but since I wanted a chewy centre I thought raisins would be a better fit to my requirements.  Having said that this is one of those recipes that can easily be adjusted to what is available and what is preferred.  So dried fruit or chopped nuts of any type would work well.  Of course the chocolate can be varied too, dark, milk, etc.  But, although I have callets of both dark and milk chocolate they don’t necessarily fit for these cookies, since they will melt very easily.  Instead I opted for dark chocolate chips, which are actually produced. in a manner which allows them to retain shape during baking, from what I have read.  Another swappable ingredient is the sugar, if you don’t have light brown sugar you can simply use double the amount of caster or granulated sugar instead.  It will have a slight impact of the flavour but will still work very well.

This is another very easy recipe and it doesn’t take much effort, though there is a waiting time of at least an hour before baking.

Although the recipe will make 24 cookies, if that many are not needed at one time, some of the balls of dough can be bagged an frozen once they have been chilled.  Then they can be baked off at a later date, having been left out for at least 30 minutes when removed from the freezer.

My cookies turned out very well indeed.  They had just the right crispiness on the outside whilst retaining the all important chewiness as well.

Ingredients:

• 113g(1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 100g(1/2 cup) caster sugar(or granulated)
• 100g(1/2 cup) soft light brown sugar
• 185g(1 1/4 cups) plain flour
• 7g(1 tbsp) cornflour
• 1 medium egg(large in USA)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 240g ( about 1 1/2 cups depending on size of chips) dark chocolate chips
• 100g(2/3 cup) raisins

Method:

1. Line a couple of baking trays with parchment paper.
2. Place the butter and sugars into a large bowl and cream them together, by hand or with a hand mixer.
3. Add the egg and vanilla extract and whisk to combine into the creamed mixture.
4. Sift in the flour, cornflour, baking soda and salt over the top of the wet mixture and gently mix until all is combined.
5. Add the chocolate chips and the raisins and again mix until fully combined.
6. Make 24 balls of cookie dough using about 2 tbsp of dough for each one.
7. Place them onto a baking tray and refrigerate for at least an hour.
8. Preheat the oven to 160C/140C Fan/325 F.
9. Take the cookie dough balls from the fridge and distribute between the baking trays, leaving at least 3 inches(7.5 cm) between each ball(you may need to bake in batches).  These cookies will spread, so it is important they are not too close together.
10. Bake in the oven for between 14 and 18 minutes, until the edges start brown a little.
11. Remove from the oven and leave on the baking tray for 10 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.