Oatmeal Raisin Cookies: Flour to Oats?

[ValleyCreek]

Yes, the entire good-cookie-eatin-world loves a moist, chewy oat cookie. As the texture goes, I'd like to have more oats & less flour or dough. Realizing that each recipe has it's own chemistry, in general, how low can you go on oats to flour? Also, I am wondering if, after creaming the mixture, should the rest be folded in so as not to grind up the oats?

[Saluti]

Oatmeal cookies are the best cookie to experiment with. For some reason, no matter how I alter mine, they always turn out delicious. I like to replace 1/4 -1/3 C. of the flour with oatbran flakes. They will be a bit thinner, but I like them that way.

[ValleyCreek]

My wife Kate can't get enough grains, so I'll look for oatbran as well. We're really trying to make a cookie meal out of this. It would be nice to munch on something that has all that an oatmeal cookie has and be able to eat ALOT of the them too: great texture, only a little sweet, some fats, spices and some very good nutrition as well. I think the infamous Oatmeal Raisin Cookie is up to the task!

[chowser]

If you really like oatmeal cookies, check out this thread. It's a good discussion about one recipe and possible technique that produces optimal results. Watch the video if you have the time, too.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/817542

[ValleyCreek]

I can see why there are 300 replies to your link. Quite an in depth conversation coming out of what was intended to be a simple quest for a good cookie. The video truly was paradox; nonchalant precision. I only got through 1/3 of the replies. Intriguing. Thanks a lot, really, for that link. What fun.

[attran99]

My recipe calls for 1 cup of flour and 3 cups of rolled oats. I use my stand mixer, and find that the oats don't get damaged too much.

[magiesmom]

mine too. That proportion creates a nice chewy cookie.

[ValleyCreek]

Yes, gang, that 3 cup oats/1 cup flour was what I was using. I was playing with combining aspects of 2 different recipes; This was the first trial. I would like to have more moisture in the mix; this batch was really stiff. I'll use honey or molasses next time, plus add some additional liquid. I'll also try to let the mix rest longer, so the oats soak up more moisture. At least I've soaked the raisins. I did not overbake them; they were only just set. I'll also take a look at the link below. Happy Day

[paulj]

What kind of oats are you using? While instant or quick may break up with stirring, regular should handle a lot of stirring.

[ValleyCreek]

Rolled oats. I did use the mixer to blend them in. I'll add them in by hand next time.

[mscoffee1]

There are two types of rolled oats I believe: quick and old fashioned(regular). I think that is what paulj was asking.

[paulj]

My favorite health food store has bulk barrels of regular rolled, thick rolled, and extra thick. And for a premium I can get ones that are organic, or guaranteed to be gluten free. Other grains are rolled or flaked - barley, rye, triticale, spelt. Without the soluble fiber of oats these cook into a looser porridge. They are also used in granolas, but I haven't read of trticale cookies.

And our cousins from across the pond still like to use cut and coarsely ground oats. Cut oats wouldn't work in cookies, but Scottish oats (as Bobs Red Mill calls them) might. I approximate the British style (for parkin) by cutting regular rolled oats in a coffee mill.

[mscoffee1]

Thanks for that clarification. It is interesting. I never saw thick rolled oats or extra thick. Are the uses different? What is the difference in the resulting 'porridge' , if that is how they are used?
I guess I will also try a little googling.

[ValleyCreek]

For my part, I did finally find out that I was using quick oats, part of the problem I am trying to solve. Yes, steel cut oats are texturally like corn meal.

[paulj]

Thicker rolled oats will take longer to cook (to make oatmeal), and may retain bit more flake identity when cooked.

There store where I find them has been selling these kinds of items for at least 2 decades, and possibly goes back to the 70s, the heyday, so to speak of the granola crowd.

[ValleyCreek]

No real problem in finding them. Yes, the crunchies will have them at our coop and likely some good ones. These thicker rolled oats are just what I'm looking for. Thanks for the response. Happy Day