David Wood Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

David Wood was a legend on the gourmet food front in Toronto in the mid eighties to 1990. He founded three specialty food stores, ran a bustling catering business, and was a bestselling cookbook author penning two classic Canadian cookbooks: The David Wood Food Book and the The David Wood Dessert Book, before moving to British Columbia and sharing his passion for cheese by starting the highly successful Salt Spring Island Cheese Company in 1996. A fan of his artisanal goat cheese artfully packaged with hand placed edible flowers, many of the recipes from his David Wood Food Book are also culinary treasures, like his sweet and delicious Oatmeal Raisin Cookies — my go-to recipe from now on!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Makes 25 large or 50 small cookies
Recipe courtesy of David Wood Food Book

2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 large egg
2 tbsp water
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups quick cooking rolled oats
1 cup raisins


Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment. Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, and set aside. Cream the butter with both sugars in an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat well, then add the water and vanilla, and beat again. Turn the mixer speed to low and add the sifted flour. Finally, mix in the oats and raisins by hand. The batter will be quite sticky, but don't worry. 

For large cookies, roll the batter into 2-oz balls, about the size of a golf ball, or roll 1-oz balls for smaller cookies. Set on the prepared cookie sheet and press flat with the palm of your hand — the cookies should be spaced at least 1-inch apart as they will spread during baking. Bake for 15 minutes, until the edges are golden brown but the centres are still soft. Cool on a rack.