Oatmeal Cookies with Peanuts, Raisins, and Chocolate Chips

Difficulty: Easy
Yield: Approximately 3 1/2 dozen cookies
Nutritional Information (per serving): Serving size 1 of 42 servings Calories 175, Total Fat 9 g, Saturated Fat 5 g, Carbohydrates 23 g, Dietary Fiber 2 g, Sugar 14 g, Protein 3 g, Cholesterol 21 mg, Sodium 80 mg
Total time: 1 hr 30 min (including cooling)
Active time: 25 min

This oatmeal cookie brings together the best features of trail mix by combining peanuts, raisins, chocolate chips, and toasted coconut flakes.

Ingredients

1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup salted peanuts, roughly chopped
3/4 cup raisins
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Set your oven to 375 degrees F.
Distribute the coconut evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and toast it, stirring every so often, until it turns golden brownabout 5 minutes. Let it cool afterward.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg.
In a large bowl, cream the butter with both the brown and granulated sugars using an electric mixer set to medium speed. After it becomes creamy, beat in the eggs one at a time until incorporated. Then blend in the milk and vanilla.
Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture, mixing just until combined. Next, fold in the oats, peanuts, raisins, chocolate chips, and the cooled toasted coconut.
Drop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto baking sheets without greasing them. Bake for about 12 minutes, turning the baking sheets halfway through, until the cookies are golden brown.
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 3 to 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.

Tip: When measuring flour, spoon it lightly into a dry measuring cup and level it off. Avoid scooping directly from the bag to prevent compacting the flour, which can cause dry baked goods.