Grandpa’s Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Grandpa’s oatmeal raisin cookies.

Grandpa kept a tidy house and lived by himself for thirty-some years after Grandma died.  I only knew his place as Grandpa’s place, because my grandmother died years before I was born. He kept his place neat, tidy, and in order. There were not a lot of toys at his house, but we had fun playing with the spools and the colored blocks he kept on the bottom shelf of the library table.

Sunday Cookie Memories

Sometimes we went to his house for Sunday dinner after church. I remember that Mama helped in the kitchen, but I have no idea how much of the meal he did by himself.

He did, however, make cookies like these. When I taste these, I am back in his kitchen on the farm in Elk Lick Township, Pennsylvania, where we’d listen to the clip-clop of horses’ hooves as they came by the house carrying their Amish owners home from church. I was always intrigued that the barn at the Amish church was larger than the church building itself.  That’s because winter weather required the horses to have a place to be inside.

The Cookie Recipe

My sister Alice put this recipe in our Second Batch cookbook. She agrees with me when she says, “These cookies remind me the most of the cookies that I remember Grandpa Bender making. Loved them as a child, love them now.”

I’ve been keeping a jar filled with these cookies on the kitchen counter at my house. Dave doesn’t care for chocolate, but  he loves these cookies.

Here is the recipe for these oatmeal raisin cookies.

Grandpa's Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

My Windowsill

Oatmeal with raisin and a few spices are great for autumn baking - but they're good any time of the year with a glass of milk!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 22 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 6 dozen

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups shortening I use butter
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 2 cups white sugar
• 6 eggs
• 5 1/2 cups minute oatmeal I use regular unless I have minute oatmeal
• 2 1/2 tsp. soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4 1/4 cups flour
• 1 cup raisins or more - and I use a lot more!
• 1 cup nuts optional
• Cinnamon optional I use 1 tsp.

Instructions

 

• Cream shortening and sugars together
• Add eggs. Mix well.
• Add dry ingredients, then stir in raisins.
• Drop on greased cookie sheets.
• Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes