If you're one of the few, the proud and the many who adore Kellogg's raisin bran, this cookie recipe is for you. I'm sure the recipe is a Kellogg's original too, because I remember sitting at my mother's kitchen counter the day she made them, for me, the first time. It's odd, but, as a child, when all the other kids were reaching for the Frosted Flakes and Sugar Pops, the only two cold cereals I would eat were: Kellogg's Raisin Bran and Special K exclusively. That 1960's Winter afternoon, which was a snow day off from school, we decided to experiment with something new: Raisin-Bran cookies (instead of our usual Quaker's oatmeal cookies), as printed on the box.
Trust me, these are full-throttle full-of-raisin cookies:
Our cookies turned out great, but we both agreed they needed more raisins, so, next time around, they became double-raisin bran cookies. It was fun, quality mother-daughter time back then, and, to this day, when I'm down to near-the-end of a box of Raisin Bran, I use the last couple of cups to treat myself to these cookies. They're crispy around the edges with chewy centers, not overly sweet, and, perfect for dunking in a glass of milk or enjoying with my morning coffee. If you're looking for a cookie to serve or take to a breakfast or brunch, these are indeed the ones:
Crunchy outside & chewy inside w/bits of bran too.
3/4 cup salted butter (1 1/2 sticks), at room temperature, very soft
1/2 cup firmly-packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups Kellogg's Raisin Bran cereal
2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup additional raisins
~Step 1. In a large mixing bowl, starting on low speed of hand-held electric mixer and working your way up to to high speed, combine the butter, and sugars until light-colored and fluffy, about 1 full minute. Crack in the eggs, add the vanilla, then, continue to mix until creamy, 30-45 seconds.
~Step 2. Add Raisin Bran. With mixer on medium, while scraping down sides of bowl with spatula, thoroughly incorporate the cereal, 45-60 seconds.. Mixer will effectively chop bran flakes into smaller bits and pieces. Lower mixer speed to low and add flour, baking soda and salt. Continue mixing and scraping bowl until flour is incorporated and a thick cookie batter forms.
~Step 3. Remove the mixer -- you won't need it anymore. Add the raisins. Use the spatula to fold them into the cookie dough. Using a 1 3/4" ice-cream scoop as a measure, place 12 balls of dough onto each of 2, 17 1/2" x 12 1/2" baking pans that have been lined with parchment paper.
~ Step 4. One pan of cookies at a time, bake on center rack of preheated 350º oven, 12-13 minutes, until puffed up through to their centers and nicely, but not overly, golden brown. Remove pan from oven. Using a metal spatula, immediately transfer each cookie to a wire rack to cool completely, 45-60 minutes.
Raisin Bran cookies. I love thee. The few, proud & many:
Start Dunking: Double-Raisin Bran Cereal Cookies: Recipe yields 2 dozen cookies
Special Equipment List: hand-held electric mixer; large rubber spatula; 2, 17 1/2" x 12 1/2" baking pans; parchment paper; 1 3/4" ice-cream scoop; thin metal spatula; wire cooling rack
Cook's Note: We all agree that a muffin is at its best as soon as it can be eaten -- as soon as it has cooled enough to pick it up with your fingertips and pull it apart. For me, a warm muffin with a slather of softened butter or cream cheese is the ideal breakfast. Check out my recipe for ~ Make the Batter ahead: Buttermilk & Bran Muffins ~. Make the batter ahead and bake the muffins up fresh -- the whole batch or 1-2 at a time. FYI: These are full of Raisin Bran and raisins too!
"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti
(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2017)
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