Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I've been wanting to make oatmeal raisin cookies for so long.  I loved them as a kid, but I think I made them once since we've been married..........seriously!  My husband has this thing with raisins, and unfortunately, he's influenced most of our children!  I remember my first born son in his high chair, enjoying his cute little box of raisins, until he was old enough to understand his daddy!  Thankfully, I have three sweet girls who love these old fashioned favorites!  I used this  recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks, The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion.  It's one of the treasures I came home with after visiting King Arthur in Vermont a few years ago.  'Not that I need another cookbook, but this one was too good to pass up!  I love it because it's 620 pages worth of notes, tips, and great recipes using simple, fresh ingredients you have at home.  

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup shortening
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons canola oil
2-1/4 cups light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups old fashioned oats
1-1/2 cups raisins

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl; whisk well and set aside.  In another large mixing bowl, cream together the shortening, butter, oil, and brown sugar.  Add the eggs and beat well.  Mix in the yogurt and vanilla.  Now add the oats and raisins.  Combine well.  Beat in the dry ingredients.  Lightly spray baking sheets with cooking spray.  Use a small cookie scoop (or tablespoon) to drop batter onto prepared pans.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until slightly tan.  If you let them brown, they won't be as chewy.  Carefully transfer to a wire rack.  Yield:  approximately 5 dozen 3-inch cookies

From The King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion, © The King Arthur Flour Company, Inc. Reprinted with permission of The Countryman Press