2 favourite cookie recipes made easy: oatmeal and peanut butter

Nothing is more comforting than walking into a kitchen wafting with the scent of homemade cookies. These oatmeal and peanut butter recipes are bound to please.

Wholesome and wholly appealing, this is the cookie that says "home." Homemade are tastier and cheaper.

What you need:

• 250 g (1 c) raisins
• 250 ml (1 c) boiling water
• 175 g (3/4 c) shortening
• 250 g (1 c) firmly packed light brown sugar
• 125 g (1/2 c) granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract
• 625 g (2 1/2 c) all-purpose flour
• 5 ml (1 tsp) baking soda
• 5 ml (1 tsp) salt
• 5 ml (1 tsp) ground cinnamon
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) baking powder
• 1 ml (1/4 tsp) ground cloves
• 500 g (2 c) quick-cooking oats

What to do:

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F); set out two or more baking sheets.

2. In a small bowl, combine the raisins and the boiling water. Let stand until the raisins are plump, about 15 minutes. Drain the raisins, reserving the liquid. Add enough water to the raisin liquid to equal 125 millilitres (1/2 cup).

3. In a large bowl, combine the shortening, sugars, eggs and vanilla, and beat until the mixture is well creamed. Stir in the raisin liquid. Add the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, baking powder and cloves, and stir until all the ingredients are well blended. Stir in the raisins and the oats.

4. Using a teaspoon, drop the dough onto the prepared sheets, spacing the cookies about five centimetres (two inches) apart. Bake until the cookies are light brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes five dozen cookies.

One of North America's favourite flavours in one of its favourite cookies is a perfect home-bake success. It is easy and delectable.

What you need:

• 125 g (1/2 c) butter or margarine, softened
• 125 g (1/2 c) granulated sugar
• 125 g (1/2 c) firmly packed brown sugar
• 125 g (1/2 c) peanut butter
• 1 egg
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) vanilla extract
• 275 g (1 1/4 c) all-purpose flour
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) baking soda
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) baking powder
• Additional granulated sugar

What to do:

1. In a large bowl, combine the butter or margarine and the sugars; beat until the mixture is well creamed. Add the peanut butter, egg and vanilla; beat until the mixture is smooth.

2. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and baking powder. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, and beat until all the ingredients are well blended. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until the dough is chilled, about one hour.

3. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F); set out two or more baking sheets.

4. Pinch off a walnut-size portion of the chilled dough. Using your hands, roll the dough into a two centimetre (one inch) diameter ball and place the ball on one of the baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the cookies about five centimetres (two inches) apart. Using a fork dipped in granulated sugar, flatten each dough ball by pressing the tines in a crisscross pattern on each cookie.

5. Bake until the cookies are set and the bottoms are lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes about four dozen cookies.

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