Slice-and-Bake Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip Cookies

December 2025. The third book proposal sold. Two offers — fewer publishers approached this time because Susan was more targeted, better positioned — and we took the offer from the same house that did the second book because the relationship with Claire is worth more than a small difference in advance. "Feed Them Anyway" will publish in October 2027. Two years away.

I told Gary at dinner, just the two of us and Noah. Noah said, "Third book? So there are three now?" I said yes. He thought about this and said, "Is there a fourth?" I said I didn't know yet. He said, "I have some ideas, if you want them." He is thirteen and offering me book ideas and I said yes, tell me. He talked for twenty minutes about a book for families who don't think of themselves as cooks — not technique, not memoir, something more like a guide. A map from "we order takeout" to "we have a kitchen we use." He called it "an on-ramp." I looked at Gary. Gary looked at me. Noah is thirteen and has just described a book that needs to be written. I wrote it in my notebook while he was still talking.

Christmas baking this week: the whole rotation. The cookies, the gingerbread, the brittle. Mason called from New York on Sunday and walked me through a new cookie technique he'd learned and I tried it and it was better than my version and I told him so. He said, "You're too honest for compliments." I said, "That's exactly right." He laughed. His laugh sounds like Gary's now. When did that happen?

Mason’s Sunday call came with instructions — a slice-and-bake technique he’d picked up in New York that he was certain I’d want to try. He was right, and I told him so, which apparently surprised him more than the cookies did. These are the ones I made that same afternoon: oatmeal, raisins, chocolate chips, sliced cold from the log and baked into something better than what I’d been doing for years. They’re part of the rotation now.

Prep Time: 20 minutes + 2 hours chilling | Cook Time: 12 minutes | Total Time: 2 hours 32 minutes | Servings: 36 cookies

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup raisins
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Cream the butter and sugars. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add eggs and vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract.
Combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Gradually add to the butter mixture, mixing on low until just combined.
Fold in oats, raisins, and chocolate chips. Stir in the rolled oats, raisins, and chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Shape into logs. Divide the dough in half. Place each half on a sheet of plastic wrap and roll into a log about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Preheat and slice. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the dough logs from the refrigerator and slice into 1/2-inch rounds.
Bake. Place slices 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are golden and the centers look just set. Do not overbake — they firm up as they cool.
Cool. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Nutrition (per serving)

Slice-and-Bake Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip Cookies — The Whole Rotation, One More Time