The Very Best Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Ever! - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup water
1 cup raisins
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup Crisco shortening
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal (not instant)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350\u00b0.
Whisk eggs in a small bowl, add 1/4 cup water, 1 tsp vanilla and raisins; mix well. VERY IMPORTANT let set on counter for at least 1 hour.
In another bowl, combine crisco, and sugars, mix well.
Gradually add dry ingredients.
Blend in raisin mixture -- mix well.
I use a cookie scoop, slightly less than 1/4 cup and place them on a greased cookie sheet. I slightly flatten them with the back of the scoop.
Bake at 350\u00b0 for 10-12 minutes. Do not flatten cookies a lot -- just a gentle tap.other wise they will flatten out too much.
Baking note: please remember to reverse position of cookie sheets halfway through baking. DO NOT OVER BAKE. Cookies should be slightly golden brown around edges. Centers will look set-- let cool 1 minute on cookie sheet and then remove to wire rack to complete cool.
I have used this recipe for over 30 years-- always outstanding-- most important thing to remove cookies from oven before they are finished-- residual heat in cookies will complete cooking-- and result in a cookie that is not dried out.
I also add more walnuts, as I like lots of big nuts in my oatmeal cookies-- I have often left the egg, raisin mixture on counter, for a couple of hours while cleaning house and came back and baked marvelous cookies.