Northern Indian garam masala gives classic oatmeal raisin cookies a subtly exotic twist. Recipe below.
IN A POST IN A NO LONGER AVAILABLE BLOG, A Chicken In Every Granny Cart, Ann made a lovely golden Grated Cauliflower Curry. She said she had to improvise on the original recipe because she doesn’t “keep garam masala lying around.”
That got me thinking about the fact that we usually have at least a couple of different kinds of garam masala lying around at any given time—even though the couple of Indian-inspired dishes we cook don’t call for it. And that led to this post.
According to The Spice House website, garam masala is a Punjabi, or Northern Indian, style curry powder. Unlike other curry powders based on turmeric, it is built on a mixture of cardamom, coriander and black pepper. There are probably as many variations on garam masala as there are cooks who use it, but it may also contain cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds, caraway, mace, nutmeg… well, you get the idea.
While it’s primarily thought of as a Northern Indian spice mix, garam masala is actually used throughout South Asia, according to food-nepal.com, and varies by region. This would explain its use in an amazing Vietnamese beef stew that Marion makes once or twice a year. This hearty dish dates to Vietnam’s colonial past, when it was known as French Indochina, so it is eaten with a fork instead of chopsticks and served with a baguette rather than rice. Unfortunately, with spring upon us as of today [those of us in the northern hemisphere, that is], you’ll have to wait ’til this fall for this dish.
We also use garam masala in chicken dishes, stews and various dishes with sauces to give them a nice depth and mystery. It doesn’t scream Indian food and it doesn’t pack much in the way of heat, but it adds a delicious spiciness to whatever you’re cooking. Most recipes for slow cooked foods advise you to add it near the end of cooking for maximum flavor.
But cookies? Or as Ann said when I mentioned them in a comment on her Flavor Of Yellow post, “Whoa. Oatmeal cookies with CURRY?!? WOW! This I MUST taste!” Okay. Here you go.
Garam Masala Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cups regular or quick-cooking oats
- 1-1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon garam masala [see Kitchen Notes]
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick [1/2 cup] unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar [packed]
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup golden raisins [see Kitchen Notes]
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350ºF. Combine oats, flour, garam masala, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Beat butter and sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until thoroughly mixed and creamy. If you're impatient like me and don't let the butter get warm enough before starting, use the tines of a fork to mash it together with the sugar, then finish up with the mixer.
- Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla. Stir in flour mixture until just combined. I usually add it about a third at a time to avoid overwhelming the egg mixture. Stir in raisins.
- Using a tablespoon measuring spoon, scoop rounded balls of dough onto greased baking sheets. Flatten slightly. Bake until golden, 12 to 14 minutes [depending on your oven]. Cool on wire racks.
Kitchen Notes
Also This Week in Blue Kitchen
Jazz, dark and sweet. A gift from a friend brings us the gifts of Chet Baker at his very best, in What’s on the kitchen boombox?
Yay! THANKS! I can’t wait to try these, hopefully this weekend!
Penzeys sells a nicely balanced garam masala, though I’ve never tried it in oatmeal raisin cookies! I will definitely give this recipe a go.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! This is an innovative recipe that I can’t wait to try. I cook often with garam masala but hadn’t thought to bake with it. Oh, and I can just imagine the tempting aroma they emitted while baking.
It would never occur to me to put Garam Masala in cookies – I bet they are packed with flavor.
woah. i could go for one of those cookies this moment. looks delicious. thank you for the unique recipe!
I just bought garam masala an hour ago: funny timing, since it isn’t my regular purchase. Hard to come by, but I am very excited about it. I have been working on finding a curry chicken dish I can write home about…
First of all, thanks for the info on garam masala. I always have all the separate ingredients in my kitchen, but have never bought the pre-mixed version of this. No wonder I didn’t know what was in it!
I must admit that when I first saw the title of your post, I thought you had gone over a culinary edge. But then as I read on, I realized that that particular edge was the one of genius! What an absolutely fantastic idea! These look like my kind of cookie – nice and healthy with oatmeal and raisins, but tinged with the exotic. Wow!
Looks like you are moving to a nice little neighborhood – I think I have an idea where it is, without looking at a map. I agree with you about golden raisins.
Plus, their color is enchanting.
This is so interesting, Terry!
I’ve never had garam masala but have seen it in loads of recipes (I have a friend who loves cooking with it).
It seems like you’ve been bit by the baking bug – good for us!! 😉
I’ve been making these for a few years now, and they have moved to the top of my cookie list. I got the idea from a recipe in the Chicago Tribune a while back. Not being a raisin fan, I opt to chop up some Ghirardelli chocolate instead, and make a “spicy” oatmeal chip cookie.
I have known that you are a stellar cook, being your sister-in-law and all. But the thing that makes the website for me are the pictures. You know I think you are a wonderful photographer, and each week I look forward to the composition of the week. Really nice photos, Terry.
I LOVE the idea of the Garam Masala in cookies! I love to use unusual spices in cookies and muffins, it’s fun to see how they turn out!
Thanks, all, for the comments. I’ve been lax in responding because we just moved this past weekend, with all the chaos that implies, before, during and after.
Mimi—Having been in our new place just since Saturday, we really are loving it. Lots of street activity—people walking, kids playing, groups sitting on front stoops, skateboarders… a nice, lively urban vibe. And even though our new place is still full of boxes and, well, chaos, getting up Sunday morning, I felt as if we were staying in the very cool apartment of a friend. Except it’s ours!
Patricia—Okay, occasionally I do bake. Nothing complex and beautiful like your baking, though.
Cristin—The Tribune is where I first found the recipe too. The chocolate sounds like a delicious variation.
Lena—Thanks! I know how much you like photography [and the kind of photos you shoot], so your comment means a lot. And to everyone else, no, I didn’t pay her to say this.
Freya—High-end chocolatier Vosges Haut Chocolat here in Chicago specializes in exploring unexpected spices in their chocolate candies: Indian cardamom, wasabi, chiptole peppers and ginger, to name a few. So I say explore.
Yellow Raisons?! ..Uhm tasty? Are they REAL?
hi
tfsx10ubsupyon02
good luck
I use curry in many of my food preparation. Such a warm and yummy spice. Recently bought some garam masala and have experimented in some savory dishes. I’m hooked. Smells and tastes amazing. A little spicy but not like a chili or such.
So I wondered how an oatmeal cookie recipe would fare and Googled it, and voila I found several recipes including this one. The addition of orange zest and soaking the raisins in an orange liquer may work. this baking experiment will take place soon!
Liz, that sounds like a delicious twist. Let us know how it turns out!