Oatmeal Rum Raisin Cookies

Ok, let me start off by stating the obvious: these cookies are not SBD-friendly.  I suppose you could make them so with a few substitutions (Splenda in place of sugar, Smart Balance in place of butter, etc.), but I personally don't use artificial sweeteners, and I love my butter in baked goods.  But they do have oats and whole wheat flour, that counts for something, right?  :-D

I've been making these for as long as I can remember baking cookies.  I recently added the rum twist a few years ago.

Oatmeal Rum Raisin Cookies
makes 2 dozen large or 3 dozen medium cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup rum
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1.5 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups whole wheat all-purpose flour
• 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

• Combine rum, vanilla extract and raisins in a small bowl.  Cover and let stand for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a mixing bowl, cream the butter, olive oil, sugar and honey until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs and blend until fully incorporated. Stir in the rum raisin mixture. 
• In a separate bowl, combine flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
• Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, 1 cup at a time, and mix until well-blended.
• Drop by (heaping) teaspoonfuls onto an un-greased cookie sheet.
• Bake for 12-15 minutes, depending on size of cookies, or until lightly browned.
• Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a cookie rack.

Variations:

• Add 3/4 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips.
• Add 3/4 cup chopped walnuts.