Chocolate Molasses Raisin Cookies

With molasses, oatmeal & chocolate, these cookies, when made correctly, are a deliciously soft & decadent treat! The recipe was found in The Ultimate Chocolate Cookie Book, 2004. Cooking time is based on baking a dozen cookies every 10 minutes.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 30
• Yields: 5 dozen

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 cup cocoa powder, sifted
• 2  teaspoons baking soda
• 1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 8  tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
• 2  tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 3⁄4 cup granulated sugar
• 1⁄4 cup unsulphured molasses
• 1  large egg, room temperature
• 1  cup dark raisin

Directions

1. Position rack in center of oven, then preheat oven to 350 degrees F & lightly butter 2 large baking sheets. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, cinnamon & salt until a uniform color, then set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl & using an electric mixer at medium speed, beat butter & shortening until soft & smooth, about 1 minute.
4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add sugar & molasses, continuing to beat until light, about 2 more minutes.
5. Beat in egg until smooth, then remove beaters.
6. With a wooden spoon or rubber spatual, stir in the prepared flour mixture, but DO NOT OVERMIX ~ Just moisten the flour.
7. Stir in raisins until you have a soft, drop-cookie dough with no lumps, but with some grains of flour still visible.
8. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto one prepared baking sheet, spacing the mounds about 1 1/2 inches apart.
9. Bake for 10 minutes, or until tops appear dry & somewhat cracked but insides are still quite soft.
10. Meanwhile, drop additional dough onto the 2nd prepared baking sheet, getting a 2nd batch ready to bake when the 1st batch is done.
11. Remove 1st batch from oven & cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
12. Cool baking sheet for 5 minutes & butter it again to make another batch.