These are really more like a raspberry crumble than a bar. I added about 2 tbsp extra butter to the dough because it looked way too crumbly to bake well, and I didn't want a dry, crumbly dessert. I also stopped adding oats after about 1 cup because it looked like enough to me. The first time I baked these, they did not turn out. After 35 minutes in the oven, the top looked golden brown and the dessert seemed done; I took it out of the oven, let it cool a bit, cut into it and found that the bottom layer was not done at all. You can't really do the toothpick test on these because the raspberry jam will stick to the toothpick regardless of whether or not the whole thing is done. I had to put these back in the oven and it's been about 15 more minutes now and they still weren't quite done. The second time I baked these, I used a 9x9 dish and bit less jam and left them in the oven for 30 minutes exactly; they turned out perfectly cooked. I think the first time the jam may have been keeping the bottom layer too moist to cook properly, but I'm really not sure.

Reviewed On: Jul. 2, 2009

If you follow this recipe exactly (note: the loaves probably only need 30 minutes to bake) you should end up with a perfectly fine batch of cinnamon raisin bread; a plain raisin bread with a light, sweet swirl cinnamon swirl running through, perfect for toast. I prefer my bread to be a bit sweeter and much more moist, though, so I use the following modifications; add 1/2 c sugar and omit 1 c flour to the main dough; leave out the raisins for the filling. This will make your dough sweeter and super sticky, so it may be more difficult to work with, but the loaves turn out so much more moist. The stickier the dough, the more moist the bread will be. Then I double the sugar in the cinnamon swirl filling and sometimes substitute brown sugar for half of the white sugar. I sprinkle raisins liberally on top of this. If you want to make cinnamon rolls, just cut your rolled loaf into 1" slices (or however thick you want) before the second rise. Before baking, you can pour a mixture of sugar, cinnamon and melted butter over top which will give them a nice sugary glaze, or you can use one of the many icing recipes on this site.

Reviewed On: Jun. 28, 2009

I know these are simple. I know you probably won't impress anyone by making them. But these are just my absolute favorite cookie. They are very sweet, very peanut buttery, and have a perfect texture; slightly hard on the outside into a nice chewy middle. It is crucial that you boil the sugar solution for a full minute or else you will end up with gloopy cookies that never really harden. If you boil the solution too long, the cookies will turn out dry and fall apart. I generally cook mine for just over a minute. I know some people who throw in extra oats because they think the batter looks too runny; this is not necessary and will make your cookies tough and bland. The batter will look a bit runny, but it's fine; the cookies will set up nicely despite this. The hard part is waiting for the cookies to set!

Reviewed On: Jun. 26, 2009