No offshore cruise is complete without cookies on night watches. And like any food when you’re pounding the ocean’s waves…you want something easy, nutritious and satisfying. Many cruisers, including we on Night Town, have an alcohol prohibition offshore. It may be the only time many sailors sober up. So in absence of the usual beer, wine or Dark ‘n Stormy you somehow need to keep up the crew’s spirits. I’ve found Loaded Oatmeal Cookies seem to do the trick.

Oatmeal Nut Craisin’ Cookies

For print-friendly recipe see below

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped pitted dates
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat your galley oven to over 350º. Mix the first 5 dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

Beat the butter, shortening and sugar in a large bowl until creamy.

Add the honey, eggs and vanilla extract and beet until smooth.

Add the dry flour mixture to this and stir in until well mixed. Fold in the oatmeal and Craisins.

Before I ad the nuts and place a few heaping spoonfuls in a separate bowl. This nut-free cookie dough is reserved for my skipper and anyone else who has nut allergies.

Place the cookie dough in large spoonfuls on a cookie sheet. One that fits your oven….they aren’t easy to find, but insulated cookie sheets are great. I like to put another insulted cookie sheet underneath the cookie sheet. This double cookie sheet gives your cookies a little buffer from the direct heat of your oven flame and helps keep them from burning.

Drop by spoonfuls on a cookie sheet. (not showing a picture of that because this Galley Pirate is a little embarrassed at the state of her cookie sheets.)

Place the cookies in the preheated oven and go fill up the water tanks. Well, you don’t have to do that but I had to. Bake for 10 minutes and let cool on a baking rack (yeah, like you have one of those on board!) or…anywhere.

Be sure to make LOTS. Cookies…any kind of cookies…get devoured quickly!

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Oatmeal Nut Craisin' Cookies

A cookie packed with nutrients for off-shore passages.

Ingredients

• 2 cups Flour
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Baking soda
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 3/4 cup Butter, room (cabin) temperature
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1 cup Dark brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup Honey
• 2 Large eggs
• 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
• 3 cups Old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup Raisin or Craisins (any flavor)
• 1 cup Chopped pecans or walnuts

Instructions

• Preheat your galley oven to over 350º. Mix the first 5 dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
• Beat the butter, shortening and sugar in a large bowl until creamy. Add the honey, eggs and vanilla extract and beet until smooth.
• Add the dry flour mixture to this and stir in until well mixed. Fold in the oatmeal, Craisins and nuts.
• Drop by spoonfuls on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes in a 350º oven. Let cool on a baking rack

Notes