Gracie Mansion Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

New York City mayors have long served cookies at Gracie Mansion (the mayor’s official residence, where the mayor has an official chef). Mayor Ed Koch had a chef who baked various types of cookies for events, according to a 1982 New York (NY) Times article.
 
Jerry Montañez began cooking in Gracie Mansion for Mayor Rudy Giuliani (from 1994). Montañez baked several cookies for Guilani’s successor, Michael Bloomberg. Mayor Bloomberg’s favorite became the oatmeal raisin cookie. On a May 2009 taping of The Martha Stewart Show, viewers were told how to make Gracie Mansion Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. The recipe—along with four others—is sold at the CityStore.
 
   
CityStore
Gracie Mansion Recipes
Item No: 09340
Price: $3.00
Set of 5 delicious recipes from the Gracie Mansion kitchen of New York City. Adopt such favorites as: Chocolate Chip Cookies, Candy Cane Sugar Cookies, Gingerbread Cookies, Oatmeal Raisin Cookies as well as the Gracie Scones! All are printed on high quality recycled white card and beautifully presented together with a green satin bow.
7 x 5 inches.
   
New York (NY) Times
NEW YORK DAY BY DAY; The Mayoral Cookie Jar
DIERDRE CARMODY AND LAURIE JOHNSTON
Published: December 13, 1982
Let President Reagan keep his jelly beans. Mayor Koch seems to be doing just fine with cookies. There was the Mayor taking peanut butter cookies by helicopter to the inmates at Rikers Island on Thanksgiving Day (and reporting that a pickpocket took two).

There was Mr. Koch meeting with black and Hispanic legislators about budget cuts and proffering fresh-baked oatmeal cookies.
(...)
Where do the cookies come from? From Mitchel London, the 25-year-old chef at Gracie Mansion and Cookie Monster par excellence. He says he finds out what the event will be and then decides on the appropriate kind of cookie.
   
New York (NY) Daily News
Gracie Mansion’s cookie baker knows Mayor Bloomberg’s sweet spot
BY KATHLEEN LUCADAMO
DAILY NEWS CITY HALL BUREAU
Sunday, December 9th 2007, 4:00 AM
Now you can snack on Mayor Bloomberg’s favorite cookies!
 
The secret recipe that makes the mayor’s mouth water whenever Gracie Mansion’s baker whips up a batch of oatmeal raisin cookies can easily be made in your kitchen this holiday season.
 
“Leave the electric mixer in the closet and mix ingredients by hand,” advises Jerry Montañez, a chef at the city manse for 13 years and the man behind the mayor’s favorite cookies.
(...)
CHEF JERRY MONTAÑEZ’S OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES
INGREDIENTS:
Yield: 3 dozen
1 stick of unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
1 cup dark brown sugar (tightly packed)
¼ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ cup water
¾ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups quick oatmeal
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ cup raisins
 
PREPARATION:
. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a bowl with a spatula (by hand):
. Cream together the butter, sugar and salt until mixed well.
. Add the egg, vanilla and water until mixed well.
. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, quick oatmeal, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg) and fold into creamed butter mix, stirring until mixed well.
. Add raisins and mix until they are evenly distributed into the batter.
. Line baking sheet pan with parchment paper.
. Using a teaspoon, scoop out cookie dough onto the lined sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes or until edges are brown.
 
New York (NY) Daily News
Gracie Mansion’s Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Mayor Bloomberg gets cookin’ on ‘The Martha Stewart Show’
BY Cristina Kinon
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Updated Tuesday, May 5th 2009, 5:00 PM
Mayor Bloomberg set aside budgets and swine flu for a moment Tuesday to whip up oatmeal raisin cookies with Martha Stewart.
 
Bloomberg turned domestic, sort of, for a taping of “The Martha Stewart Show” devoted to all things good about New York City.
(...)
Ingredients
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup packed dark-brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¾ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal (not instant)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
½ cup raisins
 
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, using a spatula, cream together butter, sugar, and salt. Add egg, vanilla, and ¼ cup water; mix until well combined.
3. In another large bowl, mix together flour, oatmeal, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and nutmeg. Fold into the butter mixture until well combined. Add raisins and stir until well combined.
4. Using a 1 ½-inch ice cream scoop, scoop out cookie dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 1 ½ -inches apart. Transfer baking sheets to oven and bake until edges begin to brown, about 20 minutes. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.