Oatmeal Cookies |
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Oatmeal CookiesOatmeal cookies were the first kind of cookie, I've ever made. I used the recipe found on the back of the Quaker Oats Oatmeal box. There are several variations of that oatmeal cookie recipe out there. But, the Quaker version is a good standard.
The version found here, is your basic oatmeal cookie, too. When you compare oatmeal cookie recipes, variations are usually in the amount of the sugars, flours, and oatmeal you add. Basically, the formulas are nearly the same. But, like the many variations of oatmeal cookies out there, this one here is my version.
This version came from the extra ingredients I had in the pantry at the time of its conception. It's not really anymore special than any other oatmeal cookie. However, I'd like to think this version is pretty good. This recipe makes a great oatmeal cookie base.
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“Be inspired to create masterpieces from your own kitchen”.
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The Recipe |
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Ingredient List
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Procedure
Preheat your oven to 350° F.
Preheat your oven to 350° F.
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Step 1 Measure all of your dry ingredients,then combine the oats, flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon together and set aside. Step 2 Combine the butter and both sugars into your mixing bowl. Beat at medium speed until blended. Add the eggs, milk , and the vanilla. Continue to beat in medium speed until well blended. |
Step 3 Mix the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture, on low speed, just until they are all blended together. Stir in the nuts, raisins, and coconut. Step 4 Using an ungreased cookie sheet, drop rounded tablespoons of the dough, two inches apart. Step 5 Bake in oven at 350° F for 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for two minutes, and then remove. |
Tips for Preparation
Before getting started, check out these preparation tips
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Your Mise' En Place'Remember your step ones, your mise' en' place', before you get to Step 1.
Always preheat oven to 350°F, first. Always sift the flour, and set aside. Always measure out all of your ingredients first. Always make sure your ingredients are room temperature. And of course, your tools and workhorses. |
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Tips for Step 1
Make sure all ingredients are room temperature. Measure out the ingredients first for a more efficient process. Sift the flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon together. Set aside. Have fun with additional spices, like nutmeg, cloves, ginger, or allspice, along with the traditional cinnamon. Just add and additional 1/4 teaspoon each.
Clockwise: Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Cloves, Ginger, Allspice.
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After measuring all of your dry ingredients, the oats, the sifted flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon, combine them together and set aside until Step 3.
Oatmeal cookies and chocolate chip cookies have nearly the same ingredients. Whether you choose to make chocolate chip or oatmeal cookies can be determined if there's chocolate chips, or oatmeal in the pantry.
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Your dry ingredients: the oats, the sifted flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon
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Tips for Step 2
Combine the butter and both sugars into your mixing bowl. Beat at medium speed until blended. Add the eggs, milk , and the vanilla. Continue to beat in medium speed until well blended. After this, you will be moving on to Step 3 by mixing the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture, on low speed, just until they are all blended together. 
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Tips for Step 3
After mixing the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture, add your fixings. But, do not use your mixer. Using the mixer can crush some of the fixings, like the nuts or chocolate chips. Stir them in with the rubber scraper. |
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Traditionally oatmeal cookies include raisins and/or chopped walnuts. Or dried cranberries. I added coconut to mine. Some people like to add chocolate chips.
These are all optional. If you can find cinnamon chips, they are a favorite to add to oatmeal cookies. Get creative and add what you want. They're your oatmeal cookies. 
Use a rubber spatula, or spoon to stir in the fixings. This is better than using the mixer. The mixing paddle will crush some of the chocolate chips and nuts. |
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Tips for Step 4 In Step 4, using an ungreased cookie sheet, drop rounded tablespoons of the dough, two inches apart. It is in this step you can determine how big you want your cookie to be. I love to use cookie scoops for evenly uniformed cookies. |
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Tips for Step 5Bake in oven at 350° F for 10 to 12 minutes, to yield a soft cookie. If you want a more cruncy oatmeal cookie, bake for up to 14 minutes. Allow to cool on your cookie sheet for another 5 minutes, before removing. The carry over heat will finish them off. 
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BUT...before you bake them!
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There will not be a lot of spread with these cookies and pressing them will give you a slightly bigger cookie.
Using the palm of your hand, or the bottom of a glass, press lightly onto the cookie dough.
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The cookie on the left was gently pressed down, while the one on the right wasn't. It's not mandatory to press the cookie dough.
You can go ahead and bake them as they are. The end result is still a chewy cookie. |
Additional Fixins'
Just like there is a sugar cookie recipe that serves as a base for a variety of cookie recipes. You can do the same with this oatmeal cookie recipe by variating your 'fixings'.
Your fixings can include dried cranberries, rehydraded. Any rehydrated dried fruit. Crushed pineapple, drained. Pecans instead of walnuts. Add ginger, or nutmeg with the cinnamon.
Instead of chocolate chips, add butterscotch, or cinnamon chips. The cinnamon chips are a perfect match, but I don't think they're manufactured by Nestle anymore.
Whichever you choose, this cookie's healthy ingredients balances the scale of these sweet chewy cookies. They are so happy to be this good.
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More Cookies Recipes! |
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