It seems like Fall fell last night and here it is. Maybe this is just a dandy excuse, but cold weather makes baking really fun, practically a necessity, and of course baking entails eating. Friends are dropping by for a porch visit this afternoon and I think these gals will expect a little treat. That just has to be cookies. There is a raging debate in our house about the merits of chocolate chip verses oatmeal as the ruling cookie. It’s exhausting to fight about cookies so now I make both – together – lots of chocolate – lots of oatmeal and anything else that looks good. If you start with a basic cookie recipe you can just about do anything you like with it. I hardly have to think about the ingredients anymore – it’s kind of 2 of everything – 2 sticks of butter, 2 cups of sugar (one brown is good) 2 eggs, 2 Tablespoons cream (or milk) 2 teaspoons vanilla, 2 cups of flour, 2 cups of oatmeal, and 2 cups of chocolate. Really amazing isn’t it? Now the two cups of chocolate can be whatever you like.
I used Fall colored M&M’s and chocolate chips today, but sometimes it’s a mix of white and dark chocolate, sometimes chocolate chunks – really you are only limited by your pantry and your imagination. There have to be nuts in these cookies – at least in our house. Anti-nuts in cookies people make me sad. Walnuts win almost all the time but never doubt the thrill of experimentation. These cookies are really the best. They are sort of soft but crunchy with oatmeal and nuts, satisfying with the chocolate. I think my friends will gobble them up. There are a million different cookie recipes out there, but if I had to go with only one this would win hands down. This is the perfect weekend for cookies, cool and crisp, Halloween upon us. You should whip up a batch and make yourself and maybe someone else very happy. Enjoy!
Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
2 sticks butter, softened (microwave can help)
2 cups sugar – 1 white 1 brown preferred
2 eggs
2 Tbsp cream or ½ & ½
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2 cups oats (regular not quick cooking)
2 cups chocolate (combination chocolate chips and M&M’s)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup nuts (walnuts preferred)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream together butter and sugar in an electric mixer.
Add eggs, cream and vanilla.
Mix in flour, oats, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
Add the chocolate, M&M’s and nuts and mix until just combined.
Spoon dough in a rounded teaspoon onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.
Bake for 9 – 10 minutes until bottoms start to brown but tops are still light.
Cool if you can stand it! Then eat.
