THE Oatmeal Cookies

If you know me personally, you've probably tasted these cookies.  This has been my mom's go-to cookie recipe for as long as I can remember (hi Mom!), and it's now mine.  For the most part it's a pretty standard oatmeal cookie recipe, but what gives it umph is the spices.  There's a 1/2 teaspoon each of cloves, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cinnamon.  Yum!

You could toss in some dried fruit or nuts, but our favorite addition is chocolate chips.  For this batch, I also added pecans.  The full recipe is at the bottom of the post.  Here's what I did:

Mix together granulated sugar, brown sugar, shortening, and butter.

The original recipe calls for only shortening, no butter.  After some experimentation I've found that using half butter, half shortening gives a chewier texture in the end.

Once that's mixed together, add eggs and vanilla.  I like to crack the eggs into a separate dish (I used the measuring cup I'd just used for the sugars).  That way, if a little shell gets into it, I can easily see it, and pick it out.  I also added the vanilla to the eggs. 

Now, in a separate bowl whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, salt, baking soda and all of those spices.

 My helpers!

 Now, turn your mixer with the wet ingredients on medium-low, and slowly add the dry ingredients.

Once those are just mixed, add your oatmeal and mix for a few turns until just combined.   Then do the same with any other additions (chocolate chips and pecans here).

Almost done!  Now, do y'all use parchment paper?

It truly is a simple secret to baking!  It makes clean-up a breeze and is naturally non-stick.  Tear off a sheet for each cookie sheet, then scoop the dough right on.  I like big cookies, and I just eyeball the scoops. 

They're maybe two tablespoons worth of dough, and they come out to be 4-5" cookies. 

In my oven they bake for about 11 minutes.  Take them out when just the edges have browned a bit.  Don't over-bake, or they'll be crispy.  Hey, you might like it that way, though.  This is definitely Frank's favorite cookie, and they don't last very long in our house.   Be sure to taste them while they're warm, and pour yourself a cold glass of milk.

 Yum!

 Check out our little Mary, Joseph and Baby J.  Aren't they cute?  I got them at our favorite pottery shop here in town, Mud Dabbers. 

 

 I added them to our dining table to compliment the Advent wreath. 

Anywho, here's the recipe:
(Printable version here)
Chewy Spiced Oatmeal Cookies
Cream with a mixer:
1/2 Cup Shortening
1/2 Cup Butter, softened
1 C Granulated Sugar
1 C Brown Sugar
Add and beat well:
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
In another bowl, mix with a wire whip:
1 1/2 C flour
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
1/2 teaspoon each of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves
Stir dry ingredients into mixture.  Stir in 3 cups of oatmeal.  You could also add any or all of the following:  raisins, chocolate chips, nuts, dried cranberries, etc.  Mix well.  Bake on a greased cookie sheet (or parchment paper) at 350 for 10 minutes.

Let me know if you give this recipe a try.  You should!  They're perfect for the holidays, with all of those wintry spices.