Dad's Oatmeal Cookies

Recipe

Inspired by Quaker Oats

Makes about 4 dozen small cookies

I’m not going to fib–I got this recipe off of a box of Quaker Oats years ago, but I’ve been making these cookies for so long and so frequently that everybody in my house thinks I invented them. I usually add dried blueberries rather than the standard raisins and often add the chocolate bits, too. But, I have to admit I still, personally, favor my long-time besties, plain old chocolate chip cookies from the recipe on the bag of chocolate chips.

 Ingredients

1½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda 

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup tightly packed light brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 cups uncooked quick or old-fashioned oats 

1 cup dried blueberries

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate bits, optional

 How to make:

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

2. Combine the flour, baking soda, and cinnamon in a mixing bowl. Set aside.

3. Place the butter in the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle and beat on medium until softened. 

4. Add the brown and granulated sugar and continue to beat on medium until light and creamy. 

5. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 

7. Beat in the vanilla.

8. Add the flour mixture and beat to just blend. 

9. Add the oatmeal and beat to incorporate. 

10. Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir in the blueberries and, if using, the nuts or chocolate bits.

11. Drop the batter by the tablespoonful onto ungreased cookie sheets. Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for about 10 minutes or until cooked through and golden brown around the edges.

12. Remove from the oven and, using a spatula, transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool. When cool, store, airtight, at room temperature.