Oatmeal Cookies: 2 ways!

Okay… I promise only 2 more entries from the holidays and then back to reality and what I have currently been making this past month!

Who doesn’t love a good oatmeal cookie? The fact that it can be prepared in so many different ways to everyone’s liking… should make it the universal cookie!

I mean if you took the chocolate chips out of a chocolate chip cookie, then you might as well just make yourself a sugar cookie.

But with oatmeal you can add, raisins, chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, nuts, or no nuts, icing, or no icing! The possibilities are endless!

Oatmeal cookies are also uniquely fabulous because it seems that the end product of how each person makes an oatmeal cookie is different.

i.e. crispy, soft, chewy, flat, or chunky, small or big!

If I have totally lost you, I have conveniently baked two examples for you below. One I baked for my aunt pat, who loves cranberries, and the second I baked with my Nana!

Nana and I usually bake the recipe on the back of the oatmeal lid every year, but this year we switched it up a bit and used a new recipe from my mother.

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies:

2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups quick-cooking oats
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup white granulated sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries
Cooking spray or parchment paper

1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with knife. Combine flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg in a bowl.
2. Combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, and butter in a large bowl; beat with mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add vanilla and eggs; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture and cranberries; beat at low speed until combined.
3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls (or I like to use a cookie scoop.) Place balls 2 inches apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray or parchment paper. Bake for 15 minutes or until almost firm. Let stand on baking sheets 2 minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheets, and cool completely on wire rack.

Oatmeal Crisps:  

1 c butter, softened

1 c brown sugar, firmly packed

1 c granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 c all purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

3 c rolled oats

1/2 c walnuts - optional

Cream butter and sugars.  Add eggs and vanilla, beat well.  Mix flour, salt, and baking soda together.  Add flour mix to butter mix slowly.  Chill dough thoroughly.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Take out of fridge and spoon dough onto ungreased baking sheet.  Place in oven for 10 minutes or until lightly brown.  Place on rack to cool. Enjoy!