The “Best” Oatmeal Cookies

I hope you try these outstanding cookies. Make them as sweet or salty as you like depending on your adds at the end. One of my favourite cookie recipes of all time. Featured in the photo is salted caramel double chocolate chip.

*There is a great tip at the end of this recipe.

Dry Ingredients:

2 generous cups quick oatmeal (organic if you can)

2 cups unbleached (organic if you can) all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

¾ cup shredded sweetened coconut

1 cup butter softened to room temperature

1 cup dark brown sugar lightly packed

¼ cup white sugar

1 tbsp. maple syrup

2 large eggs

2 tsp. very good vanilla extract (do not skimp on this ingredient)

Adds:

1 cup milk choc chips

1 cup dark semisweet choc. chipits

1 cup white choc. chipits

1 cup toasted pecan pieces, chopped roughly (these must be cool before adding to dough)

1 cup toasted walnuts roughly chopped. These must be cool before adding to the dough)

1 cup craisins

1 cup raisins

1 cup salted caramel chipits

(add any combination of the above adds…to equal 3 cups. ) In this featured version I added 1 cup each of milk & dark chocolate chips and 1 cup of salted caramel chips.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

*before beginning, please see my tip at the end of the recipe.

Lightly spray your cookie sheets (4) with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.

In a large bowl combine dry ingredients and coconut and stir well to combine and set aside.

Using a electric mixer, beat butter until light and fluffy. Beat in sugars and maple syrup and beat well to combine. Add eggs one at a time and beat in with vanilla. If you have a heavy duty stand mixer, you can reduce your speed and gradually add your dry ingredients until dough comes together. If using hand beaters, you can start adding the dry ingredients on low spead, but you will have to switch to a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula to incorporate all the dry ingredients. Last step is to add your three cups of the add ins. Stir well to distribute through the cookie dough.

Scoop dough with a cookie dough scoup (the best invention ever)…or about 2 tbsp of dough per cookie, onto your cookie sheets…12 per sheet as they do expand. Flatten dough to roughly ¼ inch with a fork dipped in some white sugar to keep it from caking up.

Bake 10-12 minutes until light golden brown. , depending on your oven you might want to rotate your cookie sheets half way through baking. Remove from oven and cool before handling.

Makes 4 doz. Cookies

Tip: Just make 2 doz. Cookies. Freeze the remaining cookie dough for another time in an airtight container. When the time comes, thaw the dough over night in the fridge. Scoop and bake as above and enjoy, without the mess.

#Baking #bedandbreakfast #BnB #Cookies