Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies...Enough said.  The combination of brown sugar and white sugar make for a fluffy textured cookie and the amped up cinnamon complements the oatmeal which gives these cookies a wonderful flavor.  This is the quintessential childhood sweet treat that makes everyone feel better.  Feeling down? Take two of these and call me in the morning....

Pictures will follow but here is the end result. 

Try to not to grab at the screen, it won't work. I already tried.

Click here for a printer friendly version of this recipe

Makes 2-3 dozen depending on size

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup light brown sugar *
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 sticks salted butter, at room temperature
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 ounces (1 standard bag) chocolate chips...I used semi-sweet but you can use any kind you like
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon and kosher salt.

In large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar and butter. Using an electric beater or the paddle attachment of the stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until it they are light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and beat them into the butter and sugar mixture. Add in the vanilla as well.

With a rubber spatula or with the stand mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture into the butter/sugar mixture. Mix until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts (if using)

Spoon the cookie dough by onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Place the cookie dough balls 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet. Place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 12 to 13 minutes.  14-15 minutes if you do the freezer method (see below).

Click here for a printer friendly version of this recipe

FREEZER METHOD:
Once the dough is put together, scoop equal portions out onto a plate or cookie sheet lined with wax paper and put them in the freezer for 20 minutes. It's OK to stack them on each other. After the 20 minutes, put the desired amount of cookie dough balls on the cookie sheet to bake (approx 14-15 minutes), then put the remainder dough balls back in the freezer and take them out again to bake the next batch. A cookie "ice cream" style scoop works best.  By doing this, it makes for a more "put together" regularly shaped uniform cookie because of the butter slightly hardening. By doing this, the cookie will hold its shape during the baking.  You would especially want to do this if you do not like flat cookies.

I like my cookies the same way I like my bread, thick and "meaty".  To obtain this consistency, it is important that the butter is NOT melted but rather at room temp.  Based on my experience, when the butter is at room temp, the cookie will not be flat.  If you like a flat cookie, then go ahead and melt the butter.  It's really a matter of preference.

*Make sure your brown sugar is "light" not "dark". Dark brown sugar has more molasses than light brown sugar and that will yield a tough cookie.  Light brown sugar has less molasses and will yield for a soft cookie.   Side note: If you are making a cake recipe that calls for brown sugar, use Light brown sugar.  Light Brown Sugar should always be used in cakes (and cookies) because it makes them softer.  I've used dark brown sugar in cakes and this cookie recipe and it makes them a little dry.

Click here for a printer friendly version of this recipe