Cookie Time

This recipe was given to me by a friend years ago when I lived in Portland, Oregon, while I was attending the Western Culinary Institute. I recently catered an event for a group of 11-year-old girls who are going to enter Forest Ridge next fall. I was asked if I had a good chocolate chip cookie recipe, and I immediately thought of this one because it is both simple and delicious.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes 5 dozen
2 cups butter (4 sticks), melted
1½ cups packed brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
6 cups rolled oats (I prefer thick-cut rolled oats)
1 1/3 bag of chocolate chips (about 16 ounces), more or less to taste
1 cup pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Melt butter in a saucepan on the stovetop. Let cool.
Tina’s Tip: Put butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat; it takes about 3 minutes to melt completely.

Put the measured sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer, pour in the melted butter, and blend until combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract.

Note: If you like, you can melt the butter in a pot that is large enough to hold all of the ingredients, and use a wooden spoon — that way you just get one pot messy. I prefer to mix the dough in my KitchenAid stand mixer seen at right.

In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients and oats. Add oat-flour mixture to sugar-mixture, and stir until combined. Add chocolate chips and nuts (if using).

Using either a 2-ounce portion-control scoop or a regular tablespoon, form dough into 2-inch round balls, and place about 2 inches apart on a greased (or parchment paper-lined) baking sheet.

Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden. The dough does not spread much, if you prefer a flat cookie you may want to press down on each dough ball before baking.

Some notes about ingredients: Most oatmeal cookies call for Quaker Rolled Oats or something similar, but I prefer thick-cut rolled oats, like the ones from Bob’s Red Mill (see photo above).
The original recipe calls for “nuts” and I use pecans because I prefer them, but you can choose a different type of nut, such as walnuts, if you like those better.