How to Make Oatmeal Cookies

Start to Finish: 1 1/2 hours

Servings: 3 dozen cookies

Difficulty Level: Beginner

Oatmeal cookies benefit from the tenderizing and moisturizing effects of rolled oats, which help create a chewy texture. Use old-fashioned rolled oats instead of quick-cooking oats, which are smaller and finer, to achieve the classic rustic look from the whole oats being visible in the final product. Vary the basic recipe by mixing in a variety of chips, nuts or dried fruit.

Ingredients

- 2 cups all-purpose flour

- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

- 3/4 teaspoon salt

- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves (optional)

- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed

- 1/2 cup sugar

- 2 large eggs

- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

- 1 3/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

Directions

Step 1 Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and cloves in a large bowl. Set aside.

Step 2 Cream the butter, brown sugar and sugar together with an electric mixer on medium-high speed, or by hand, until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, until fully incorporated. Mix in the vanilla.

Step 3 Beat in the flour mixture on medium-low speed until just incorporated. Do not overmix. Stir in the oats.

Step 4 Cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Step 5 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, or 325 F for dark or coated pans. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Alternatively, use a baking stone.

Step 6 Drop the cookie dough, heaping tablespoon at a time, onto the prepared pan, leaving 1/2 inch between each cookie. Bake for 13 to 16 minutes, or until golden brown and slightly undercooked, rotating the pan halfway through baking.

Step 7 Rest the cookies on the baking sheet for 3 minutes to finish cooking. Remove cookies to a cooling rack.

Tips

• Overmixing the dough after adding the flour will develop too much gluten, making the cookies tough. Mix just enough to incorporate the flour and oats.
• For crispier edges and bottoms, skip the parchment paper and grease your baking sheet lightly with butter.
• For softer cookies, reduce the oven temperature by 25 F.
• Baked oatmeal cookies will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 7 days, or in a zippered freezer bag in the freezer for up to 1 month. Simply bring the cookies to room temperature before serving.
• To keep uncooked dough for up to 1 month in the freezer, portion out the cookies onto a parchment-lined tray. Freeze for 30 minutes, then bag the portions in a zippered freezer bag and return to the freezer.

Variations

• Add 1 1/4 cups raisins or golden raisins to the dough with the oats for easy oatmeal raisin cookies.
• Add 1 1/2 cups semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chunks to the dough with the oats for a chocolate kick. 
• Add 1/2 cup dried cranberries, 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots, 1/2 cup chopped almonds or pecans and 1/4 cup shredded coconut to the dough with the oats for a trail-mix-inspired oatmeal cookie.

CB Blogger